Make good nutritional choices in your holiday meal ingredients

The winter holidays shouldn’t be a nightmare for people watching their waistlines. Experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center offer a few tips on how to cut calories and eat sensibly.

“Place a super-sized salad bowl filled with fresh leafy greens and colorful veggies at the front of the serving line,” says Lona Sandon, a registered dietician at UT Southwestern. “This will encourage you and your guests to start the meal with a healthful, high fiber, low-calorie appetizer.”

Other tips include:

• Use broth to sauté instead of butter — 104 calories saved per tablespoon;
• Substitute 1/3 cup of mayonnaise and 1/3 cup of nonfat yogurt for 2/3 cup of mayonnaise — 480 calories saved;
• Use nonfat milk instead of whole milk — 60 calories saved per cup;
• Use plain nonfat yogurt instead of cream — 720 calories saved per cup; and
• Eat skinless chicken — 360 calories saved per whole bird

Cooks should also experiment with sugar substitute Splenda, a no-calorie sweetener ideal for baking at up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Every time you use one tablespoon of Splenda rather than sugar you save 45 calories.

Visit www.utsouthwestern.org/nutrition to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical services in nutrition.

Media Contact: Kristen Holland Shear