When we think about Easter, chocolate bunnies and gooey, sugary Peeps come to mind. Easter is a dream come true for anyone with a sweet tooth and a nightmare for people trying to watch their waistline! But you can enjoy this festive celebration without abandoning your HEALTH. All it takes is a little planning.
Give your Easter basket a makeover: While most kids expect an Easter basket filled with chocolate bunnies and chicks, consider a themed basked instead loaded with non-food items. For the budding gardener in your family, assemble a basket with gardening gloves and tools, a variety of seeds, a cool sun visor, and a mini-sized watering can. For the sporty kids in your family, create a basket with athletic equipment and even tickets to a local sporting event. For the husbands think golf lessons & clothing. The sky is the limit!
Start with the real breakfast of champions: You may not be able to control what’s served at the brunch table, but you certainly can control what you eat when you wake up. Make a giant green smoothie, to load up on nutrients and filling fiber (see NuStart recipes for ideas).
Drink plenty of water: Place thin cucumber and lemon slices in your water glass for a liver-detoxing & digestion-aiding beverage.
Don’t sit down to dinner on an empty stomach You’ll be more likely to overeat. Try snacking on those colorful hard-boiled eggs — one large egg has around 76 calories. It’s a filling, nutritious choice, and a great protein source.
Remember your serving sizes: Serve half of the plate with veggies, a quarter with grains, and a quarter with protein.
Go heavy on the veggies: Springtime is the perfect time to add more fresh, local produce to your meals, especially your Easter brunch or dinner. Think spinach salad, fresh green beans, & coleslaw! The fiber will fill you up, so you are less inclined to overindulge in the bad stuff.
Bake a healthier dessert: Eat like the Easter bunny with sweet carrots or fresh strawberries. Ensure you eat something with less sugar made with wholesome ingredients you can pronounce (see NuStart’s recipe for ideas).
Be active: Go for a walk before church or coordinate a street-wide Easter egg hunt or parade.
Shift your holiday focus: Remind yourself that holidays are not about a whole season, a whole weekend or even a whole day. They’re a time to be shared with loved ones. They’re not about dinner, candy, & peeps!
How will you improve your Easter holiday this year?