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March 18, 2016 at 3:10 PM

 

Spring is in the air here in Connecticut, and that means Easter is fast approaching – on March 27, earlier than usual this year. This is a great time of year to start spending time outside after a long winter (especially here in Connecticut), but it can also be the first big holiday of the year when our resolve to stick to a healthy diet is truly tested.

Chocolate bunnies, jellybeans, honey ham, and fatty sides like scalloped potatoes or asparagus with hollandaise sauce can all be a major setback to New Year’s health resolutions and other long-term diets.    

If you’re looking for ways to enjoy Easter with your friends and family while still keeping up your healthy habits, keep reading to learn some helpful tips for a healthier Easter.

Healthy Tips for Easter

Start Easter morning with a healthful breakfast.

Odds are you won’t face true temptation until Easter festivities later in the day with your friends or family. Get a head start by eating a big, healthful meal first thing in the morning. Research has shown that eating a good breakfast reduces hunger throughout the day and encourages better choices as a result. The last thing you want to do is starve yourself until the mashed potatoes are passed your way.

If it’s an Easter brunch you’re worried about, offset the heavy early meal with a little exercise and a light dinner later on.

Healthy snacking is your friend.

Just because it’s Easter doesn’t mean you have to overdo it on the Peeps and crème eggs. Making sure to get plenty of water and snacking on fruits, veggies, and other smart options will mean you’ll be less likely to overindulge on candy and desserts later on. If baby carrots are good enough for the Easter Bunny, why not for you?

Get a little exercise.

Remember when we said this is a great time of year to start going outside again? Take a walk in the morning, or better yet join your favorite kids on their annual Easter egg hunt. Taking the chance to break a little sweat will not only make you feel great, it will also offset some of the calories from the little bit of candy and other treats you do decide to indulge in. Besides, it shouldn’t be too hard to find an excuse to frolic on the unofficial first day of spring!

Try an unorthodox approach to your Easter baskets.

Making kids’ Easter baskets can present the perfect opportunities to overindulge in candy and sugary treats – but only if you decide to include them. It’s not written in stone anywhere that a child’s Easter basket has to include chocolate eggs, bunnies, and jellybeans.

 A few pieces of candy won’t hurt, but consider replacing some of the candy and chocolate with stickers, small toys, or school supplies. Even snacks like baby carrots or fruit leather, not to mention real hard-boiled Easter eggs, can be colorful, wholesome additions to even a picky kid’s basket.

Bring your own healthy options to Easter dinner.

If you’re worried that there won’t be any healthful options on the Easter dinner table, offer to bring your own. Odds are your host will appreciate it, and probably a few other guests to boot. If you’re hosting this year’s Easter meal, you can include these dishes alongside the more traditional (and more caloric) ones that many guests will be expecting.

Not sure how to make any diet-friendly Easter dishes? Keep reading for some of our favorites!

Healthy Recipes for Easter

Asparagus with Tarragon Sauce

A tasty alternative to traditional asparagus with hollandaise or béarnaise sauce, this healthy recipe is easy to make as well:  

1. Trim the ends off about two bunches of asparagus and steam until slightly tender in a large saucepan. About 4 minutes.
2. While the asparagus is steaming, whisk together a half cup plain low-fat yogurt, 6 tables spoons of reduced-fat mayo, 4 teaspoons of freshly chopped tarragon, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of water, 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard, and freshly ground salt and pepper to taste.
3. Drizzle the sauce over the freshly steamed asparagus and serve warm or cold.  

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Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

Carb conscious? This garlic mashed cauliflower recipe is an awesome low-carb alternative to standard mashed potatoes:

1. Clean and cut a medium head of cauliflower into small pieces.  Cook in boiling water until tender, about 6 minutes. Pat dry using several layers of paper towel.
2. Return to the pot and, using an immersion blender (a regular blender or food processor will also work according to manufacturer recommendations), puree the cauliflower along with 1 tablespoon softened cream cheese, ¼  cup of parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon minced garlic, 1/8^th teaspoon chicken bouillon or base, and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
3. Garnish with chives and serve with small pats of butter, if desired.

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Sautéed Sage Carrots

Perfect to fit any Easter-themed meal, these savory carrots make an excellent side dish and boast relatively low counts of fat, carbs, and calories:

1. Melt a teaspoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
2. Add 1.5 cups of peeled, diagonally cut carrots and 2 tablespoons of water. Partially cover the pan and cook until the water is evaporated and the carrots are almost tender. Add more water in 1 tablespoon increments if necessary.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste to the pan, increasing heat to medium-high. Cook about 4 more minutes until carrots are browned slightly and tender. Be sure to stir frequently!
4. Sprinkle with fresh sage leaves and serve warm or cold.

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We also carry a wide selection of healthy snacks and other diet foods at our retail location in Wallingford, in addition to counseling with our nutrition coach Kym Garbatini. Give Medical Weight Loss Solutions a call at (203) 269-8000 to learn more.

Carrot image credit: nanao wagatsuma via Flickr/CC BY 2.0

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