It never fails, as soon as you start a new diet, you are invited to a birthday party, an office party, a wedding, etc. So, what can you do so you will not be completely derailed once you get to the party? What to eat at a party when you are trying to lose weight?
If you have other dietary restrictions or food allergies, these tips can help you, too! The next time you’re faced with a holiday party, work event, or family dinner, keep these tips in mind to stay on track.
Before going to the party eat a snack or a small meal. This will help in case food is served really late and to make sure you don’t overeat regardless of when you start eating. If you are hungry you will more likely give into temptation a lot easier than if you are full.
Start by choosing a small plate, smaller plate will make it seem like you have a lot of food, Larger plates will require a lot more food to look fuller.
As for alcoholic drinks try to stick to one for women and two for men. Make sure you sip and make the drink last all night, even better try non-alcoholic drinks and stay away from signature drinks as they usually contain a lot of sugar and alcohol. Avoid drinks that conat9in soda or fruit juices, instead opt for club soda or sparkling water.
Don’t forgo all sweets, if you allow yourself one sweet treat you will be less likely to overeat or overindulge. Just make sure to keep it to a small one.
Appetizers & Snacks
Appetizers can be anything from salad to cream-filled cheese dips. Instead of chips and dip, try crudité (fresh raw vegetables) with hummus or guacamole. If you’re dying to sample a dip, swap the chips for crunchy vegetables like celery or bell peppers. You’ll still get the full effect but won’t add the calories and carbs.
If you are bringing food, make the food you can eat during your diet. By bringing what you can eat you will not feel pressure into trying foods that might push you off your diet.
Salads are a great starter option, though you’ll want to avoid pre-dressed options. Look for simpler spinach, romaine, or kale salads with DIY dressing options. If you’re making a salad to share, start with a spinach or kale base and add pomegranate seeds, pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds), and a crumbled feta or goat cheese for a festive effect.
Sweets
A table full of sweets, what to do? Reach for the fruit platter first, if the gathering is a potluck make sure you thoughtfully brought it. If your sweet tooth requires more, think about portion control, then select the one dessert you truly can’t live without and give yourself a fruit cup-sized portion. The key is to walk away from the desserts after you serve yourself. If you want to make and bring something sweet, you could try your hand at homemade whipped cream (lightly sweetened) and avocado-based chocolate pudding.
The Main Meal
Potluck dishes tend to rely on simplicity of transport, which results in lots of casseroles and other heavy recipes. The more you need to assemble the dish yourself, the more likely it is to be a good option.
Whether you’re cooking to share or choosing from the buffet line, look for customizable choices like tacos or fajitas or hamburgers and simply skip the tortilla or bun. Soups, chilis, and stews can also be great potluck options, but watch out for bisques and noodle-based soups full of heavy cream or flour.
Slow cookers are great for making easy-to-transport meals to share—especially since you can keep the dish hot during the event. The easiest way to ensure you have waistline and tummy-friendly options is to make and bring something yourself. Unless it’s a catered event, most hosts will be happy to see you bring a dish to share. Think about the types of foods you find most tempting, then look for ways to make a healthier version and you’ll be popular with everyone at the event.
With a little preparation and planning you can stay on track with your diet or healthy eating. Chose lower calorie, lower carb and lower fat options.