Guest post by Melanie Marcus MA, RD
Nutrition and Health Communications, Dole Food Company

Holiday celebrations are something families, especially children, look forward to year-round.  Whether the party is hosted at your house or you’re attending a gathering elsewhere (including school parties), you’ll want to have a plan to keep yourself and the kids healthy! Here are some tips.

Entertaining at home:

• For main courses, embrace the pastabilities! Take the opportunity to let winter vegetables like butternut squash and broccoli shine in noodle form. Kids can have fun using the spiralizer to make linguine style strips or adults can cut thin layers of sweet potato or squash for wider lasagna-like layers.
• What’s old in gift-giving is new again. If you celebrate Christmas, you may know that St. Nicholas was known for leaving small gifts of gold and, because fresh citrus wasn’t always readily available, oranges (similar in shape and color) in stockings. Revive the tradition of fresh fruit and vegetables as gift-worthy.
• Kids will always have room for dessert (often their favorite part of the holiday meal), so be sure to feature a treat that includes produce, like our Frozen Banana Split Cups!

Attending an event:

• Don’t let kids (or adults!) show up hungry to holiday parties. Eating something before arriving will help curb hunger and prevent impulse eating.
• When it comes to dishing up meals, give kids a hand by making their plates. Doing so may help ensure they eat healthier options, balance portion sizes, and even mitigate the extra snacking.
• Bring a festive, kid-friendly, healthy dish to ensure there is at least one option to balance out the richness that comes with holiday meals. Try our Vegetable Wreath or a Pull-Apart Crudité!

Holiday parties should be warm, welcoming, and memorable. This year, add healthy (and delicious) to that list. Happy holidays from our family to yours!