The Christmas party season is officially upon us with staff Christmas parties, family get togethers and old friend catch ups all coming down the line fast! Christmas is a busy time of year for parties with high emphasis on eating and drinking. To help here are some tips to help avoid the guilt and eat that bit healthier
1. Don’t arrive starving
Eat a small, healthy snack a couple of hours before your meal to make sure you are not tempted to eat everything in sight. This will also help you to avoid side portions that you do not need.
2. Avoid the nibbles
At the beginning of a meal, when you are hungry, it’s very easy to fill up on the bread, poppadams, tortilla chips, etc. Try to avoid these extras.
3. Fill up on low-fat foods first
Make sure your starter is something light, like soup or salad. That way, there is a good chance that you won’t eat too much later on during the rest of the meal.
4. Ask
Don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions or alterations. Ask for sauces and dressing on the side, vegetables to be served without butter, salad or extra vegetables instead of chips. Most places are used to this.
5. Watch the fats
Go for vegetable, chicken or fish dishes over fattier meat dishes. Avoid creamy sauces in favour of tomato-based sauces. Choose baked or boiled potatoes over chips. Ask whether the food can be grilled instead of fried.
6. Eat slowly
Enjoy your meal and the company. Give your body time to give you the signal that you are satisfied.
7. Times have changed
You don’t have to clean your plate. Cover the remaining food with your napkin if you like.
8. Sharing is caring
If you are still hungry, try to choose one of the lower fat dessert options like fruit or sorbet. If you want to go for one of the more indulgent options, why not share?
9. Drink to your health
Enjoy your glass or two of beer or wine, and sip water with your drink to reduce your alcohol intake.
10. Healthy eating at your favourite restaurant
Safefood have all the healthy menu options for your favourite type of takeaway.
Taken from Safefood.eu