Make Your Holiday Meal Healthier With These Substitutions

It can feel impossible during the holiday season to eat healthy or plan a nutritious menu for your loved ones. Oftentimes those popular recipes call for large amounts of ingredients that make your dish high in things like fat or sugar.

That's why we've put together a list of healthy substitutions for your recipes.

Reduce Fat and Sugar

• Butter: Large amounts of butter can drastically increase the amount of unhealthy fat in your dish. If your recipe calls for butter, you can cut the amount you need in half and replace that amount with mashed bananas or prune puree.
• Sugar: How else are you supposed to make those sweet treats? Don't worry, you can try reducing sugar a third or a half and add spices like cinnamon or cloves to bolster flavor. Adding almond or vanilla extracts can greatly benefit if you need a little extra flavor.
• Cheese: Too much of this dairy staple can not only add fat to your dish but it can also wreak havoc on lactose-sensitive stomachs. Try cutting the amount of cheese in your recipe by as much as half. You may even discover some new yummy flavors in your dish previously covered up by the cheesy goodness.

Simply Boost Fiber

Fiber is an important part of every diet, according to the National Library of Medicine, adding bulk to your diet and helping you feel full. Fiber also improves digestion and helps prevent constipation. Finding ways to increase the amount of dietary fiber in your dishes can be an easy way to increase their nutritional value.

• Pasta: If you're making a pasta dish, try whole wheat varieties instead of the usual white pasta. This may even enhance your dish by adding a nuttier, earthy flavor. Check out this Roasted Tomato & Almond Pesto recipe for a tasty and healthy sauce idea.
• Rice: For rice dishes, try to go with brown rice instead of long grain, jasmine or other white rice types. With more flavor than other rice types, brown rice can not only be a great base for a dish but can also stand out on its own.
• Bread: If bread and rolls are a must at your holiday party, give whole-grain a try. If you're buying from the store, consider brands that include nuts or seeds as well.

More Tips For The Holiday Chefs

• Portion Control Your Ingredients: When it comes to certain dishes, avoid getting excessive with the finishing touches. For instance, you can limit the number of things like frosting or chocolate chips you use in sweet dishes.
• Switch Up Cooking Method: If you usually fry your turkey or chicken dish, try grilling or broiling instead. Also, try juice or vinegar instead of oil if your recipe calls for basting. This Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze dish is perfect for a main course.
• Leave Out Opportunities: Look for certain ingredients you can simply leave out of recipes. Popular items you may be able to drop while reducing fat or sugar in the process are mayonnaise and sweetened garnishes.

These are just some examples of ways you can boost the nutrition in your dish or remove some of the unhealthy components in your favorite recipes. You can find more ways to eat healthy this holiday season with our 8 simple tips.