Nutrition Tips for the Festive Season!
Make sure you do not sit down to a festive meal feeling hungry. Keep a balance and do not fall into the trap of going without food all day so you can enjoy your evening meal. Do not skip your other meals and snacks (breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner); simply keep their calorie content moderate.
Take the edge off your hunger before sitting down to your festive meal. Before anything else, put some salad on your plate. This will both leave less room for other foods and curb your appetite.
Leave the table just before you feel full. Eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly and enjoy both the meal and the company.
Remove the skin from the turkey. If you prefer your turkey stuffed, make sure the stuffing contains chestnuts, pine nuts or fruit.
Choose fruit for dessert. Try a generous fruit salad, oven-baked apples sprinkled with cinnamon, jelly or low-fat yoghurt with pieces of fruit.
Avoid thick sauces made with cheese, butter or cream, as well as fried foods.
Avoid high-fat yellow cheeses and choose their reduced-fat versions or, better still, anthotyro, a fresh Greek cheese.
Put the amount of food you intend to eat on your plate so that you are aware of your portion size, and avoid picking at the serving dishes on the table.
If you have a weight problem, choose just protein (meat or poultry) with vegetables instead of the main meal, or have half a portion of the main meal.
Reduce or avoid sources of carbohydrates (pasta, rice, potatoes, bread and pies), and choose salads and protein-rich foods (lean meat, chicken, turkey and fish) instead.