WEDNESDAY, Dec. 25, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- Give your children a special gift this Christmas -- a healthy diet.
While that can be a challenge for parents during the holidays, here are some suggestions for creative, nutritious meals that will please children.
The tips come from Alice Baker, a registered dietitian at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center:
- Make a menu of a few special, well-prepared food items, rather than a large selection.
- Make meals special by preparing food in a pleasing way. Use foods of different colors and textures and use garnishes to add a spot of color and to take up space on the plate.
- For an appetizer, use cut vegetables arranged around a low-fat salad dressing. Don't have dishes of nuts, candies, chips or party mixes around the house.
- Decrease the amount of fat in your recipes. For example, many recipes still taste great when you use half the suggested amount of cheese, butter or cream.
- Serve steamed, grilled or baked vegetables. In order to make them more appealing, don't overcook them and serve them in a special dish.
- Make mashed potatoes with a chicken broth instead of milk or cream or butter.
- Avoid heavy sauces or gravy. Use a low-fat recipe or slightly thickened chicken or beef broth.
- Serve vegetable soup or consomme as a first course.
- Serve appropriate meal portions.
- Make one dessert, not several.
- Plan conversation topics that will have family and friends talking instead of thinking about food.
- Make sure eating isn't the only thing to do at family gatherings. Go for walks, sleigh rides, play charades, ping-pong, board games or cards.
- Get your children involved with the cooking and baking and teach them healthy diet principles.
- Have family breakfast and lunch to prevent hunger and overeating at your holiday meal.
More Information
Duke University offers some advice on healthy holiday eating.
