Healthy Holiday Swaps

What’s the holidays without family, fun, and most importantly good food?? Unfortunately, a lot of that food generally comes with unnecessary calories… But what if we told you there was a way for you to still enjoy all the festive holiday meals without second guessing your food freedom? There are plenty of healthy alternatives to the traditional dishes that exclude a lot of the extra calories those meals often have packed into them. Here are some of our favorites:

Mashed Potato Swap

Generally with mashed potatoes, they are often loaded with lots of butter. Swapping out this dish can help you cut calories and allow you to still have a yummy side dish that contains a lot more nutrients. Here is one of our favorite sweet potato recipes that goes along perfectly as a side for those holiday meals.

Recipe taken from here.

Cream Soup Swap

Who doesn’t love a warm creamy soup on cold winter nights? While these soups are generally very rich in flavor, they are just as abundant in the amounts of sodium and saturated fat that are in them. Fortunately when it comes to soup, there are so many healthy variations that allow for you to still have that warm creamy dish without all the extra calories. Here is a delicious non-dairy Crab Bisque that will satisfy and provide the nutrients you need. Or for those who aren’t looking for the seafood route, here are 3 more vegetable based soups that pair along with just about any holiday spread.

Cranberry Sauce Swap

Majority of the time, cranberry sauces are often filled with sugar. However you can still enjoy the side of a sweet and tart cranberry sauce without all the extra calories. Here is a Cranberry Relish recipe that will give you that taste you are looking for without all the not so good for you stuff.

Pie Swap

And of course can’t forget about the pie! Whether it is pumpkin pie, apple pie, or berry pie, everyone has at least one favorite. However, believe it or not, one piece can often contain around 500 calories. Fortunately for us with a sweet tooth, there are plenty of healthier options when it comes to getting a pie fixing. Here is a WILDFIT Apple Pie recipe that will help cure those cravings. Another fun festive dessert that is right up there with pie, is this Classic Mince Tarts recipe.

Dessert Swap

The holidays are often followed by lots of parties and gatherings where refreshments are served. Although many of those recipes call for large amounts of sugar there are quite a few that do not. And fit within all the WILDFIT guidelines! Here is a delicious Batata Dulce recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser during the holiday season. Another great treat are these Coconut and Pumpkin bars.One more festive option would be these Gingerbread People. You can even make it a family activity by decorating them together!