We are now in the midst of the Holiday Season which means time spent with loved ones, time spent shopping and exchanging gifts and, of course, time spent eating.  I would not want you to go at this unprepared, so here are ten eating tips I came across I would like to share with you.  Eat wisely!

1. Avoid vegetable trays. Nothing dampens one’s holiday appetite quite like healthy, sensible food.  The person who brings a vegetable tray on a holiday buffet table knows as much about the Christmas spirit as Scrooge did before he met his three visitors (or he/she just can’t cook).   There is an exception, a vegetable tray might be acceptable if it is accompanied with high calorie, artery-clogging dip. 

2.  Perhaps you are not the greatest cook or have just found something on your plate that was prepared by the world’s worst cook.  Just remember that this is the time of year when just about anything dish can be enhanced by covering it with gravy or chocolate sauce.  (I would suggest that you avoid using both on the same food item except in extreme emergencies) 

3.  If something comes with gravy, especially giblet gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill your mini volcano with gravy. Eat the volcano. Get more mashed potatoes and create a gravy moat surrounding your island of mashed potatoes.  Go ahead and play with your food, you know you want to.  (Sit a safe distance away from anyone who makes models of the “Devil’s Tower” out of mashed potatoes.)

4. Nutritionists tell us that a healthy diet includes color on the plate, especially reds, yellows and greens.  So, just to be safe, I always add a handful of M&M’s to each plate of food during the holidays.

5. Nutritionists also tells us that fruit and nuts are an important part of your diet.  The holidays are no time to skimp on these, so go ahead and have a second helping of apple pie, cherry pie or pecan pie.

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s Day. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like those cookies with Hershey Kisses in the middle or those little hot dogs in sauce, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention.

8. Don’t forget the oatmeal.  It is high in fiber and can help reduce cholesterol.  I prefer oatmeal in the form of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

9. Remember there are limits on how much you can eat.  So do not waste any of your calorie capacity on fruitcake or mincemeat pie.  (You would be better off hanging around that vegetable tray.)

10. One final tip: If you can comfortably get up from the table, you’re not trying hard enough.  You have trained all year for this, don’t give up now!