Do you ever wonder how Nutritionists stay healthy during the hectic holiday season? Here’s a glimpse into their best kept secrets! Make your holidays jollier with these simple tips. 

Reinvent the Classics

Nutritionists love taking classic dishes and putting a healthy spin on them, by adding or substituting conventional ingredients for more nutritious whole foods. What’s the easiest way to start?

• Replace refined sugars for maple syrup, dates or coconut sugar
• Substitute white flour for whole wheat, or even better almond, coconut or oat flour
• Use organic nut milk instead of dairy (no one will know!)
• Cook with coconut oil or avocado oil instead of butter or lard
• Add greens to everything! Spinach is an easy addition to any dish as it’s completely flavourless yet packed with nutrients
• Bake or pan fry your dishes instead of deep frying
• For every classic holiday recipe you make, google a healthy version of that same recipe
• Make holiday themed fruit and veggie platters instead of cheese and meat platters

Veggies Please

Load up! Remind yourself to take a generous serving of veggies and salad with each meal -- it will help fill you up and prevent you from going for seconds, or even dessert! It’s also an easy way to make sure you’re getting enough nutrients in your diet.

Lose the Calories

Nutritionists are always looking for new ways to avoid empty calories by swapping conventional products for nutrient dense alternatives! Here are some healthier swaps to save some calories on holiday favourites.

• Swap traditional eggnog for almond-nog
• Order your Holiday latte half-sweet
• Grab a slice of pumpkin pie and skip the other desserts
• Ditch the milk and white chocolate and opt for dark chocolate
• Drink water between every alcoholic beverage
• Go grocery shopping on a full stomach

 Crush Sugar Cravings

A simple rule of thumb when it comes to sugar: the less sugar you eat, the less sugar you crave -- keeping that in mind, sugar can be very addicting! Moderate your intake: instead of two cookies, have one, order your peppermint mocha half-sweet and start tapering down your sugar consumption. You will see a significant difference in no time, resulting in full control over what you put in your body!

 Along with holding the power of self-control, we are lucky enough to live in a modern society where there is a healthier alternative to virtually anything. Control your sugar cravings with this Nutritionist go-to: Good News Gummies from Herbaland, these gummy candies are a “clean” take on traditional gummy bears, made 100% vegan with all natural flavours, containing only 2g of sugar per bag and 13g of fiber (to control those cravings). These delicious sweets come in three tasty flavours — blueberry, peach and raspberry -- the perfect treat for the whole family this holiday season . . . they also make for a great gift!

No one is perfect and you aren’t expected to be. It’s completely natural to have cravings, from a Nutritionist standpoint: moderation and balance. Now you can have it all during the holidays with Good News Gummies -- yum! 

Keeping these Nutritionist approved hacks in mind will help make your holiday season feel merrier minus the guilt!

Kali Pappas | Nutritionist, CNP