Judy Dodd, MS, RD, LDN, Giant Eagle^® Corporate Nutritionist

When planning for a holiday party, keep festive flavor and guests' nutritional needs in mind. Let these tips guide you:

• Build enough time into your holiday event to present a starter course or light appetizers, a main course, and finally, dessert. As an alternative, serve a diverse spread of appetizers with a salad and dessert, and omit the main course. Offering better-for-you alternatives and a variety of lighter food choices will help your guests resist the temptation to overindulge.
• Ask guests about any allergies or special dietary needs and keep food separated accordingly. If your guests adhere to a gluten-free diet , it means that foods containing wheat, rye or barley can’t even touch your guests' choices! Treat nut allergies, chocolate and seafood allergies the same and keep food separated accordingly.
• What make us feel tired after the holiday meal is often the large portions we eat rather than the food itself – so serve small portions and let your guests pace themselves.
• Add labels to each dish so guests can identify what they're enjoying – and guests with special needs know what they're eating.
• Garnish with aromas and color to add flair without added calories. Follow these tips:
• Parsley is a great start. Get creative and add slices of fresh lemons and limes, or sprigs of basil, mint or rosemary to dishes.
• Stuffed mushrooms are a great appetizer and double as a garnish.
• Use fruit kabobs as drink stirrers – and use small straws to thread the fruit.

Download our Holiday Entertaining Guide.

Read on and discover delicious holiday food ideas for your next gathering!
            Easy, healthy appetizers
            Smart main courses
            Delectable dessert and drink ideas

Easy, healthy appetizers

• Raw vegetables with dip, fruit kabobs with cheese, cooked shrimp or raw veggie kabobs, or an elegant shrimp cocktail platter all make delectable appetizers. Add selections from the olive and antipasti bar, and include whole-grain crackers, thin slices of bread or baguettes, and salsa, guacamole or hummus for dipping.
• Make delicious – and better-for-you – holiday appetizers. Spread smoked salmon or nova lox with lite cream cheese, roll the slices like jelly rolls, cut them into rounds, and arrange them on a serving platter with toothpicks. Try this Smoked Salmon Rolls recipe.
• Hollow out your favorite large vegetable or fruit and use it as a festive holder for dips or cut-up fruits or veggies. Choices that work well include bell peppers, whole pineapples (cut in half lengthwise), oranges, and melons.

Smart main courses

• Broiled beef, chicken or tofu kabobs make great main courses – and cut down on prep time for you. Want to make a splash at your holiday table? Use a half-head of purple or green cabbage or eggplant as a decorative kabob holder. Simply wash your vegetable, cut it in half and place it cut-side down on a plate. Insert the kabob skewers and garnish your platter with fresh mint, basil or parsley.
• Serve bite-sized sandwiches. Use “slider” buns or small rolls rather than regular-sized sandwich buns. For a unique twist, make sandwich wraps, cut them on the diagonal, and arrange them on a holiday platter. Vary the colors and flavors of the wrappers and fillings for variety. Or, for a breadless take on traditional sandwiches, try our Ham & Swiss Reuben Roll-Ups Recipe.
• Serve cheese fondue with delicious dunkables, including crusty bread, cooked meats, vegetables, and your favorite kabobs.
• Offer at least two vegetables or a vegetable and salad with your main course. At least one of the vegetables should be simple (such as roasted broccoli or whole green beans  sprinkled with slivered almonds or a light dusting of grated Pecorino-Romano cheese). These meal add-ons accommodate people with special needs without requiring a special menu.
• Always offer a lower-calorie salad dressing as an option, or place balsamic vinegar and olive oil on your holiday table so guests can mix their own.
• Allow for buffet-style serving to let guests help themselves and control their own portions.

Delectable dessert and drink ideas

• Cut desserts into mini portions, offering guests “tastes” of several favorites rather than too-large portions of any one food.
• To make dessert healthy, include some fresh fruit.
• Along with bite-size pies or cake slices (cut small), add some variety with bite-sized “tarts”  made with prepared phyllo or cookie cups. These desserts are fast and easy to assemble and give guests several choices without large portions. Try these filling ideas:
  • Blueberries or raspberries with whipped cream
  • Strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate
  • Pumpkin-pecan filling
  • Lemon curd (served right from the jar or blended with whipped topping or Greek yogurt) topped with fresh raspberries
• Go with chocolate fondue for an impressive and memorable dessert. Present the dunkables (slices of pears, apples, fresh strawberries, chunks of pineapple, and pound cake or angel food cake squares) on a pretty serving platter and let guests help themselves.
• Coffee drinks can be a way to end a night with a dessert-like flair. And rather than serving heavy desserts, offer small pieces of specialty chocolates to end the meal.
• Keep punch cold with style – get out the ice cube trays or ring mold. To create unique ice cubes, place a washed berry, mandarin orange section or pineapple chunk in each cube slot. To create a decorative ice ring, fill the mold to the halfway mark with water or juice, arrange your fruit, and freeze. Once the mold is frozen, add the remaining water or juice.
• Offer decaffeinated coffee, assortments of herbal teas and alternative sweeteners to guests.
• Serve spritzers by combining sparkling soda with juice or wine and lots of ice. The bubbly is still there but with lower calories. Flavored low-calorie waters, along with other low-calorie beverages, are also welcome additions to your holiday feast.

Holiday recipe: Meat Roll-ups

• Take one slice of meat. Spread with horseradish sauce or mustard. Top with a slice of another meat or American or Swiss cheese. Roll up.
• Cut into pinwheel slices one inch long and spear on a toothpick. Finish with an olive or pickle.
• Continue alternating and mixing the meat and cheese.
• Optional: Place chunks of Brie cheese across one end of a slice of turkey breast. Roll up like a jelly roll and slice.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Cut the bottom off of the cabbage or eggplant so it will sit flat on a serving platter. Use as a “nest” or container to serve the meat roll-ups.
• Depending on the thickness of your meat and the size of your cut, one pound each of two types of meat (for a total of two pounds) should yield about 48 one-inch wide meat roll-ups.
• Serve with some mini rolls to satisfy heartier appetites.

October 2010