Health & Fitness - 10 Foods I avoid at holiday meals

It’s the holidays and this is the time when family cooking is at its best. People use grandma’s recipe for that special baked macaroni and cheese dish that is a must at many family holiday gatherings. However, the way my body type is set up I need to be choosy about my food selections. I allow holiday meals to be cheat meals however I do not want to eat foods that may not work for me. 

Here are my top 10 foods to avoid and why:

1. Margarine/Butter- my rolls can do without it! It’s also an easy skip. 
2. Ranch dressing - I opt for a nice vinaigrette dressing instead
3. Holiday punch - because cousin Sara’s punch just has wayyy too much sugar. I opt for sparkling cider instead. 
4. Fried vegetables - I’m okay with eating fried meats, etc. but when I eat vegetables, I prefer them steamed or fresh. 
5. Pecan pie- Oh My! I once looked at a recipe for pecan pie because my hubs likes it and I saw how much sugar was in it. Another hard pass for me
6. Candied yams - see pecan pie reason. Besides, I prefer sweet potato soufflé so I prefer not to have two sweet potato dishes. Can’t wait!
7. Soda - see reason for punch. If I’m going to consume calories and sugar, I want them to be something I truly enjoy. I do enjoy a good iced tea or half and half. Yes!!!
8. Over cooked vegetables - most of the nutrient goodness have been cooked out so I would rather use that stomach space for more Mac n cheese!
9. White rice - with all the other yummy carb-filled foods available, I have no space white rice in my 1st, 2nd or 3rd plate. 
10. Plain Turkey - fried turkey is in and it has been in for years now. It’s juicy and seasoned and great to eat without gravy. That’s how juicy it is. I cannot support turkey that has not been fried anymore. That is my biased opinion. Perhaps you have a turkey recipe that’ll blow my socks off. If so, please share. I love to cook and I am wiling to try it!

Well, here’s my list! I can only eat so much so my holiday meals have to be well worth it. What about you? How do you navigate holiday meals?