How to Host a Healthy Holiday Party

If you are looking forward to throwing an annual holiday party there are some steps you can take to make the party healthier for all your guests. Although most people don't like to think about dieting for the holidays, you can help by offering healthy food and drink choices and making a few simple changes to some favorite recipes. Along with healthy food choices party hosts need to think about the healthiest way to present food. Particularly during years when people are worried about the flu, hosts should be careful to limit their guests' exposure to germs.

Healthier Food and Drink

Although many people attend holiday parties without worrying about calories, as a party host you can still do your part to offer healthier choices. When preparing punch consider using diet soda or light juice instead of the full sugar brands you might normally use. If you don't like the taste of diet punch consider using diet products for at least half the ingredients. Also be sure and offer separate diet drinks, bottled water, or unsweetened tea for people who don't want to indulge in the punch.

When preparing dips and spreads consider using at least half low-fat or low-calorie versions of ingredients like sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise, or yogurt. Also consider lower calories dips such as salsa, hummus, or bean dips that have fewer calories than cream based dips. Another great healthy option is nuts, they are full of protein and fiber and very filling.

Crackers, rolls, and bread should be as healthy as possible. Look for versions that are whole grain or substitute whole-wheat flour in party recipes. When serving chips consider making your own corn or pita chips. You can make tasty chips that have much less fat and salt and also add your own unique flavors.

When preparing desserts, portion size is a great way to go healthier. Consider cutting desserts into mini portions. You can offer desserts in festive cupcake papers and keep the size to only two or three bites. When baking make smaller cookies or use mini muffin pans to prepare individual muffin, cakes, or brownie bites. Also you might consider some fruit based desserts such as poached pears or candied apple slices with ice cream.

A wide variety of figure friendly is possible with a few healthy substitutes. Simple switches to at least half measures of lower calorie ingredients and controlling portion sizes can give your guests the option of eating healthier if they choose.

Homemade Pita or Tortilla Chips
Pitas or Tortillas
Olive or Cooking Oil
Salt and Pepper
Seasoning (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300 to 350 degrees

2. Lightly brush or dot pitas or tortillas with olive oil or cooking oil
(It takes very little oil to make a good crisp chip.)

3. Lightly season with sprinkled sea salt and ground black pepper
(Sea salt is better than table salt, but table salt will work)
(You can also make flavored chips by adding taco seasoning, chili spice Parmesan cheese, or other herbs and spices.)

4. Cut round pitas or tortillas into quarters or eighths (a pizza cutter works great)

5. Spread them in a single layer on cookie sheet (a little overlap is fine)

6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Check frequently. Baking times and temperature vary depending on the thickness of the chip and the oven temperature. They can burn easily, so watch them carefully the first time.

Avoiding the Spread of Germs

In addition to offering healthy food choices, a party host needs to think about the best way to avoid having the food and drink tables turn into contaminated messes. There are several party hosting tips that can keep the spread of germs to a minimum.

You should not offer anything at your party that is in a communal bowl. Guests should not be dipping their cups into the punch bowl or grabbing handfuls of nuts from a bowl. At the very least there should be utensils like ladles, spoons, or tongs used for every dish and the utensils should be replaced periodically throughout the night. This will provide at least some measure of protection from spreading germs.

You may also wish to recruit a few friends to act as servers briefly. If someone is manning the punch bowl and serving from some of the dishes then the spread of germs is minimized because only one person in touching the serving utensil. Although you may not want to ask your friends to be on food duty all night, using a server, even if only during the initial push for the food, can lessen exposure. Also there should be some way for guests to identify their drinks. Cups can be personalized if they are disposable. If you are using glassware you can mark names or decorate with fingernail polish. The polish can easily be removed after the party and your guests will not be in danger of sharing glasses.

Another excellent way to avoid spreading germs is to offer as much of the food as you can in single serving containers. While this may not look as elegant, it is an effective way to avoid germs. You can use ramekins, shot glasses, mini muffin papers, cupcake papers, toothpicks, and skewers. The key is to avoid having guests touch any food but what they intend to eat.

In addition to managing the safety of the food, party hosts should have hand sanitizer or sanitizing wipes discreetly available for guests to use. Also be sure and stock antibacterial hand-soap in the bathrooms and provide disposable hand towels. Guest bath towels may look great, but disposable towels are much healthier.

There are several simple things party hosts can do to minimize the spread of germs at a party. Avoiding communal serving dishes and minimizing one guest's exposure to another's food and drink are keys to a healthy holiday party.

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/10-healthy-holiday-party-tips

http://www.mnn.com/food/cooking-recipes/blogs/avoiding-the-flu-at-holiday-parties