43By Denise Gaudette, Nutrition & Education Program Coordinator
The holiday season presents the challenge of sustaining a healthy diet, as treats circle the workplace or family gathering. Good Shepherd Food Bank’s nutrition and education team compiled a few recipes for treats with fewer calories and added sugar. Enjoy!
Vegetable Dips
Use low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream to make a vegetable dip.
- Hummus or bean dip
- Spicy White Bean Dip – Full Recipe >
- Fruit Yogurt Dip – Full Recipe >
Beverages
Prepare low calorie beverages to limit added sugar and save room for healthy options.
- Raspberry Lime Fizz – Full Recipe >
- Hot Cocoa – Full Recipe >
Baking Substitutes
- Substitute oil/shortening with unsweetened applesauce. When substituting apple sauce for oil in baking, it is a 1:1 ratio.
- Try making baked apples, instead of pie, to help cut back on calories and added sugar.
- Substitute ½ of the white flour needed for a recipe with whole wheat flour.
Fun and Healthy Holiday Treats
Grinch Poppers
Ingredients:
- Strawberries (tops cut off)
- Green Grapes
- Mini Marshmallows
- Banana (cut into slices)
- Toothpicks
Instructions:
- Using a toothpick, arrange starting from bottom to top: grape, banana slice, strawberry, and mini marshmallow.
- Stick toothpick through all to keep together.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
If you want them to stand up, cut the bottom of the grape to make it flat. Make as many as you want or as few as you want.
Fruit Candy Cane
Ingredients:
- Strawberries
- Bananas
Instructions:
- Slice the strawberries and bananas.
- Arrange into a candy cane shape on a plate.