7 tips for a healthier Christmas

The holidays are here. It’s time to gather our friends and family to swap some presents, stories, and delicious dishes. While Christmas is a time to celebrate the good things in life (food most certainly included), it can create a few hurdles for those who are trying to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Temptation abounds in the form of sweet and savoury seasonal treats, threatening to derail our health plans. But, what if you could have your (literal) cake and eat it, too? Accredited practising dietitian Marika Day walks us through some tips and tricks you can use in the kitchen this December.

Instead of serving a Christmas ham or beef roast, consider turkey or chicken. Poultry protein tends to be leaner than other meats, as well as being lower in sodium. Remember, according to government guidelines a standard serving of lean meat is 80 grams – so don’t pile your plate high.

According to Marika, the cut is also a crucial factor. “The breast of a turkey or a chicken tends to be the leaner cut of the animal.” So save yourself a slice of that meat when you’re carving up the roast.

Australian holidays lend themselves perfectly to embracing the fresh flavours of seafood. “Fortunately, that's something that we do a lot with at Christmas,” says Marika. “Most fish is quite lean and then the seafood that's not, like salmon, is full of really healthy fats.”

Cold water fatty fish like trout, salmon, and mackerel are loaded with omega-3 fatty acid, which has been shown to reduce your risk of stroke and heart attack. Additionally, seafood tends to be lower in both saturated and trans fats when compared to red meat.

Make a delicious array of side salads to complement your Christmas meal. Giving yourself extra options means you’ll be less likely to overindulge on other things, and instead fill up on nourishing, nutritious vegetables. “With homemade salads, you’ve got control of what you’re doing, provided that you’re making healthy salads with good quality ingredients,” Marika says.

And when it comes to dressing them? As with everything in life, it’s all about finding the right balance. “Christmas is a time for indulgence, and I don’t think we should be depriving ourselves,” Marika says. “Personally, at Christmas time I dress my salads, but I’m using olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, those kinds of things.”

You’ll likely be eating all day, so swap out junk food for healthier options where possible. “Avoid those easy things like bags of chips,” Marika advises. “Look at doing a grazing platter where you've got some vegetable options like carrot and celery sticks – so it's not just the processed foods.“

Trade chips and dip for wholemeal pita with low-fat tzatziki or, if you have time, try to recreate some of your favourites at home. That way you can skip over the extra oil and sweeteners that come with pre-purchased dips.

Cheese boards are a popular option at Christmas, but if you’re planning on serving one it’s worth looking at the composition of ingredients. “One of the best things to do is to bulk it up with lots of fresh produce,” recommends Marika. “Include your favourite cheeses, but then balance it out with grapes, freshly sliced pear, cherry tomatoes, and carrot sticks. That will help you get in some nutrients and help keep you nice and full.”

If you want some healthier cheese options, load your board up with styles that are lower in saturated fat – like ricotta and feta. That doesn’t mean that you have to avoid other cheeses entirely, but when it comes to rich, creamy, soft cheeses, a little goes a long way.

The holiday season is one that’s filled with both cheer and cheers, but if you’re looking for a healthier Christmas don’t be so quick to raise a glass. You don’t need to avoid alcohol entirely, but a lot of beverages are packed full of sugar, and they won’t satiate hunger.

Watch out for what you’re mixing your drinks with as well. “The big one with alcohol is what you’re drinking it with. For example, if you have spirits with sugary soft drinks that can certainly add up,” Marika warns. “Stick to things like wine or spirits without sweetened sodas. But, obviously, keep everything in moderation. Try not to go too overboard.” The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends that adults restrict alcohol intake to two standard glasses per day.

You don’t need to do away with the pudding entirely. “I don’t think you need to be removing a traditional part of Christmas in order to be healthy,” Marika opines. “But there certainly are options for making it healthier. Play with the recipe and see if you can reduce the amount of added sugar in it.” If you’re adding dry fruit, it will be plenty sweet on its own. Rely on the sugar from these sources, rather than adding additional sweeteners.

It can be easy to focus so much on what we’re putting on our plate that we lose sight of how much we’re serving ourselves – especially when it comes to the sweet stuff. “There are normally three or four different types of desserts on offer at Christmas. You might have a cheesecake, Christmas pudding, and pavlova. What I suggest is picking your favourite and enjoying that, rather than having a bit of everything just because it’s there,” Marika advises.

When it comes to plating, desserts fall under the ‘discretionary food’ category – meaning that they’re not counted in the standard five food groups and aren’t necessary for a balanced diet. While Christmas is a time for indulgence, it’s still recommended that you limit your dessert servings to around 600 kilojoules-worth of food. That translates to about half of a standard mini pudding from the supermarket, or a 50-gram slice from a larger pudding.

Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances 

Disclaimer:
The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional, tax or other advice. It does not take into account any individual’s personal situation or needs. You should consider obtaining professional advice from a financial adviser and/or tax specialist, or medical or health practitioner, in relation to your own circumstances and before acting on this information.