Whether you’re looking to incorporate more nutritionally dense food onto the table on Christmas day, interested in finding a balance with healthy options and sweet treats or generally want a different spread over the holiday season - there are loads of options to mix up your Christmas dinner this year and embrace alternative, healthier dishes!
With weight loss and making healthier choices being common new year’s resolutions (
40% for 2021 and
47% for 2020) there’s still plenty of incentives to explore fun, less traditional sides and snacking options a few days before 2022 gets rolling!
Did you know that the term ‘Christmas dinner ideas’ shoots up to
35,566 in the month of December? Also, the average person consumes
6,000 calories on Christmas day! With that being said, people are pretty curious about how they can change up their Christmas dinner and why not explore dishes that will be a bit less calorific, less sugary but still just as filling!
Here’s some of our top suggestions for changing up your typical Christmas day food and enjoy some fresh, alternative ideas to celebrate with your family:
Try out roasted, cauliflower mixed with peppers
If you’re looking to spice up your vegetables, we’ve got an awesome idea for you! Instead of boiling or steaming your cauliflower and eating it plain - why not put your own spin on it by roasting it instead! You can add plenty of flavour that way and have it more golden brown, crunchy and packed with plenty of
fiber and vitamins. Add shallots, grape tomatoes, turmeric powder, and the peppers of your choice to liven up your spread!
Fill up with baked mushrooms stuffed with cheese
This is a particularly yummy one and filling for Christmas! If you’re a fan of cheesy mash potatoes, you could have a go at making some delicious
stuffed mushrooms loaded up with cheese instead. Works great with large portobello mushrooms, a mix of cheddar and leicester cheese, a little bit of dijon mustard and throw some chives or parsley in there to enhance the taste! If you wanted to go even further, you might consider some dipping sauce too.
Add healthy nibbles to your cheese plate this year!
It doesn’t have to be the bog-standard four to five cheeses and crackers - you can be more creative with your picks and arrangements! You can pick your absolute fav’s whether it be brie, blue cheese, wensleydale with cranberries, red leicester with chili - that’s down to your preference. But you can incorporate
other treats in there like grapes, figs, apple slices or celery in order to gain some antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits. If you are looking to make it look extra yummy and have a more visually pleasing look for photos, check websites like Google or Pinterest for other inspirations.
Embrace the turkey this year too!
Eating turkey on Christmas is a tradition that goes as far back as the
time of Henry VII who made eating the bird a popular, festive meat for the day. Overall turkey is the UK's favourite holiday meat of choice but it’s actually consumed by only a little over half (
54%) of us on Christmas these days. Turkey is rich in anti-inflammatory properties,
vitamin B3 and B6 (great for brain health) as well as zinc, magnesium and selenium. So, whatever your meats of choice are for Christmas, we wouldn’t recommend ditching the turkey!
Drink some festive hot apple cider for added health benefits
If you’re steering clear from the likes of eggnog, too much bubbly or sugar drinks this Christmas, having a nice mug of hot apple cider is much less calorific and better for your body. Did you know that a glass of eggnog has about
250 calories in comparison to apple cider which has 150 in total? When making hot apple cider from oranges, apples, cinnamon and
other seasonal ingredients, you can reap the benefits of consuming plenty of
iron, calcium, potassium as well as vitamin A and C. So if you’re not looking forward to the prospect of feeling a bit hungover on boxing day morning, apple cider might be your new favourite Christmas day drink of choice!
Dress up brussel sprouts in chestnuts and balsamic vinegar
A UK poll from 2020 revealed that
19% of us actively dislike and avoid eating brussel sprouts and have been dubbed as the most hated vegetable in the UK. That being said, we consume
40,000 tonnes of them every year… so that can’t be all bad taste wise. In fact, there are definitely ways to help adjust the flavour for the ones among us who can’t handle the taste. Try experimenting with ways to marinate them -
white wine with a splash of balsamic vinegar! Sprinkle in some chestnuts and mixed peppers and you’re good to go!
Can’t quit your sweet tooth? Have some pumpkin pie
Commonly associated with Thanksgiving in the states, pumpkin pie is a really delicious option for a Christmas dessert that's filling and quite good as a guilt free (ish) option! You can easily get one from an online bakery or make one yourself if you fancy it. Add a bit of whip cream on top and it’s ready to serve. It’ll be a hit with everyone, we promise! So what's the nutritional benefits? It’ll contain
vitamin A, iron and calcium.
Interested in learning more about nutrition? Take up our E-Learning course!
If you’re looking to learn even more when it comes to Nutrition, have a look at The Training Room’s online course selection! There’s
plenty to choose from in our Health and Fitness offerings, such as our Personal Training course which includes:
Active IQ Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing
Active IQ Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training
These courses can be completed part-time, full-time or completely online!
If you’re particularly interested in the Nutrition aspect, not to worry! The Training Room has a Nutrition course to facilitate all your curiosities:
TQUK Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Nutrition and Health
Focus Awards Level 4 Certificate in Nutrition for Weight Management and Athletic Performance
Our Nutrition course is entirely e-learning based and although there is a set schedule, there’s an option to complete modules at a faster pace if you so wish. You’ll receive excellent tutoring and career support along the way.
Download your free prospectus today!