From the desk of Pat M. Lutwiniuk-Englebrecht, Home Economist (12/31/78)

Avoid extra holiday pounds

From the desk of Pat M. Lutwiniuk-Englebrecht, Home Economist

An abundance of food, a great deal of it rich and sweet, is as much a part of today's holiday tradition as Santa Claus. Many people consider any holiday incomplete without creamy eggnog, cakes, pies, candy and second helpings of everything good.

Unfortunately, such holiday traditions tend to increase waistlines and overpower good intentions of dieting.

And although dieting is next to impossible during the holidays, with a little imagination, any cook can prepare nutritious, lower calories foods that are in keeping with the holiday spirit. You could also serve a fruit punch or mulled cider instead of eggnog. And for party hors d'oeuvres include carrot and celery sticks, cucumber strips, radishes or cauliflower florets along with a low calorie "confetti" cheese dip. The dip is extra low in calories because cottage cheese is substituted for the usual sour cream or cream cheese. Green pepper and pimientos in the dip carry out the holiday color scheme.

If available, cherry tomatoes stuffed with minced tunafish, onion and green pepper also add a splash of color.

Of course, everyone has their own favorite stuffing recipes, many of which call for a large amounts of bread or breadcrumbs. One way to cut down on calories is to use a stuffing with little or no bread, such as one made of water chestnuts and mushrooms.

Many holiday dinners include several varieties of potatoes. Why not substitute for one of them another fresh vegetable such as beans season with savory? And if a fresh garden salad is part of the feast, use a low calorie dressing, or one made with tomato juice and herbs.

If you just can't resist sweets, limit yourself to one serving of dessert a day. You may want to eat half at lunch and half at dinner. Fresh fruit, nuts in the shell, and cheese also provide a light and nutritious touch after any hearty meal.

It is hard not to have candy and cookies around during the holiday season, especially where there are children. Dates with their natural sweetness, offer a nutritious alternative to candy canes and sugarplums. They can be eaten "as is," stuffed with nut meats, or used in sugarless cookies.

It's a challenge to be calorie-conscious when planning foods for holiday feasts. But health agencies and cookbooks offer a wide variety of delicious low calorie recipes to try.

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