It’s that time of year again- 2 ½ months full of holiday celebrations. For most of us, the holidays are a time of seemingly inexhaustible amounts of office parties, cocktail parties and those never ending family gatherings.
Every party and gathering provides numerous calorie-laden temptations that can be hard to resist. With just a small plate of the typical hors d’oeuvres and a cup of eggnog clocking in at a whopping 900 calories, it’s no wonder the average American tends to gain a few pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
I always have a have a small pre-dinner snack, rich in fiber and protein before any party or event. I would recommend either an apple with low-fat cheese or high fiber crackers and lean deli meat. Going out on a full belly will help you make smart food choices and control portion sizes.
Here are a few of the most popular hors d’oeuvres-check out the total calories if you had just four teeny tiny apps.
Total calories for the four appetizers
1 slider: 140 calories
1 pig in a blanket: 80 calories
1 mini crab cake: 170 calories
1 mini spring roll: 160 calories
A total of 550 calories!
Other Holiday Calorie Bombs
- Eggnog A measly one-cup serving of traditional eggnog has 340 calories and 19g fat from ingredients such as cream, sugar, whipped eggs, and a combination of sweet liquors. Ditch tradition this year and opt for a lighter cocktail to get you in the holiday spirit like spiked apple cider.
- Fruitcake Names can certainly be deceiving! This holiday treat may contain fruit, but it also contains plenty of unhealthy ingredients such as corn syrup, sugar, and butter. One slice of fruitcake weighs in at 400 calories and 13 grams of fat. Instead, lighten up your dessert plate with a fat-free slice of angel food cake topped with fresh berries. Save almost 200 calories too!
- Honey-Glazed Ham A Christmas-time staple, ham is not only more fatty than other meats to begin with, but the candy-like glaze tacks on a heap of added sugars. A four-ounce serving of honey ham can have 220 calories, 8g fat, and over 20g of sugar. Instead, go non-traditional this year and opt for beef tenderloin as the main event. The same serving of beef tenderloin saves you almost 100 calories and half the fat!
- Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip A typical (1/2 cup) serving of spinach and artichoke dip contains 240 calories and 18 grams of fat, because like most dips it is usually made with regular mayonnaise and or sour cream. Making this dip with fat- free yogurt will save you over 100 calories and 12 grams of fat per serving-as well as your body from going into cardiac arrest.
Recipe: A Lighter Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Ingredients:
“¢3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
“¢6 oz container, non-fat Greek yogurt (such as Fage or Chobani)
“¢1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
“¢1 clove garlic, minced
“¢1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
“¢1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
“¢1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella, shredded
Directions:
1.Heat oven to 350°F.
2.Mix ingredients; spoon into 9-inch quiche dish or pie plate.
3.Bake 20 min. or until heated through.
Serves: 8 (1/2 cup)
Nutritional Content Per Serving: 132 calories, 8g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 11 g protein, 6g fat, 3 g sat fat, 266 mg sodium
Serve this dip with whole-wheat pita chips instead of tortilla chips to add 2 g of fiber
