The Christmas season is just around the corner and with it the time for feasting. Goose, turkey, dumplings, cookies and more - it's that time of year when we gather with our loved ones to eat, drink and celebrate.
But Christmas can also be a challenge for your health. The classic Christmas dishes are often very high in calories and fatty. If you don't stick to the calorie count, you can quickly consume too much.
Tips for healthy Christmas dinner
To stay fit and healthy during the Christmas season, you should pay attention to a few things:
- Start with a small salad or soup. This way you will fill yourself up a little before you start the main course.
- Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. This gives your body a chance to recognize when you are full.
- Try not to drink too much. Alcohol and soda contain a lot of calories.
- Move! Even if it's just a short walk, exercise will help burn off the calories you gained over the holidays.
Healthy Christmas dinner: recipes
Here are a few tips for healthy alternatives to the Christmas feast:
- Choose low-fat alternatives. Instead of goose or turkey, you can choose turkey breast or venison, for example. These types of meat contain less fat than the classic Christmas dishes.
- Fish instead of meat: Fish is a good source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A delicious and festive dish, for example, is Christmas salmon stuffed with almonds .
- Vegetables instead of potatoes: Potatoes are tasty, but also very high in calories. A good alternative are vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts or kale . Jerusalem artichoke is also a good alternative.
- Use more vegetables. Vegetables are low in calories and provide important vitamins and minerals. So eat plenty of vegetables. How about a Brussels sprouts and chestnut vegetable, for example
- Take whole grains. Whole grain products contain more fiber than white flour products. Fiber ensures that you feel full for a long time and promotes digestion. Whole-wheat dumplings, for example, are a better alternative than regular dumplings.
Christmas menu:
- Starter: carrot salad on avocado cream
- Main course:
Vegan Christmas menu:
- Starter: Beetroot soup with cashew cream
- Main course: Savoy cabbage roulades with millet and mushroom filling, served with napkin dumplings, red cabbage and mushroom cream sauce
- Dessert: Coconut (Raffaello) cake with mango sauce
Vegetarian Christmas menu:
- Starter: Apple and beetroot carpaccio with goat cheese and honey spelled crunch
- Main course: Spiced cauliflower roast (you can also easily make the eggplant puree from the jar yourself )
- Dessert: avocado mint ice cream with chocolate
With a few little tricks you can enjoy the Christmas season without gaining weight. And if you've indulged in a little too much, that's not a bad thing. After all, Christmas only comes once a year!
Tips for healthy Christmas baking
There are also a few things you can keep in mind when baking for Christmas to make it healthier:
- Use whole wheat flour. Wholemeal flour contains more fiber than white flour and therefore ensures that you feel fuller for longer.
- Give your cookies a healthy touch. Instead of lots of sugar and butter, you can use nuts, dried fruits or applesauce, or how about these 7 low-calorie Christmas cookies ?
