Hopping into a Healthy Easter
March 29, 2021
Am I alone in thinking these first three months of 2021 have blown by? I feel like we were just toasting in a new year and sweeping the last year out as fast as we could. Now, we sit on the cusp of Easter. Just as with any holiday, food takes center stage. If you have been making more mindful, healthful choices, don’t let this holiday derail your progress.
A few simple changes will allow you to enjoy your Easter Holiday without sabotaging your success. Begin with thinking about Easter breakfast or brunch. Make sure you include some fresh fruit options. The fiber in the fruit will help fill you up and keep you from over-indulging in other breakfast treats.
Making a breakfast casserole? Lighten up by cutting your eggs in half. Choose half whole eggs and substitute the rest with egg substitute or egg whites to cut down on fat calories. Most recipes that call for butter and margarine can generally have their quantities cut in half without affecting the recipe.
For your main meal, start with a crudités plate. Choose plenty of early spring vegetable options such as carrots and radishes. You can lighten up a dip for them by using Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream. Have hard-boiled eggs from Easter baskets? These make a great snack by themselves or make deviled eggs and lighten them up with a lower-fat mayonnaise.
Reduce calories and fats in casseroles by choosing reduced-fat cream soups or reduced-fat sour cream. I do not generally recommend using the fat-free options. When you take the fat out, often something else gets put back in. I personally use some of the reduced-fat or reduced-calorie options or settle for a lesser amount of the full-fat version.
Choose more spring vegetables as side dishes. Asparagus is a great vegetable to add to your Easter menu. This is a nutrient-dense super-food and great for people who are trying to watch their weight. Consider your cooking technique. I love the flavor of roasted or grilled vegetables over steamed.
For the main course, look for lean words such as “loin” and “round.” These words are always good indicators that a meat is lean, which translates into less fat and calories. You can glaze your meat with low sugar marmalade or marinate it in citrus juices for a fresh, spring-like taste.
As with any holiday gathering, remember to plan ahead. If you are hosting, make sure you have plenty of healthy options mixed in with the treats that we save for special occasions. When bringing a covered dish, plan to take a healthier option in case yours is the only one there. There is no “saving up” for a bigger meal. You still need to eat throughout the day, but you can choose smaller meals earlier if you know you may over-indulge later.
If you are dining out, look for foods that do not come covered in sauces and gravies and ask for condiments to be served on the side. This allows you to control ingredients. If you are at a buffet, make sure that you looked to see what is available on the line before you start loading your plate. We often start at one end and get to the other and find that we have overloaded.
If you have young ones in need of an Easter basket, choose more non-food items instead of loading it up with all the candy. Jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, Frisbees and balls are all ways to get your little ones outside and moving around.
Finding ways to incorporate more physical activity is good for the whole family.
Besides your Easter Egg hunt, plan a family bike ride or trip to the park. If the wind is right, make it a kite flying day. When you do choose candy for the basket, stick with smaller portioned items and make a deal on how much can be eaten each day. The big bunnies look adorable but are likely more candy than your child needs.
While holidays sometimes force us off our path of healthy eating, it does not have to be this way. Making smart choices while allowing for some indulgences is the best approach. Healthy eating is not an all or nothing proposition and what we eat in one meal or one day does not define how healthy we are. It is what we do day after day.
Take a few moments now to plan ahead for a healthy holiday. Have a Happy Easter!