It’s not low-calorie if it’s loaded with
fattening dip. Serve a nonfat dip! Photo
courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

• Baking: When baking, commit that you won’t lick the bowl or eat half of the cookie dough.
• Buffet: At a buffet, use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. If you’re the host, do your guests a favor and provide 7″-9″ plates instead of large 10″-12″ plates.
• Appetizers: Focus on healthy appetizers: crudités with a low-fat or nonfat dip, cucumber slices topped with salmon caviar, whole wheat pretzel sticks with a fancy mustard (not honey mustard!).
• Cheese: No matter how it calls out to you, avoid cheese and bread unless you want tons of saturated fat and lots of carbs. Keri Glassman calls cheese “caloric death.”

• Cocktails: Avoid sweet, fruity, caloric drinks: The mixers add about five times the calories and are easy to toss back again and again. Stick to a Bloody Mary, Martini, wine or Champagne. Ask the bartender to give you half a portion. Alternate cocktails or wine with glasses of club soda or mineral water.
• Location: Keep as far away from the food—preferably out of eyesight.
• Mingle & Network: You won’t chat with your mouth full.
• Know Yourself: If you know that you can control yourself, enjoy a sliver or a spoonful of everything. If you feel that one bite might lead to another…and another…stay away.
• BYO Snacks: Feel free to bring your own healthy snacks—vegetables, plain popcorn, rice cakes. If anyone notices, they’ll admire your discipline.

What are your healthy holiday tips? Please share!