Entertain the Healthy Way

We all enjoy getting together with friends and family for parties, tailgates, and potlucks! These gatherings sometimes offer few healthy choices and may tempt you to overeat. Set yourself up to make healthy choices with these tips:

• Plan for colorful plates. Create a sign-up sheet for your party with categories for dishes from each food group so you have a variety of healthy options. Think about the edible rainbow. Red might be strawberries, tomatoes, or watermelons. Yellow could be bananas or squash. Purple options include figs, eggplants, and grapes.
• Sip up some flavor. Boost flavor in water or unsweetened ice tea with mint leaves, lemons, or frozen fruit. Skip sugary drinks like soda, punch, and lemonade.
• Keep foods safe. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold until serving time. Don’t leave food out at room temperature for longer than two hours. After two hours, illness-causing bacteria may start growing.
• Prioritize your plate. Take a quick lap around the food table to see what foods are available before filling your plate. Save calories with smaller helpings.
• Include fruits and veggies. Fill half your plate with vegetables such as beans, broccoli, or mixed greens and fruits like berries or grapes.

Looking for healthy recipe ideas? Check out this yummy Tailgate Caviar recipe from Kentucky Cooperative Extension:

Tailgate Caviar Recipe

Original material sourced from Choose MyPlate. Adapted to print in the October/November 2018 of Healthy Choices for Healthy Families. Edited by Lauren Fernandez, Oldham County Extension Staff Assistant.