Q&A on Staying Healthy during the Holidays with Sarah Lippincott, RD, CDN from Good Clean Fun Nutrition
We know the holidays can be a tough time to keep your diet on track so we asked Sarah Lippincott, RD, CDN from Good Clean Fun Nutrition to give us some tips on staying healthy this holiday season.
The holidays can be a tough time to stay healthy, do you have any tips to stay healthy during the busy (and often food filled) holiday season?
During the holiday season it’s tempting to overindulge on easily accessible holiday treats. The key is moderation and making conscious choices. If you really cannot pass on the box of chocolate circulating around the office, then choose one piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate, walk away and enjoy. Packing healthy snacks with protein to munch on throughout the holiday season will keep you feeling satisfied so aren’t tempted with unhealthy snacks. Some healthy snack ideas:
- Apple or banana with 2 tablespoons of nut butter or sunflower seed butter
- 1 serving of almonds (23 whole nuts)
- 1 cup of Greek yogurt with blueberries
- Fresh veggies with 2 tablespoons of hummus
- 1 slice of whole wheat bread with 2 slices of turkey, mustard, lettuce and tomato
- Low fat cheese stick with grapes
- 1 hardboiled egg sprinkled with salt and pepper and whole wheat crackers
- ½ cup whole wheat pasta with pesto (recipe here)
When faced with the big holiday meal fill up on veggies and lean protein (turkey, chicken, fish) first and forgo or have small portions of the foods high in saturated fat like stuffing, cheesy sides, fried foods and dishes with sausage, bacon and butter.
Staying active this time of year can help keep your weight in check. If you are overwhelmed with shopping, holiday parties, working long hours or shuttling your kids around there are some simple ways to get moving. Take a few extra laps around the mall, take the stairs instead of the elevator, dress in layers and take a walk, turn up some music and dance with your kids or clean house. Exercise does not have to be strenuous and staying active will help burn any extra calories you are consuming.
Holiday cocktails can contain a lot of sugar and extra calories and can cause dehydration. Opt for wine, wine spritzers or skip the booze and order a cranberry juice and seltzer spritzer (my favorite!). Most importantly stay hydrated with lots of water during this holiday season!!!
We noticed your blog is named “Good Clean Fun Nutrition” and we love that approach to food and health! How do you make sure your kitchen is always fun?
I keep my kitchen fun by experimenting with new flavors and foods. I am often intrigued by different vegetables at the farmer’s market and talk to the farmers about different preparation methods. New gadgets can make cooking more fun! My newest kitchen addition is a citrus juicer. I squeeze lemon juice onto salads, seafood, mix into my water or add to marinades. Recipe sharing with friends helps keep my kitchen fun with new and fresh ideas as well.
Staying healthy and fit does not have to feel like a chore- it should be fun! Finding clean, healthy foods that taste great and activities that excite you will keep you feeling great and energized.
As a new mom and a dietitian that works with kids, do you have any advice as to how to get picky-eaters to eat healthy meals?
Kids will be more willing to try new foods if they helped with preparation. Involve your kids in the kitchen. They can chop veggies (with a dull knife), mash potatoes, top whole wheat pizzas and mix ingredients. If their plate looks fun and colorful then kids will be more likely to dive in and try new foods. It’s hard to resist food in fun shapes. Here are some fun ideas:
- Add eyes to bananas with cheerios
- Cut sandwiches on whole wheat bread into fun shapes
- Spread green beans on a plate sprinkled with red pepper pieces to resemble a tree
- Veggie or fruit kebobs with cheese (kids love eating anything off of a stick)
- Spaghetti head (use two meatballs as eyes, tomato sauce as a mouth and spaghetti as hair)
Most importantly, offer a variety of foods at a young age so your child’s palate can get familiar with different flavors. Encourage your child to taste all of the foods you have prepared and remember that it can take up to 15 tries before a child’s taste buds recognizes the food and accepts the flavor. Allowing the child choose which foods they want to put on their plate from the table will let them feel more in control. Doing your best to have family meals often and engaging in fun, light conversation will make meal times pleasant and take the stress away from meal times for the picky eater. Most kids outgrow this stage so try not to stress too much.
What is your ideal ingredient / ingredients to make delicious a pasta meal? Do you have a favorite easy or go-to pasta recipe?
Since having a baby I am always looking for quick, healthy meals and pasta makes its way to my dinner table at least once a week. It is versatile, cooks quickly and is great mixed with veggies, added to soups, topped with fish or chicken and leftovers always taste great! If I have pasta and veggies on hand I can have a delicious, wholesome dinner ready in less than15 minutes.
My go to pasta recipe is whole wheat pasta with canned (BPA free) fire roasted diced tomatoes and roasted eggplant. It is so easy and delicious….roast sliced eggplant on a cookie sheet with some olive oil, chopped garlic (or powdered garlic for really busy days) at about 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until done (flip once after 8 minutes). Chop it up and toss in a pot with the diced tomatoes to heat until warm and toss over cooked pasta. This dish can also be topped with parmesan cheese, cooked ground turkey or turkey sausage and other veggies can be swapped or added.
Last but not least, how do you plan on playing with pasta this month? Did it make the cut for any of your holiday meals?
My family is Italian and pasta always makes it onto our holiday table in some shape or form. I am hosting a holiday brunch this year and I will be preparing a cold vegan and nut free pesto and sundried tomato pasta salad. I love this recipe because it can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and is great for vegetarians, dairy and nut free guests and incorporates the holiday colors green and red. I will be using frozen basil harvested from my herb garden this summer but if basil is hard to find this time of year you can substitute kale or spinach for the basil.
**Check out Sarah’s full Sundried Tomato Basil recipe here.
Happy holidays and enjoy!
About Sarah Lippincott, RD, CDN
Sarah is a Westchester, NY based registered dietitian and certified dietitian nutritionist. She completed an extensive ten month dietetic internship with a clinical focus through the North Shore LIJ Health System where she provided medical nutrition therapy to patients with a vast range of illnesses and conditions. Sarah has volunteered within her community providing nutrition and culinary education to children, adults and the elderly. She works as a Consultant Dietitian for Blythedale Children’s Hospital’s Eat Well Be Well Outreach Program. This program uses nutrition education and interactive lessons to teach children how to make healthy and informed choices. She is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Weight Management Practice Group. Sarah lives in Westchester, NY with her husband, daughter and labradoodle. For more information you can visit Sarah’s blog at http://www.goodcleanfunnutrition.com/ or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sarahgoodcleanfunnutrition.
