Saving on the Seasonal Calories

OK so it is that time of year again, Halloween is almost here which leads to Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The holiday eat-a-thon is on, so how do you stay on track with your eating and still have fun.  Fitting It In can show you how to keep on track and even drop weight during the holiday season!

LOVE STUFFING?  Here is what you are getting...
Bread Stuffing with Giblets
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 300
Fat: 14 grams
Sodium: 920 mg
This is for most home prepared stuffing's using full fat ingredients.

Save a little:
Make it from a box, I know it sounds like it would cost you more in calories but actually it is a bit less
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 177
Fat: 9 grams
Sodium: 524 mg
Looks much better right and no you cannot have twice as much!

Save A LOT:
So let's take what we have already taught you go a little lower.  In a post earlier today I mentioned chestnuts help you control calories so we are going to add chestnuts to our mix!
Chestnut Bread Stuffing: moistened with stock and not butter
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 123
Fat: 1 gram (you read the properly)
Sodium: 140 mg
And again no you cannot eat more just b/c you figured out how to lower the calories of one serving!

CRANBERRIES: do you love these guys?  I am not really a fan however if you are you may want to make them a bit more calorie friendly.

Canned Cranberry Sauce:
Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Calories: 110
Fat: 0 grams
Sodium: 0 mg

Save a little:
Homemade Cranberry Sauce:
Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Calories: 95
still no fat or sodium

Save A LOT:
Dried Cranberries (sprinkle a few over a salad)
Serving Size: 1 tbsp
Calories: 25 calories
still no fat or sodium

So if you are looking to sweeten the pot adding some dried cranberries to a super salad would be your best bet for a little treat which still keeps with the holiday spirit.

POTATOES- now we are talking!  I love these guys, well I will eat them :)  Most dinners offer scalloped or mashed potatoes as a side for either or both Thanksgiving and Christmas so let us see if we can make these a bit better while not missing out on the fun!

Scalloped Potatoes with cheese and butter- YUM
Serving Size: 1/2 cup (which really is not much when you look at these potatoes)
Calories: 162
Fat: 9 grams
Sodium: 530 mg

Save a little:
Mashed Potatoes- I know it seems like you would not really save calories with these guys but if you read my earlier post which used evaporated skim milk in the preparation of mashed potatoes you will see you can save some calories.  Removing the cheese helps as well.
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 155
Fat: 8 grams (less fat if you do use evaporated skim)
Sodium: 362 mg

Save A LOT:
Baked Potatoes- now mind you this is ONE SMALL potato not the massive ones you see in the stores.  You could go even one better and do 1/2 a sweet potato.
Calories: 128
Fat: 0 grams
Sodium-14 mg - as long as you do not doctor it up with additional salt

And if you really want to see if your family is paying attention make SMASH CAULIFLOWER, I swear it is AWESOME and they will not even realize it, especially if you mix a few mashed potatoes with the culli and skim milk.  I would be an awesome low calories side dish!