7 Festive Food Swaps To Make For A Healthy, Guilt-Free Christmas

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The festive season kicks off earlier and earlier each year, it seems – and with it, the slow creep of holiday weight gain can often begin.  

Truth be told, there are no “bad” foods, even around holiday time, but certain traditional dishes can be more calorie- and-sugar-laden than others, making it harder to keep to proper portions and calorie counts.  The key is to balance the more indulgent festive foods you love with other options that are lighter and healthier, so that you can participate in your celebratory events without feeling like you’re overdone it each and every meal.

Below is my guide to some helpful, healthier holiday food “swaps” to make it easier to stay fit and well throughout the next few months – and arrive in 2024 without any extra kilos to peel off in the new year!

SKIP: Yule log cake

SWAP: Meringue cookies

Meringue Cookies
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The average yule log cake has 160 calories and 14g of pure sugar per 35g (read: small) slice. If you’re great with portion control, this isn’t exactly a sugar bomb – but if you’re looking for something a bit more substantial without the calorie hit, consider meringue cookies.  They’re as festive as little snowflakes, only 21 calories each, and since they’re basically made of egg whites, they even come with 1g of protein apiece, making them a solid choice.

SKIP: Stuffing

SWAP: More turkey!

More Turkey
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Nothing wrong with enjoying a bit of Grandma’s stuffing, but the key is to have just a bit, since traditional bread-based stuffing has over 300 calories, 20g fat and 200mg sodium per 170g serving.  On the other hand, another 85g serving of turkey – especially if you choose breast meat – will not only cost you zero carbs, but it will provide a whopping 25g of protein, enough to keep you full long after the heavier side dishes are done and dusted.

SKIP: Sugary cocktails

SWAP: Light beer or bubbles

Light Beer or Bubbles
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A cranberry margarita might sound like a fun holiday tipple – until you realise that this simple drink can contain nearly 300 calories and 17g of added sugar.  Skip the mixed drinks and sip on a light beer to save about 200 calories and almost all of the sugar. Though light beer contains carbs, most of the pure sugars are actually consumed in the fermentation process.  Another option?  Grab a glass of champagne, which only has half the calories and sugar of a fruit-flavoured cocktail.  

SKIP: Mashed potatoes

SWAP: Cauliflower mash

Cauliflower Mash
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A white potato on its own isn’t the nutritional villain some popular media might make it out to be – but without the skin, and with a lot of butter and gravy added, it can become a caloric catastrophe. Substituting cauliflower for the potatoes can save hundreds of calories,  and using a small amount of extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic (versus butter and fatty sauces) for flavour creates a heart-healthier profile for a side dish that is still creamy and delicious.

SKIP: Mince pies

SWAP: Pumpkin pie

Pumpkin Pie
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Traditional mince pies, besides being full of sugar-dense dried fruit, also contain suet, a type of rendered animal fat that has the highest proportion of saturated fat compared to any other kind of animal-based fat.  On the other hand, if you’re still craving a nice slice of pie, why not consider pumpkin – one cup of the puree used to make the pie contains 200% of your daily recommended Vitamin A, and is rich in carotenoids to boot. 

SKIP: Jellied cranberry sauce

SWAP: Braised red cabbage

Braised Red Cabbage
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One surefire way to decrease the nutritional content of nearly any food is to add sugar, process it into jelly, and layer on the preservatives to make it shelf-stable – which is exactly what happens when you turn a fresh cranberry into canned sauce. 70g of the stuff has 22g of sugar, versus an equally festive-looking braised red cabbage, which contains much less sugar (12g) and is fermented, so it confers gut health benefits as well.

SKIP: Christmas cookies

SWAP: Festive fruit platter

Festive Fruit Platter
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I remember rolling my eyes at my mother telling me when I was younger that “fruit is nature’s sweet treat” – but it really is true!  Enjoying the sweetness of fresh, natural sugars, alongside the myriad vitamins, fibre and micronutrients contained in rainbow-coloured fruits, is an easy way to join in the festive fun without resorting to heavily processed food.

As the saying goes, everything in moderation – including moderation!  Hyper-restriction during the holiday season is no fun, nor waking up each day feeling sluggish and unwell.  Balancing your festive fave foods with some healthier swaps is a great way to arrive in the new year feeling balanced and energetic.

Amanda Lim is a certified fitness and nutrition coach, perinatal specialist, and mother of two (with a third on the way!).  American by birth but Singaporean at heart, she enjoys hot yoga and CrossFit – followed by a big bowl of laksa. You can find her at @coachamandalim and coachamandalim.com.