Tips for Healthy Holiday Gatherings

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sam’s Club.  The opinions and text are all mine.

The holidays can be particularly tricky for those of us who are trying to improve our health… tempting treats, parties galore, and cold weather make it difficult to stay in our healthy living groove. Today I have some tips for healthy holiday gatherings, whether you are at a work party, a family event, or a small gathering of friends, use these ideas to help maintain your healthy lifestyle.

1. Workout early in the day. Before your gathering get your sweat on with a run, workout dvd, brisk walk or strength workout. This will help counteract some of the extra calories, but also keeps you mindful of the type and amounts of food you are eating.

2. Talk a lot. Chatters are less focused on the food and more on the experience of being together.

3. Drink water. Before the meal is served try to drink a glass of water and then sip water throughout the meal. Doing so will make sure you are well hydrated and not answering your body’s thirst signals with food.

4. Bring a healthy dish to share. When you bring the salad or veggie tray or fruit salad you are ensuring that there are healthy options to put on your plate. In partnership with Sam’s Club I checked out some of their healthy holiday offerings to make hosting a party or being a guest incredibly easy! I was impressed by the freshness and quality of the produce I selected: their produce is picked at the peak of freshness and then transported with speed and care so it arrives to you in the freshest condition. Some quick and healthy side options I found while browsing at Sam’s Club:

• Salad–add feta cheese, walnuts, and pomegranates to a basic bagged salad for a delicious and healthy side option. Serve dressing on the side. You can also get just pomegranate seeds at Sam’s Club so there is no messy prep. Score!
• Veggie tray–look for one with lots of vegetable options, not just boring carrots and celery. I like this one from Sam’s Club for staples, plus the edamame and mini red peppers.
• Mixed berry bowl–It couldn’t be easier than emptying a bag of frozen berries and allowing them to defrost partially then serving.
• Apple slice and dip–You can grab these pre-sliced apples from Sam’s Club (big enough for the whole family) and do a simple caramel dip or enjoy plain.
• Bowl of clementines–No joke– a bowl of clementines is often my signature dish at holiday gatherings– because kids love clementines and parents love seeing it as a healthy option. Don’t bother peeling, that’s half the fun!

5. Enjoy some dessert. Pick your favorite dessert and savor it! While brownies are a dime a dozen, Grandma’s Old Fashioned Cream Pie you only get at Thanksgiving so slow down and enjoy it without guilt. When you focus on truly relishing your dessert, you may find you need less to be satisfied.

Along with these tips, check out Chef Robert Irvine, host of Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible Ambush as he ambushes an unsuspecting Sam’s Club members to help solve problems party plan like a pro. We know the holidays mean lots of eating, but Robert shows us how eating healthy can be simple, delicious, and affordable. Love how he walks through the process. Check out his videos to get all his party planning tips and tricks!

Also, right now Sam’s Club is hosting a Sweepstakes Giveaway with the grand prize winner receiving a $500 gift card and 1 year Plus membership. There are additional prizes as well that range from Sam’s Club Prime memberships, to a mixing bowl set to a Kitchen Aid Knife Set. It’s easy to enter at Sam’s Club.com! NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.  Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 21 years or older.  Ends 12/31/15.  To enter and for complete details and odds, visitwww.foodnetwork.com/party.

I’m sure you’ll have an event or two where you can use these tips for healthy holiday gatherings in the upcoming month! Stay consistent with your workouts and don’t let the holiday office parties or family gatherings derail your healthy living efforts this season.

[tweetthis remove_twitter_handles=”true”]Don’t let your healthy living efforts be derailed this holiday season! Use @katemoving’s tips to help! [/tweetthis]

How do you balance healthy living during the holidays? What is your favorite healthy holiday food?