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Each Thanksgiving and Christmas, Sarah Cruz, a University of South Carolina student from Aiken, piles her plate high with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and more, usually going back for seconds and sometimes a third serving. By the time she gets around to eating vegetable dishes, she\u2019s too full and skips them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe way I see it, Thanksgiving is a holiday where you\u2019re meant to eat a ton of food,\u201d Cruz said. \u201cSure, it may not all be the healthiest, but I\u2019m not worried about that, because it\u2019s a holiday and I just want to enjoy myself.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dietitians warn against these holiday eating habits, saying it\u2019s better to start with healthy vegetables and keep servings of other foods small.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIncorporate more fruits and vegetables into your holiday meals, which will keep you feeling full longer, as well as adding vitamins and minerals,\u201d said Jessica Morrison, a registered and licensed dietitian from the SNAP-Ed department at the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n SNAP-Ed, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education, is a federally funded education program that teaches people how to shop and cook healthy meals in an effort to prevent obesity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One serving of sweet potato casserole can have over 200 calories. Many other popular holiday dishes have many calories as well, such as baked ham with 345 calories, stuffing with 355 and pumpkin pie with 323 calories.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alone, each dish doesn\u2019t have too many more calories than non-holiday foods. However, when the calories of one serving from each dish are added up, the amount is more than the average recommended daily calorie limit for adults.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Before going straight for the stuffing or the pumpkin pie, which both contain\u00a0 over 300 calories per serving, dietitians suggest starting by loading up on raw or roasted vegetables.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Since many holiday parties may not have vegetables other than heavily sauced ones packed with unhealthy ingredients, Morrison said to \u201cbe the trendsetter and bring something healthy. Consider bringing a hearty salad with dark leafy greens topped with pomegranate seeds, pecans and goat or feta cheese.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Another way to stay healthy is by limiting portion sizes. Instead of taking large servings of every dish available, start with smaller servings of just a few of the dishes and put them on a smaller plate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cUsing a smaller plate helps encourage appropriate portion size and can help prevent overeating,\u201d Morrison said.<\/span><\/p>\n When the same amount of food that goes on an average nine-inch dinner plate is put on a smaller plate, the food looks bigger. Eating on a smaller plate is psychologically tricking the brain into feeling fuller, because it thinks the body is consuming more food. People tend to grab less food as well, Morrison said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI have no self control, so I grab seconds right away. After that I either get more food or go straight for dessert,\u201d Cruz said. \u201cI usually end up on the couch after, because I\u2019m so full.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Before going back for seconds, Morrison said to practice mindful eating.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPay attention to how you feel after you eat a meal. Ask yourself, \u2018Am I satisfied?\u2019 If the answer is yes, then you\u2019ve probably had enough to eat,\u201d Morrison said. \u201cWait at least 10 minutes before you go back for seconds.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nLoad up on healthy vegetables<\/h4>\n
![\"calories\"](\"http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/EatingG2W_EJ.jpg\")
While it\u2019s important to include fruits and vegetables in holiday meals, many of these dishes, such as green bean casserole, glazed carrots and sweet potato casserole, are loaded with just as much sugar and fat as non-vegetable side dishes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nLimit portion sizes<\/b><\/h4>\n