By Stephanie Tarry Yoo, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, Neighborcare Health

We all love holiday parties – the friends, the fun and the food. The average American gains ½ to two pounds each holiday season. By following these tips, you can pay attention to your health and celebrate the holidays.

• Plan ahead. Eat sensible, well balanced, low-fat meals and snacks before you go to a holiday party. Skipping meals and snacks to “save up for the party” can make you too hungry and lead you to eat far more than you normally would.
• Exercise. Burn off extra calories before a party to help offset any high calorie party foods. Plus, you will arrive at the party relaxed and ready to have a great time.
• Mingle AWAY from the food. Stand away from the buffet table to help you focus on your hosts and the other guests rather than the food. Use a small plate or napkin and take just a few bites of a few favorite foods – then find another area to talk and visit. 
• Halve it and you can have it. When faced with an assortment of yummy dips, gooey sweets or irresistible fried treats, think, “Halve it and you can have it.” This strategy works anytime, anywhere and will keep you from feeling deprived while cutting the calories in half when you eat half the amount.
• Avoid drinking all your calories. Think before you drink. Decide if you want to include liquid calories in your party plan. Have what you have planned for and then switch to club soda, sparkling water mixed with a little punch or fruit juice, or a glass of flat water with a slice of lemon or lime.
• Remember the 80/20 rule. Make healthy food choices 80 percent of the time. You do not need to be “perfect” all the time, and overdoing it at one event will not make a major impact on your health. However, allowing yourself to overdo it multiple times can lead to health concerns.
• Find healthier versions for your favorite holiday foods. If you are hosting, make sure the menu includes healthy food that you enjoy. There are many resources available online, such as diabeticlivingonline.com, that can help you find healthier versions of holiday favorites like apple pie and green bean casserole.  If you are invited to a party, offer to bring a healthy dish that you know you will enjoy.

Try this healthier Pumpkin-Maple Pie

SERVINGS PER RECIPE: 8

CARB GRAMS PER SERVING: 32

• 1 recipe Lower-Fat Oil Pastry (see below)
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
• ½ cup maple-flavored syrup
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 packets heat-stable sugar substitute
• 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ¾ cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
• 1 cup evaporated fat-free milk
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla
• Frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed (optional)
• Ground cinnamon (optional)

LOWER-FAT OIL PASTRY

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup fat-free milk
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil

In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Combine milk and oil; add all at once to flour mixture. Stir with a fork until dough forms. If necessary, add 1 to 2 teaspoons additional milk. Shape the dough into a ball.

1. Prepare Lower-Fat Oil Pastry. On a lightly floured surface flatten pastry. Roll into a 12-inch circle. Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin; unroll into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pan, being careful not to stretch pastry. Trim to ½ inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp the edge as desired. Do not prick pastry.

2. For the filling, in a medium bowl combine the pumpkin, maple-flavored syrup, flour, sugar substitute, and pumpkin pie spice; add egg product. Beat lightly with a rotary beater or fork until just combined. Gradually stir in evaporated milk and vanilla; mix well.

3. Place pastry-lined pie plate on oven rack. Carefully pour filling into pastry shell. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in a 375°F oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours. If desired, top with dessert topping and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

NUTRITION FACTS PER SERVING: Calories: 216, Protein: 8 gm, Carbohydrate: 32 gm, Total Fat: 6 gm (Saturated Fat: 1 gm), Cholesterol: 1 mg, Dietary Fiber: 2 gm

DIABETIC EXCHANGES: Milk(d.e): 1, Starch(d.e): 2, Fat(d.e): 1

Used with permission from Diabetic Living® magazine. ©2009 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. For more diabetes friendly recipes, visit diabeticlivingonline.com.

This article was provided by Neighborcare Health, an SHA partner. Neighborcare Health is the largest provider of primary medical and dental services for low-income and uninsured families and individuals in Seattle. They serve more than 75,000 patients each year at nearly 30 medical, dental and school-based clinics. Find a clinic in your neighborhood. All are welcome at Neighborcare Health.