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20 Best (and Worst) Bets on the Holiday Buffet

Plus: Our top tips for handling stress and temptation.

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column

The opportunities to eat around the holidays seem endless. Couple the abundance of in-your-face tempting food with the stress of a to-do list that's out of control, and it's no wonder that we often pack on the holiday pounds.

But this year, it's going to be different, right?

Having a plan for handling all the things you need to do, in a short period of time, will help keep you sane. A few ideas to help ease the stress: shop by catalog, send out the same holiday newsletter to everyone on your list, and limit your social calendar to allow some down time. And remember, your fitness routine is a priority, even when you don't think you have time. Exercise helps you cope with stress while it burns calories and keeps muscles strong.

The 80/20 Rule

Once you gain control of your to-do list, the next (and probably the biggest) hurdle is figuring out how to enjoy the bounty of food without triggering a six-week eating frenzy.

I'm a big believer in striving for "social weight maintenance" over the holidays. That means allowing some flexibility in your eating plan so that you can enjoy your favorite holiday foods. Don't expect to be perfect around the holidays. If you factor into your plan some extra food and drink, you are more likely to keep your weight in check.

To maintain, not gain, during the holidays, follow the "80/20 rule": 80% of the time, you follow your healthy-eating plan to the letter, but 20% of the time, you may indulge in small portions of those once-a-year favorites. And 100% of the time, do at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity.

Best Bets on the Buffet

Making smart choices allows you to eat plenty of food, and not feel deprived. Here are my picks for the best and worst holiday food choices:

Best Bets	Worst Bets
Crudities with salsa or low-fat dressing	Chips, creamy dips, anything fried
Pretzels, popcorn, baked chips	Cheese straws, fried snacks
Handful of plain nuts	Handful or more of candy or candied nuts
Fresh fruits and vegetables	Fried veggies, wings
Shrimp cocktail, clams, oysters, smoked salmon	Fried seafood
Low-fat cheeses on water crackers, low-fat crackers, or Melba toast	High-fat cheeses and crackers
Vegetable or broth-based soup	Cream soups or bisques
Baked sweet potatoes	Sweet potato casserole
Cranberry relish or gelatin salad	Cranberry sauce
Mashed potatoes with a dab of gravy, or a plain baked potato	Lots of gravy with your mashed potatoes or a loaded baked potato
White-meat turkey without skin	Dark-meat turkey with skin
Lean meats without visible fat	Processed meats, sausages, fatty meats
Simply prepared veggies	Veggies in cream sauces, casseroles, or topped with fried onions or cheese
Cornbread-, oyster- or fruit-based stuffing	Stuffing with sausage
Whole-wheat dinner rolls	Croissants
Pumpkin or mincemeat pie	Pecan pie with whipped cream
Fruit sorbet, sherbet, or frozen yogurt	Cake or ice cream
Apple cider, mimosa, or bloody Mary	Eggnog
Chocolate-dipped strawberries	Fruitcake or fudge