Holiday Healthy Eating Tips | The Cabinet Store + Culina Design Twin Cities MN

10 Simple Tips for Healthy Eating and Indulging this Holiday Season | Healthy Eating Tips from The Cabinet Store + Culina Design Twin Cities MN

The holiday season is a wonderful time to enjoy food with friends and family!  Keep these ten easy tips in mind to enjoy your holiday munching to the fullest while keeping your calorie intake down at the same time.

  1. Decorate Your House, Not Your Food: If you’re hosting a holiday gathering, find enjoyment in the season by spending more time preparing holiday decor rather than food.  Then when you set the food out for your guests, your holiday display will not only make your beautiful Cambria countertops shine but can do double-duty by filling in space, allowing you to offer fewer dishes of tempting appetizers and sweets.
  2. Keep Gum Handy: When you’re tempted to eat more than necessary, pop a piece of gum into your mouth.  Chew gum while cooking as well to avoid munching on everything you’re baking!
  3. Focus on Seasonal Faves: Choose to indulge in dishes that are truly special this time of year rather than items readily available all year long.  Knowing you can save the calories of other dishes for a meal any time of the year will make it easier to say no at the time.
  4. Eat Before Parties: If you think avoiding meals before a party to “save up calories” for the big event is a wise idea, think again. Instead eat sensibly throughout the day, including a small healthy snack before attending a party.  If you’re not ravishingly hungry when you arrive, you’ll make smarter eating choices once there.
  5. Be a Food Snob: If you don’t love it, don’t eat it.  Save calories for things you truly love rather than sampling everything on the buffet line.
  6. Survey Your Options: Rather than eating the first thing you see at a party, grab a sparkling water and survey the options.  Then you’ll know what’s worth skipping and what you can nibble on all night long with no regrets.
  7. Go Easy on the Drinks: If holiday beverages like egg nog or mixed drinks top your favorites list, remember that they’re a high calorie trap.  Rather than skip them all together, try alternating them with sparkling water or juice/water combos to keep yourself hydrated and avoid intaking excessive calories from drinks alone.
  8. Eat Healthy Foods First: Tell yourself you have to consume a certain amount of healthy items (veggie appetizers, broth-based soups, etc) before you can indulge in heavier foods.  This way you’re not famished (and have consumed some vitamins and antioxidants) and can make smarter calls as you move to higher-calorie treats.
  9. Watch Where You Stand: It might seem too-simple, but standing directly next to the food means you’ll naturally eat more of it.  Take your conversation to the other side of the room and you’ll avoid mindless eating.  You want to really enjoy what you’re eating anyway, right?
  10. Be Flexible: It is the holidays, and it’s unlikely you’ll stick with your healthy eating plan one hundred percent.  Prepare in advance with some smart eating strategies like these, and then enjoy yourself in moderation.  Giving yourself permission to eat a small quantity of something indulgent rather than none at all is far better than spending the joyful season with holiday eating guilt.  Simply take it one day at a time and remember that the next day you can avoid your snack or add some extra fruit or veggies, just so it’s not a daily overeating affair!

We love the holiday season here at The Cabinet Store + Culina Design!  Stop by and say Merry Christmas anytime — we’re open Monday through Saturday (see our hours here)!  Our gorgeous countertops and cabinets are waiting for you (and maybe a New Year’s remodel plan is too?)  Conveniently located in Apple Valley, MN and serving the Twin Cities and beyond!

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