Written by: Nicole Pazdziorko, RDN, LDN

The holiday season is a time for creating lasting memories and celebrating time-honored traditions. This often includes gatherings, ranging from formal dinner parties to casual potlucks. From appetizers and side dishes to entrees and desserts, any menu feature can be made more balanced with just a few simple tips and swaps. This approach allows for enjoying the full flavor of your favorite foods and honoring your family’s traditions without shifting your health and wellness goals to the back seat. Try these ideas to make your menu merry and light. 

 

Appetizer

Make appetizers more nutrient-dense by featuring plenty of fresh produce paired with festive flavors. 

• No holiday party is complete without a charcuterie board. For an eye-catching appetizer, serve your guests a sharable board featuring an array of Culinary Tours cheeses, pair with vibrant fruits for a sweet and savory contrast. Start with three different cheeses to offer different textures and flavors: include a soft/spreadable cheese such as camembert or brie, a firm cheese like cheddar or gouda and finally a blue cheese. Fill in with plenty of seasonal fresh fruit choices like citrus, pomegranates and one or two dried fruits, such as apricots or cranberries.  

• Another great finger food option is a crudité grazing board. This can be served as a start or side, to add variety try roasted vegetables. Feature options like carrots, parsnips, asparagus, baby potatoes, French style green beans, or beets. You can serve these warm or cook and chill to serve later. Add rosemary and fresh cranberries for a holiday inspired look.  

• For an effortless way to elevate Food City fruit and veggie platters try creating a festive display like a Christmas tree or wreath with fresh produce. Serving up fruit and vegetables will provide plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber – and they are naturally sodium free which will balance savory meat and cheese offerings. 

 

Side Dishes

Whether you're entertaining the whole family or just hosting a small get-together this year, these “better for you” holiday side dishes will be a hit with everyone.

• When planning side dishes for the holidays, think about the textures and colors of your food. The winter season offers hearty and vibrant picks. To tantalize the palette try featuring roasted vegetables. Roasted vegetables achieve a caramelization that leads to vegetables that are crisp on the outside while being tender on the inside with a sweetened flavor. Try simple roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, beets or winter squashes.  Toss cooked veggies with a citrus vinaigrette to bring all the flavors together. 

• Creamy and decadent holiday sides can be lightened up by trading heavy cream for Greek yogurt.  Greek yogurt is high in protein and adds richness and texture to dishes. For sauces mix equal parts Greek yogurt and whole milk to thicken and add creaminess. Mashed potatoes are a holiday classic and Greek yogurt can transform the flavor and texture. Mixing in yogurt in place of part of the liquid will add a tang, but still has a balance of savory flavor and a creamy texture. 

• Instead of traditional rice or pasta, boost the flavor nutritional benefits of your dish with ancient grains like quinoa or barley. Mix in dried cranberries or cherries, roasted butternut squash and toasted pecans to make a seasonal side dish. Featuring more whole grains will add a nutty contrast to heavier dishes and add fiber and protein to your spread. 

 

Entrée

No matter your favorite entrée to feature, there are ways to customize the offerings to better accommodate your health goals. Try some of these nutrient packed protein pairings for your main dish.

• When it comes to the centerpiece for your holiday table, try leaner options, like tenderloin or sirloin roast. The tenderloin roast is from the loin meaning it provides less fat per ounce while still offering 26 grams of protein and more than 20% of daily iron and zinc recommendations.  A favorite holiday flavor pairing is this tenderloin with festive cranberry sauce and roasted brussels sprouts.

• Ham is another favorite for holiday dinners. While it is a lean protein choice and chock full of vitamins, the processing of ham typically means higher sodium content. Be mindful of portion size and be conservative with the saltshaker as you enjoy side dishes and appetizers. Pile plenty of produce packed sides on your plate, such as fiber-rich sweet potatoes. 

• If you’re looking for lean proteins, you can’t go wrong with poultry. Turkey is one of the leanest options available when the skin is removed. White meat (i.e. breast meat) has the highest protein to fat ratio, but the dark meat is still a great choice, offering plenty of minerals and vitamins that support a healthy metabolism. Try pairing with cinnamon carrots and green beans. 

 

Dessert

No holiday is complete without an array of decadent treats to add to the merriment and satisfy the sweet tooth. Aim to feature natural sweetness from fruits to offer more vitamins, minerals and fiber. 

• A great fruit to highlight this time of year is pears. Pears can be baked, broiled or poached and are complemented by warming spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom, making them a perfect treat for the season. For a more elevated way to spotlight the fruit, try a beautiful pear and cranberry tart. Keep it simple by opting to use pre-made tart or pie shells or lighten things up with phyllo pastry. Simply place thin pear slices in a fan around the pastry prior to baking and garnish with cranberries to add a festive pop of color prior to baking.

• Another easy fruit to feature is apples. Apples are a good source of fiber, which is beneficial for our heart health, plus it aids in digestion and weight management. If you’re hosting a party and would like to offer a convenient, handheld option, try chocolate covered apple slices. Using a mixture of melted dark and white chocolate with crushed peppermint candies will give this treat a little more festive flare. 

• For something richer and more chocolatey, try no bake truffles with Medjool dates. Dates have less water content and a more concentrated sweet taste, making them a perfect addition to decadent sweets. They are also a more concentrated source of nutrients, meaning that just a small serving is all you need. Just 2-3 Medjool dates offer 14% of the daily value for fiber, and 6% of the daily value for potassium –both nutrients that benefit heart health.

Whether you’re entertaining the whole family or hosting a small gathering of guests, every course of your menu can be effortless, delicious and nutrient dense. Find these recipes and more ideas celebrating the season and ringing in the New Year at the Food City Meals & Recipe Center.