This list will give you an idea of how many calories and grams of fat are in popular holiday dishes, demonstrating why the average person gains weight over the holiday season! But it doesn't have to be that way. Here is an assortment of recipes for a lighter holiday menu.
Click on the highlighted items to get a healthy menu makeover!
APPETIZERS/DIPS/SNACKS
| Food Item | Serving Size | Calories | Fat Grams |
| Olives (green) | 1/2 cup | 77 | 8g |
| Cheeseball (w/ nuts) | 2 Tbsp | 246 | 20g |
| Mixed Nuts | 1/2 cup | 407 | 35g |
| Crackers | 10 | 177 | 7g |
| Potato Chips (regular) | 1 oz. (10 chips) | 150 | 10g |
| Potato Chips (fat-free) | 1 oz. (10 chips) | 75 | 0g |
| Tortilla Chips (regular) | 10 chips | 140 | 7g |
| Tortilla Chips (fat-free) | 10 chips | 90 | 1g |
| Onion Dip | 2 Tbsp. | 60 | 5g |
| Ranch Dip | 2 Tbsp. | 70 | 6g |
| Popcorn (microwave, w/oil) | 2 cups | 140 | 8g |
SOUPS
| Food Item | Serving Size | Calories | Fat Grams |
| Oyster Stew | 1 cup | 212 | 13g |
| Mushroom Soup (w/beef broth) | 1 cup | 85 | 4g |
MAIN DISHES
| Food Item | Serving Size | Calories | Fat Grams |
| Roasted Turkey (no skin) | 4 slices (4 oz.) | 190 | 6g |
| Baked Ham (fresh, cooked) | 3 slices (4 oz.) | 345 | 21g |
| Beef Brisket (cooked, lean) | 3 slices (4 oz.) | 291 | 15g |
| Beef Pot Roast | 3 slices (4 oz.) | 387 | 27g |
| Rib Roast | 3 slices (4 oz.) | 336 | 21g |
| Steak (broiled, lean) | 1 medium (5.5 oz.) | 310 | 13g |
SIDE DISHES
| Food Item | Serving Size | Calories | Fat Grams |
| Cornbread | 1 square | 152 | 5g |
| Biscuit | 1 2" roll | 106 | 5g |
| Crescent Roll | 1 | 100 | 6g |
| Cornbread Stuffing | 1 cup | 363 | 18g |
| Bread Stuffing | 1 cup | 355 | 17g |
| Giblet Gravy (w/milk and flour) | 1/2 cup | 178 | 13g |
| Pearl Onions (w/cream) | 1 cup | 316 | 18g |
| Sweet Potato Casserole | 1 cup | 276 | 6g |
| Mashed Potatoes | 1 cup | 238 | 8g |
| Green Bean Casserole | 1 cup | 143 | 8g |
| Squash Casserole | 1 cup | 158 | 5g |
| Vegetables (raw) | 1 cup | 20 | 0g |
| Collard Greens (cooked) | 1 cup | 35 | 0g |
| Black Eyed Peas | 1 cup | 196 | 1g |
| Red Cabbage (cooked) | 1 cup | 32 | 0g |
| Carrots (glazed) | 1 cup | 217 | 12g |
| Cranberry Sauce | 1/2 cup | 209 | 0g |
| Turnip Greens | 1 cup | 29 | 0g |
| Waldorf Salad | 1 cup | 192 | 13g |
| Carrot-Raisin Salad | 1 cup | 419 | 30g |
| Cranberry/Walnut Salad | 1 cup | 348 | 12g |
| Potato Salad | 1 cup | 277 | 15g |
BEVERAGES
| Food Item | Serving Size | Calories | Fat Grams |
| Eggnog (w/whole milk and alcohol) | 1 cup | 439 | 19g |
| Eggnog (w/o alcohol) | 1 cup | 342 | 19g |
| Wine (dry, red or white) | 7 oz. | 142 | 0g |
| Wine (lite) | 7 oz. | 102 | 0g |
| Wine Spritzer | 7 oz. | 91 | 0g |
| Beer | 12 oz. | 148 | 0g |
| Beer (lite) | 12 oz. | 101 | 0g |
| Cranberry Juice Cocktail | 1 cup | 140 | 0g |
| Apple Juice/Cider | 1 cup | 117 | 0g |
| Tea (Sweet) | 1 cup | 37 | 0g |
DESSERTS
| Food Item | Serving Size | Calories | Fat Grams |
| Cheesecake | 1/12 of 9" cake | 412 | 25g |
| Apple Crisp | 1 cup | 402 | 9g |
| Pumpkin Pie (w/o whipped cream) | 1/8 of 9" pie | 323 | 15g |
| Apple Pie | 1/8 of 9" pie | 356 | 17g |
| Pecan Pie | 1/8 of 9" pie | 456 | 21g |
| Mince Pie | 1/8 of 9" pie | 434 | 16g |
| Sweet Potato Pie | 1/8 of 9" pie | 295 | 14g |
| Coconut Cream Pie | 1/8 of 9" pie | 429 | 24g |
| Ice Cream (regular, vanilla) | 1 cup | 267 | 15g |
| Bread Pudding | 1 cup | 311 | 10g |
| Rice Pudding | 1 cup | 303 | 4g |
EXTRAS
| Food Item | Serving Size | Calories | Fat Grams |
| Butter | 1 Tbsp. | 102 | 11g |
| Whipped Cream | 2 Tbsp | 103 | 11g |
| Whipped Topping (nondairy, frozen) | 1 cup | 239 | 19g |
| Whipped Topping (nondairy, pressurized can) | 1 cup | 184 | 16g |
AND DON'T FORGET, CALORIES STILL COUNT!
- Use sugar-free gelatin instead of regular gelatin in your favorite salad (8 versus 70 calories per 1/2 cup serving)
- Use fat-free soup in your favorite casserole (fat free mushroom soup has 70 calories per 1/2 cup serving vs. 120 for the regular)
- Use chicken bouillon to simmer the celery and onions for your turkey stuffing -- instead of sautéing them in butter. (one bouillon cube has 5 calories, a tablespoon of butter has 102 calories)
- Try low-calorie cranberry juice cocktail (40 calories per 8 oz. serving) in place of the regular (140 calories).
- Light sour cream (35 calories per 2 tablespoon serving) has about half the calories of regular sour cream (60 calories per serving). Fat-free sour cream has 25 calories per serving.
- Fruit pie filling has 90 calories per 1/3 cup serving; the light version has 60 and the new no-sugar-added version only has 35.
Cut the Fat in Half - Holiday Menu
