Easter: Healthy Eating Tips
Published by Karyn Zoldan March 10th, 2008 in Easter, Entertaining / Parties, Family Dining, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Lifestyle Choices.Another holiday is approaching and it’s early too — Easter, March 23. Easter brings friends and families together for feasting and good cheer. Some dread it while others rejoice.
If watching your weight or just trying to eat healthy, here are some healthy eating tips for Easter entertaining.
Green Eggs and Ham - Ham is usually the meat of choice. If it is, eat one slice then pile your plate with a lot of vegetables.
If you’re in charge of the protein, consider grilled chicken or shrimp and vegetable kebabs. Or a poached salmon with cucumber raita. For vegetarians, grill vegetable kebabs and include meaty portabella mushrooms.
Forget the creamy scalloped potatoes and offer to bring a healthy brown rice or cous cous salad. Brightly hued grilled or roasted bell peppers makes a healthful choice. Drizzle grilled vegetables with balsamic vinegar.
Consider bringing or serving a beautiful salad with ripe tomatoes and fresh basil dotted with goat cheese and a lite vinaigrette splashed with citrus on the side.
Another delicious choice would be a big green salad with blood orange, orange, and grapefruit segments sprinkled with dried cranberries and a light raspberry vinaigrette.
Forgo the jelly beans (unless you can stop at a handful) and chocolate rabbits. Instead consider some dried fruits and nuts (but stop at a handful) and seasonal fresh fruit or lowfat ice cream or frozen yogurt.
For large family meals, I always volunteer to bring a dessert so that I can make sure there is something I can indulge in without going too overboard at dessert time. Otherwise, I’m likely to give in and later regret the consumption of processed sugar, white flour, and all of the additives likely to be present in the other offerings.
I also try to eat something before I join my family so that I’m not tempted by the snacks sitting around and I can make better choices from the dinner offerings available.
I love the brown rice idea. I’ve suffered through the passing of loaded mashed potatoes too many times. I think I’ll offer to bring a rice dish, too, this Easter.