The festive season is all about lolling on the beach, long-distance drives and late-night celebrations – but unfortunately it’s about indulgence and expanding waistlines too.

So try our easy-to-implement holiday eating tips; it will help you enjoy the pleasures of the season without popping out of your jeans come January
By Irene Labuschagne, Nicus

We have scrumptious alternatives for sinful holiday snacks.

For a day at the beach

Instead of. . .
ice cream, pies, hamburgers and hot dogs, chips or chocolates … make some scrumptious sarmies.

On the outside: use wholewheat bread for extra fibre, pumpernickel, a wholesome fruit-and-seed loaf or any bread with lots of whole kernels, crushed wheat and oats or oat bran (since these have a low glycaemic index). For a change, try Provita – three bisquits equals one slice of bread.

On the inside: Remember that healthy fillings don’t have to fall flat on taste. Try these savvy substitutions:

• Instead of butter or margarine, mix some finely chopped vegetables with low-fat yogurt or spread on some mashed avocado or peanut butter


• Instead of Cheddar or Gouda cheese, use Mozzarella or low-fat Edam – this will save you 50 kJ per 30 g wedge


• Instead of regular mayonnaise, dilute low-fat mayo 1:1 with skimmed milk – this simple step will save you 298 kJ per spoon

Make your own refreshing iced tea

Ingredients
1 litre strong, chilled rooibos or black tea
1 lemon, sliced
fresh mint to taste
ice cubes
500 ml sugar-free lemonade/soda water flavoured with artificial sweetener/any artificially sweetened drink concentrate. Any freshly squeezed fruit juice can also be used but this will increase the energy value of the drink (remember that 125 ml fresh fruit juice is equal to one fruit in kilojoules).

Method
Mix the ingredients and enjoy this low-kilojoule thirst quencher on a sweltering summer’s day.

Pack healthy snacks

• Carrot and cucumber sticks


• Dried fruit (two to three pieces or 30 g equals one fruit)


• Nuts (choose unsalted varieties and don’t overdo it – one portion equals eight to 10 nuts)


• Fat-free or low-fat yogurt


• Bran muffins (they’re low in fat and high in fibre)


• Popcorn (air-popped without too much salt and no oil)

On a road trip

Instead of. . .
Pies, samoosas, fatty snacks, chocolates and sweets, salty, fatty takeaway meals and carbonated cold drinks

. . . Pick the right padkos

Pack your own:

• Chicken breast pita: chop and trim the fat off the chicken, mix with lettuce, cocktail tomatoes, peppers and low-fat dressing and serve in a pita bread or on a wholewheat roll


• Super salad with cocktail tomatoes, carrot sticks, gherkins, cucumber and low-fat dressing


• Mega-healthy meatballs with no added fat using extra-lean mince (recipe below)


• Snack selection: include boiled eggs, fresh fruit, high-fibre muffins and biltong (small portions with no visible fat)

Stop and shop along the way
at cafés or petrol station stores, choose the following:

• Fruit, yogurt or drinking Yogurt


• Bread rolls and cheese wedges


• Dried fruit


• Bran muffins or low-fat health bars (Slim Slabs, Snackers, seed bars, dried fruit bars)


• Hard sucking or jelly sweets (instead of chocolates)

At restaurants, coffee shops and fast food venues, choose the following:


• Clear soup with bread


• Baked potato with cottage cheese and salad


• Salads


• Pasta with a tomato-based sauce (instead of a creamy one)


• Grilled chicken, fish or very lean red meat with salad, baked or boiled potatoes and veggies. (Remember: choose chicken or fish as a lighter alternative when travelling)


• Vegetarian stir-fry


• Toasted sandwiches with vegetable fillings – but ask for no butter or margarine

But steer clear of . . .


• Creamy sauces – instead of a creamy mushroom-sauce burger with chips, choose a Hawaiian burger with salad


• Deep-fried food – instead of crumbed chicken, choose grilled chicken


• Rich desserts – instead of cake or ice cream, choose a fresh fruit salad

At a festive cocktail party

Instead of . . .
high-fat finger foods, samoosas, pizza, pies and pastries and cheese and biscuits

. . . Nibble on healthier nosh such as


• meats – choose small portions of chicken, meatballs and sosaties


• vegetables – pick the salad and fresh veg platters


• boiled eggs


• sandwiches


• filled pita breads


• fruit or dried fruit


• nuts

Instead of . . .
sugary cocktails, wine, beer and spirits

Choose . . .


• lite wine or beer


• white wine diluted with soda water


• spirits with sugar-free mixers or water

And re member . . .
Drink water between drinks and stick to the following suggested units:


• Men – two to three units per day


• Women – one to two units per day

Diet centre