Help your guests (and yourself) jump start a New Year’s resolution to lose weight by making these healthier party swaps.
Don’t Serve: Super-Sized Sweets
Just because you’re hosting a party doesn’t mean you have to throw out what you know about portion control. People are more likely to overeat when served larger portions. Don’t set out giant cookies that your guests will feel obligated to finish. Also, avoid big bowls of small candies, like M&Ms or Skittles, that make it easy to snack mindlessly.
Instead: Choose candies that are individually wrapped, so you and your guests have to be more aware of eating. Also, consider serving a dessert that’s full of fruit, like yogurt-dipped strawberries.
Don’t Serve: Doritos
People frequently pick on potato chips as the ultimate junk food, but many other kinds of chips are just as unhealthy. A single-serving package of Nacho Cheese flavored Doritos has 150 calories, with 1.5 grams of saturated fat. That’s not even mentioning the long list of additives, including artificial food coloring.
Instead: Why not serve your guests a healthier chip? Blue corn tortilla chips have more protein than regular tortilla chips and can have fewer additives if you go organic. Serve them with fresh salsa.
Don’t Serve: Chocolate Martinis
It’s no secret that alcohol is high in calories, but sugary mixed drinks are diet killers. A six-ounce chocolate martini can have as much as 430 calories.
Instead: Wine and beer are lower in calories than most mixed drinks. Champagne, the classic New Year’s Eve drink, has 96 calories per five-ounce flute.
Don’t Serve: Chex Mix
Although Chex Mix got some prominent product placement on Days of Our Lives in the hands of Alison Sweeney (see video below), we don’t think the actress would recommend this snack while hosting the The Biggest Loser. A bag of Traditional Chex Mix, despite the label touting that the snack contains 60 percent less fat than regular potato chips, is still lacking in nutritional value. A half cup contains 120 calories, 35 of which are from fat. Plus, a single serving also has 210 mg of sodium.
Instead: Make your own healthy party mix, with low-sodium nuts and dried fruit. Nuts are a healthy source of protein and fiber, while dried fruits are a good source of vitamins.