Think you know how to keep off the winter pounds?
Unfortunately, indulging in holiday treats can sneak up on the best of us.
Test your holiday smarts
Take our quiz to test your holiday food IQ. Then, check out these five tips for being healthier during the holidays, from Marshfield Clinic dietitian Ashley Short.
HOLIDAY FOOD SMARTS
Think you know how to pick a guilt-free feast?
See if you can recognize the more healthful choice at your holiday party. Calories add up quickly so it’s important to know where the heavy hitters are in order to make balanced choices.
For each question, pick which option has fewer calories.
START QUIZ
HOLIDAY FOOD SMARTS
Think you know how to pick a guilt-free feast?
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TOTAL SCORE
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RETAKE QUIZ
HOLIDAY FOOD SMARTS
Think you know how to pick a guilt-free feast?
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POINTS
Choice 1 of 10
Turkey or ham?
Best pick: Turkey
Dinner rolls or crescent rolls?
Best pick: Dinner rolls
Hot buttered rum or eggnog?
Best pick: Hot buttered rum
Bread stuffing or green bean casserole?
Best pick: Green bean casserole
Candy cane or peanut brittle?
Best pick: Candy cane
Gingerbread cookies or sugar cookies?
Best pick: Sugar cookies
Mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole?
Best pick: Mashed potatoes
Beef snack and cheese or deviled eggs?
Best pick: Deviled eggs
Pumpkin pie or pecan pie?
Best pick: Pumpkin pie
Hot chocolate or hot apple cider?
Best pick: Hot apple cider
Turkey
Ham
You’re so smart!
Skinless white meat turkey is the better choice at 178 calories per 4 ounces, compared to 188 calories for ham. Go easy on the gravy, which adds about 8 calories per tablespoon.
Nice try, but not quite.
Skinless white meat turkey is the better choice at 178 calories per 4 ounces, compared to 188 calories for ham. If you plan on drowning your turkey in gravy, you may want to stick with ham.
Next Question
Nutritional Info: Turkey, 4 ounces (white meat) = 178 calories. Ham, 4 ounces = 188 calories. Turkey gravy, 1 tablespoon (canned) = 8 calories. Source – caloriecount.com
Dinner rolls
Crescent rolls
Right on!
You’ll save 20 calories per serving by choosing dinner rolls over crescent rolls. Go easy on the butter – a tablespoon has about 100 calories.
Sorry.
Crescent rolls have more fat and 20 more calories per serving than dinner rolls. No matter which roll you choose, go easy on the butter – one tablespoon has about 100 calories.
Next Question
Nutritional Info: Dinner rolls = 80 calories per roll. Crescent rolls = 100 calories per roll. Source – caloriecount.com, Safeway brands
Hot buttered rum
Eggnog
You’re hot on the spot!
Be careful here. Hot buttered rum packs a calorie punch at 316 calories per cup, making it only slightly better than the shocking 394 calories in a cup of eggnog.
Yikes!
Eggnog has a whopping 394 calories per cup. Hot buttered rum is only slightly better at 316 calories for the same amount. If you really love eggnog, use low-fat milk instead of cream and egg whites in place of some of the whole eggs to reduce calories.
Next Question
Nutritional Info: Hot buttered rum = 316 calories per cup. Eggnog = 394 calories per cup. Source – fatsecret.com
Bread stuffing
Green bean casserole
Good choice!
Besides having only 161 calories per half cup (compared to 385 calories for stuffing), the green beans make this casserole a good source of vitamins and minerals.
Stuff it.
Stuffing is a calorie bomb at 385 calories per half cup serving. Try green bean casserole, which is (almost) guilt-free at 161 calories per half cup. Stuffing lovers, use whole grain bread or wild rice and plenty of veggies for a more healthful side.
Next Question
Nutritional Info: Bread stuffing, 1/2 cup = 385 calories. Green bean casserole, 1/2 cup = 161 calories. Source – caloriecount.com
Candy cane
Peanut brittle
Sweet!
Though both are packed with sugar, one candy cane has under 1/3 the calories of an ounce of peanut brittle.
Oh nuts.
An ounce of peanut brittle has 147 calories. Both treats are packed with sugar, but candy canes are lower in calories (40 per cane) as long as you stick with one.
