When thinking about the holidays, most people imagine their grandma’s homemade pie, their mom’s scrumptious casserole, and their aunt’s candied sweet potatoes. Umm mm! Should you enjoy these foods over the holidays? YES! However, all of these foods have one common denominator: lots of calories, which means maybe not eating them every day for two months!  Why? Extra calories can lead to unwanted weight gain over time. The average person gains 2-5 pounds over the holiday season because people typically eat higher calorie foods and exercise less.  So, if you want to keep your “tight end” in place this holiday season, you have to get smart with your cooking and baking. You don’t have to avoid your favorite foods, but lightening a few of them up might be a great idea. Here are some tips on how to do just that:

5 Cooking Tips: When cooking, substitute:

Cook with this – 1 cup oats or crushed whole wheat crackers

Not with that – 1 cup breadcrumbs

Cook with this – 1 cup 2% mozzarella cheese

Not with that –1 cup cheddar cheese

Cook with this – Fresh herbs and spices

Not with that – Salt

Cook with this – 1 cup low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt

Not with that – 1 cup mayonnaise

Cook with this – 1 cup cooked barley, bulgur, or brown rice

Not with that – 1 cup cooked white rice

5 Baking Tips: When baking, substitute:

Bake with this – 1 cup plain yogurt

Not with that – 1 cup buttermilk

Bake with this – 1 cup natural honey

Not with that – 1 cup corn syrup

Bake with this – 1 cup frozen light whipped topping (thawed)

Not with that – 1 cup cream (whipped)

Bake with this – 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (pureed)

Not with that – 1 cup cream cheese

Bake with this – 1 cup apple sauce or fruit puree

Not with that – 1 cup oil

Note: Don’t substitute every single ingredient because you might alter the taste and integrity of the end result. However, making a few substitutions will help lower the fat and calorie intake of your product!