Yes, you can still make your favorite dishes for the holidays, but with a few tweaks to make them healthier. And if you just can’t forego the traditional prep on some of your favorite dishes, simply make your servings smaller. After all, who wants to be in a food coma for the rest of the night?

Can’t Decide Between Turkey and Ham? Opt for the Poultry

While spiral ham is comparable to turkey breast when it comes to calories and fat, the former is loaded with nitrates and nitrites, neither of which are good for you. (Although, to be fair, if you choose dark-meat turkey or indulge in the skin, you could be taking in more calories and fat than if you ate the ham.) Plus, ham has a hefty amount of sodium: about 1,000 milligrams in just 4 ounces, say the experts at Consumer Reports.¹⁷

What’s more, according to Harvard Health, eating both unprocessed and processed red meat raises the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes — even if they’re consumed in small amounts. On the other hand, choosing healthier sources of protein, including poultry, lowers the risk.¹⁸

While you’re roasting your turkey, consider throwing healthy amounts of low-GI vegetables in with your bird. If you’ve got diabetes, the Cleveland Clinic recommends non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale as some of the best choices.¹⁹

Swap Out Mashed Cauliflower for Mashed Potatoes

While potatoes are high on the glycemic index, cauliflower’s low — making it a great choice for people with diabetes. And it’s low-calorie, to boot!

So instead of whipping up a mountain of traditional mashed potatoes, consider steaming some cauliflower and mashing it instead. You’ll get the same delicious, creamy texture but without the high GI load. To make your dish even healthier, flavor it with a touch of salt and pepper, garlic and olive oil rather than butter and whole milk. It’s deceptively delicious!

Try Sautéed Green Beans in Place of Green Bean Casserole

Sure, green bean casserole technically boasts some veggies, but the items you add to those veggies tend to sink the health factor. Instead of the high-fat, high-calorie dish of your past, try sautéing some snappy green beans in a bit of olive oil and garlic, then topping with a smattering of heart-healthy sliced almonds.²⁰

… Or Skip the Beans and Opt for Sautéed Spinach Instead

While nearly all vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet, green leafies may be particularly beneficial, especially when it comes to heading off Type 2 diabetes. Several studies have demonstrated their role in helping prevent the disease, including one that found that people who ate 1.35 servings per day reduced their risk of diabetes by 14 percent, compared with people who ate just 0.2 serving per day.²¹

Swap Out Roasted Sweet Potatoes for Candied Yams

Yes, candied yams are delicious, but do you really want to think about how many calories, sugars and fats are in that dish? (Take it from us: It’s a lot.) Instead of subjecting yourself to the fat and sugar bombs of this overly sweetened dish, try yams (or their cousins, the lighter-skinned sweet potatoes) in their more natural, and much healthier, state: roasted. It’s simple: wash and scrub, peel, slice and dice, then toss with a bit of olive oil, nutmeg and cinnamon. Roast in a 400° oven for about 45 minutes and voila: You’ve got a delicious, healthy side dish.

Make Your Stuffing Healthier

Instead of using white bread in your stuffing, try whole wheat bread or sourdough, which has a lower sugar content and may be lower on the glycemic index scale.²² (Research is conflicting.) Use plenty of sautéed onion and celery to help replace some of the bread; add in dried cranberries and wild rice, cooked al dente, for extra crunch, flavor and nutrients.

Celebrating Hanukkah?

For a healthier take on traditional latkes, try shredding some zucchini and carrot and substituting them for potatoes. Add a bit of curry or other spices to pump up the flavor, and use olive oil for frying if possible.

Don’t Forget Dessert!

If you have the heart to replace your pumpkin pie with something healthier, how about a selection of fruit with a dollop of whipped cream and some nutmeg or cinnamon sprinkled on top? But if you just can’t do without your pie, try a few tweaks to make it healthier: Use almond flour or whole wheat flour when making the crust; forego the ice cream on top; and serve yourself a small slice.

Even though the current climate may make celebrations a bit challenging, we truly hope this holiday season is as wonderful and heart-warming for you as those of the past, and that you’re able to gather and dine — safely and healthfully — with those dearest to you. Happy holidays!