Next Question
Nutritional Info: Candy cane = 40 calories. Peanut brittle, 1 ounce = 147 calories. Source – caloriecount.com, CVS brand candy cane, See’s Candies peanut brittle
Gingerbread cookies
Sugar cookies
Good job.
Sugar cookies aren’t a health food, but each one has 20 fewer calories than one gingerbread cookie.
Bah, humbug!
One gingerbread cookie will add 90 calories to your tally, compared to 70 calories for one sugar cookie.
Next Question
Nutritional Info: Gingerbread cookies (Pillsbury) = 90 calories per cookie. Sugar cookies (Pillsbury) = 70 calories per cookie. Source – caloriecount.com
Mashed potatoes
Sweet potato casserole
Smashing choice!
Even with whole milk and butter, a cup of mashed potatoes has less than half the calories of a cup of sweet potato casserole.
Yowza!
Sweet potatoes are a great source of nutrients, but pairing them with loads of butter and sugar makes this a dish you may want to skip at 450 calories per cup. Mashed potatoes have 210 calories for the same serving size. Or skip the marshmallows and sprinkle your sweet potato casserole with a few chopped pecans instead.
Next Question
Nutritional Info: Mashed potatoes, 1 cup = 210 calories per cup. Sweet potato casserole, 1 cup = 450 calories. Source – caloriecount.com
Beef snack and cheese
Deviled eggs
(Egg)cellent!
Deviled eggs contain protein and at 64 calories per half egg, are a lower calorie choice if you stick to one or two. Use reduced-fat mayo for the filling to make these little devils a lighter option for your party guests.
Darn.
This favorite appetizer packs a lot of calories into a small stack. An ounce of cheddar paired with an ounce of summer sausage and a cracker has 211 calories. Choose a deviled egg instead, for 64 calories plus plenty of protein per half egg.
Next Question
Nutritional Info: Deviled eggs, half egg = 64 calories. Cheddar, 1 oz. + Summer sausage, 1 oz. + Ritz cracker = 211 calories Source – caloriecount.com
Pumpkin pie
Pecan pie
Good choice!
Pumpkin pie has fewer calories, fat and sugar. How much better is it? Pumpkin pie has 316 calories per slice, while a slice of pecan pie has 503 calories.
Step away from the pie!
Pecan pie has a shocking 503 calories per slice, and more fat and sugar than pumpkin pie. Opt for a 316-calorie piece of pumpkin pie if you want a slice for dessert.
Next Question
Nutritional Info: Pumpkin pie = 316 calories per slice. Pecan pie = 503 calories per slice. Source – caloriecount.com
Hot chocolate
Hot apple cider
Cheers!
Hot apple cider is the lower-calorie choice at 115 calories per cup, compared to whole-milk hot chocolate, which has 193 calories per cup. Careful – these drinks have 27 and 24 grams of sugar, respectively.
Bummer.
Sorry, hot chocolate lovers. A cup has 193 calories, compared to 115 calories in a cup of hot apple cider. To reduce the calories and fat in hot chocolate, use skim milk instead of whole milk.
See your score
Hot apple cider, 8 ounces = 115 calories. Hot chocolate, 8 ounces (homemade with whole milk) = 193 calories. Source – caloriecount.com
Tips for a healthy holiday
- Try not to snack on cookies and drink eggnog regularly throughout the holiday season. Treat yourself to holiday food on the day you celebrate with family and friends. Then get back on track with a balanced diet.
- Don’t go to holiday gatherings hungry. Have a healthful meal earlier in the day, so you don’t overdo it with high-calorie foods at the party. Don’t skip meals to save your appetite for the party; if you do, you’ll probably feel miserable afterward.
- Bring a healthy dish to pass, like a fruit or veggie tray. Have small portions of higher calorie foods and fill more of your plate with veggies, fruits and lean protein like white meat turkey.
- Stay active. Walk, shop or sled with family and friends after your holiday meal. Adding regular activity to your life may help you make healthier food choices.
- Give and take. Pick one dessert you want the most instead of sampling all three. If you know you want dessert, go easy on high-calorie foods beforehand, opting instead to eat more lean protein and veggies.
Healthy recipe alternatives
Don’t forget about these healthier recipe ideas for your party menu.
- DIY mini meatballs for appetizers
- Peppermint mousse for a festive dessert
- Eggnog that’s healthy for your heart
- Stuffing with dried cranberries and hazelnuts, not just for Thanksgiving
- Skinny snickerdoodles for the cookie plate
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