As much as I like the idea that calories and fat grams shouldn’t count during the holidays, there are some of us with health concerns that don’t allow us to live in this state of denial each Christmas season.

My dad, for instance, has diabetes and kidney failure. As much as he would love to indulge in all the treats this season seems to bring to our table top, he still has to use caution in each thing he eats. Fair? I think not, but reality none the less!

This holiday season I plan to thoroughly enjoy many a treat, but I hope to do it wisely. The following chart has some ideas to help you modify your favorite recipes to help you cater to your dietary needs. Because who wants to miss out on the treats? Not me!

Tips to decrease fat and calories:

Instead of this:	Try this:
Shortening, butter, margarine, or solid fat	Use ¼ less liquid oil or solid fat called for in the recipe. If recipe calls for 1 cup use ¾ cup. If recipe uses ¼ cup shortening, use 3 Tablespoons oil. Use equal amounts of oil for melted shortening, margarine or butter
Shortening, butter, or oil in baking	Use applesauce or prune puree for half of the butter, shortening or oil. May need to reduce baking time by 25%
Instead of whole milk, half and half or evaporated milk	Use skim milk, Skim Plus™, 1% milk, evaporated skim milk, fat-free half and half , or plain soymilk with calcium
Instead of whole milk, half and half or evaporated milk	Use skim milk, Skim Plus™, 1% milk, evaporated skim milk, fat-free half and half , or plain soymilk with calcium
Fat to sauté or stir-fry	When frying foods use cooking spray, water, broth or nonstick pans
Full-fat cream cheese	Use low-fat or nonfat cream cheese, Neufchatel or low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth.
Full-fat sour cream	Use nonfat or reduced fat sour cream or fat-free plain yogurt. (Yogurt is not heat stable.)
Full-fat cottage cheese	Use 2% or fat-free cottage cheese
Full-fat Ricotta cheese	Use part-skim ricotta
Cream	Use evaporated skim milk
Whipping Cream	Use nonfat whipped topping or cream (This is only nonfat if one serving size is used.)
Eggs	Use egg whites (usually 2 egg whites for every egg) or ¼ cup egg substitute
Whole Fat Cheese	Use reduced fat cheese, but add it at the end of the baking time or use part skim mozzarella
Frying in fat	Use cooking methods such as bake, boil, broil, grill, poach, roast, stir-fry, or microwave
Regular mayonnaise or salad dressing	Use low fat, reduced or nonfat mayonnaise or salad dressing
Canned fish	Use water-packed canned products or canned products packed in ‘lite’ syrup
Fatter cuts of meat—skin on	Leaner cuts of meat or ground meat, remove skin before cooking

Tips to reduce sodium:

Instead of this:	Try this:
Salt	Omit salt or reduce salt by ½ in most recipes (except in products with yeast). Cook foods without adding salt. Don’t put the salt shaker on the table
Frozen or canned vegetables	Choose frozen vegetables without sauces or use no-salt-added canned goods. Rinsing canned vegetables will help reduce sodium
Seasoning Salt or spice mixes with salt	Use salt-free seasonings and spice mixes. Use herbs, spices, lemon juice, or vinegar to flavor food instead of salt. Seasonings high in sodium include catsup, chili sauce, chili powder, bouillon cubes, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and meat tenderizers

Ways to Reduce the Amount of Sugar:

Instead of this:	Try this:
Sugar	Use Agave Nectar! Or reduce sugar by ¼ to 1/3 in baked goods and desserts. If recipe calls for 1 cup, use 2/3 cup. Cinnamon, vanilla, and almond extract can be added to give impression of sweetness. (Do not remove all sugar in yeast breads as sugar provides food for the yeast.)
Sugar	Replacing sugar with amounts of sucralose (*Splenda™), works well for most baked products. Add ½ teaspoon baking soda in addition to each cup of Splenda™ used. Baking time is usually shorter and product will have a smaller yield. Try using aspartame (*NutraSweet™), saccharin, or acesulfame potassium in other products that are not baked. The sweet taste will vary with product combination or amounts of each sweetener used
Fruit-flavored yogurt	Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices or use light versions of yogurt
Syrup	Pureed fruit, such as no sugar added applesauce, or sugar-free syrup
Sugar in canned or frozen fruits	Decrease or eliminate sugar when canning or freezing fruits or buy unsweetened frozen fruit or fruit canned in its own juice, water, or light syrup

Ways to increase Fiber:

Instead of this:	Try this:
White rice, enriched grains	Whole grain, brown rice, wild rice, whole cornmeal (not degermed), whole barley, bulgur, kasha, quinoa, or whole wheat couscous.
All purpose flour	Substitute whole wheat flour for up to ½ of the flour. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups flour, try 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour. Use “white whole-wheat flour” or “whole wheat pastry flour” for total amount of all-purpose flour
Pastas, crackers, cookies, cereals	Whole grain pastas, crackers, cookies, and cereals
White bread	100% whole wheat bread and 100% whole grain bread
Iceberg lettuce	Romaine lettuce, endive, and other leafy lettuces, or baby spinach
Meat	Use more dried beans and peas. Add legumes and lentils to many different dishes: try adding lentils to your spaghetti sauce
Peeled fruit and vegetables	Add extra fruits and vegetables, such as adding carrots to spaghetti sauce, leaving apple peels in apple crisp, zucchini bread, etc. Add extra fruits and vegetables to recipes and include the peel when appropriate
Sugar in canned or frozen fruits	Decrease or eliminate sugar when canning or freezing fruits or buy unsweetened frozen fruit or fruit canned in its own juice, water, or light syrup

Here is wishing you a happy, healthy, and hearty holiday!

calli@dvo.com

*Chart information from Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet. Revised by Calli Rhoades.

---