Hosting a holiday party is a joyful occasion, and curating a menu that pleases all palates while aligning with your Weight Loss Plan can be effortlessly delicious. Let's explore a selection of appetizers, sides, and healthy desserts that will seamlessly complement any main dish, ensuring a celebration that is both festive and supportive of your wellness goals. Of note, we also highlight the allotments for each proposed dish, as we know planning your meal allotments ahead of time only helps you achieve weight loss success.
Holiday Party Appetizers:
Appetizers really set the mood for the dinner, as it'll be first flavours your guest enjoy, so selecting ones that are on theme is very important. Here are some holiday focused appetizers to consider:
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Mini Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs
This Mini Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs recipe screams holiday and it also makes the perfect protein-packed appetizer! So, it'll not only overwhelm your guests with classic festive flavours, but it'll also help hold them over until dinner.
The allotments for one serving of this recipe are 1 Protein, 1 Extra, & ½ Starch, and it makes 4 servings total. -
Caprese Salad Skewers
This Caprese Salad Skewers recipe is a super delicious, light, and easy to make, as it should only take about 10-minutes, so it's a great last minute appetizer. Also, the colour pattern of this dish plays on the classic Christmas colours of red, green, and white, making it perfect for a holiday app.
The allotments for one serving of this recipe are 1 Dairy, ½ Fat, & ¼ Vegetable, and it makes 12 servings total. -
Brie Caramel Apple Skewers
This Brie Caramel Apple Skewers recipe is a creamy and sweet pre-dinner treat to awaken taste buds before dinner. Although not as classically festive as the other appetizer options, this one can be played up by sprinkling dried cranberries over the caramel.
The allotments for one serving of this recipe are 1 Dairy, 1 Free Exchange, & ½ Fruit, and it makes 12 servings total. -
Mini Sweet Potato Latkes
This Mini Sweet Potato Latkes recipe is a crunchy, savoury, and healthy, making it an wonderfully textured dish to open the night. It's also very traditional adding some thoughtfulness to your dinner. And, it's an easy handheld app, adding some fun to the evening.
The allotments for one serving of this recipe are 1 Fat, 1 Extra, ½ Starch, & ¼ Vegetable, and it makes 8 servings total.
Holiday Party Sides:
Sides are apart of the dinner menu to support the main and enhance the theme of the night. With that in mind, here are a few sides that should support any main including, turkey, ham, fish, or lamb, that have holiday twist:
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Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Beets
This Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Beets recipe makes a great side dish. The sweetness of the maple syrup makes the natural flavours of the potatoes and beets pop. The little touch of cinnamon also adds a holiday flair to this dish. Finally, the dash of cayenne pepper adds some warmth, helping fight the cool temps of the season.
The allotments for one serving of this recipe are 1 Vegetable, 1 Extra, 1 Starch, & ½ Fat, and it serves 6 total. -
Sweet & Crunchy Holiday Rice
This Sweet & Crunchy Holiday Rice recipe adds some healthy fibre to your Holiday Dinner, with the wild rice, pecans, and apples. Fibre is one of the best weight loss foods, so this side will really help you stay on track with your weight loss goals. This is also isn't overpowering with flavour so should compliment any main dish really, really well!
The allotments for one serving of this recipe are 2 Fat, 1½ Fruit, 1 Extra, ¾ Starch, & ¼ Vegetable, and it makes 8 servings total. -
Garlic Cauliflower Mashed
This Garlic Cauliflower Mashed recipe is a great alternative to the classic Garlic Mashed Potatoes, as it has fewer carbs but the same delicious and creamy texture. Also, depending on how you feel about "lump," as we know Friends can have their preferred textures, there are a few ways to make this dish to ensure you please your friends.
The allotments for one serving of this recipe are 1 Vegetable, 1 Extra, ¾ Dairy, & ½ Fat, and it serves 6 total. -
Citrusy Holiday Salad
This Citrusy Holiday Salad recipe adds some vitamin C and healthy crunch to any Holiday Dinner, plus it can serve as a decorative piece for the table. However, if you're not a fan of fruit in your salad, as we know not everyone loves that, you can easily remove the mandarin oranges and still have a festive side to accompany your dinner.
The allotments for one serving of this recipe are 2 Extra, 2 Fat, 1½ Fruit, ¾ Vegetable, & ¼ Dairy, and it serves 6 total.
Holiday Party Desserts:
Desserts at holiday parties are more than treats; they're sweet moments of joy and togetherness. Each bite is a shared celebration, a delightful indulgence that adds warmth to the festivities. With that said, here are a few sugary delights to share with your guests to wrap up your party edibles:
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Peppermint Bark
This Peppermint Bark recipe is a great after dinner treat or as a snack to nibble on throughout the party, as it bursts with classic holiday candy cane flavour, but has the creaminess of chocolate. This recipe also makes a great "goodie-bag" so you can send your guests home with something sweet to savour the night for days to come.
The allotment for one serving of this recipe is 1 Free Exchange, and it makes 12 servings. -
Cranberry Apple Crumble
This Cranberry Apple Crumble recipe makes a tasty and healthy dessert due to the bursts of fresh fruits, crunch of backed oats, and sugary touches of maple syrup. It also makes a leftover as a delicious breakfast treat if your party guests end up staying the night!
The allotment for one serving of this recipe is 1 Free Exchange, and it serves 8. -
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
This Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is the perfect treat to feed your sweet tooth and is usually a crowd pleasure because everyone loves a gooey-chocolate cookie. This also makes a great dessert for a Christmas Eve Party, as this recipe is sure to impress Santa, when you leave a few out for him with a glass of milk!
The allotment for one serving of this recipe is 1 Free Exchange, and it makes 24 cookies. -
Homemade Hot Chocolate
This Homemade Hot Chocolate recipe will warm the tummies and souls of your guests, making it a great "night cap." Not all desserts need to be food! This recipe can also be enhanced with a little liquor, if you're having a festive adult party. So give this one a try if you're looking to top your night off with something different.
The allotment for one serving of this recipe is 1 Free Exchange, and it serves 4.
We hope you find these delectable menu ideas helpful! They should all harmonize well with whatever main dish you serve at your holiday dinner party. It's also important to note that all these recipes are allowed on and align with the principles of our Weight Loss Plans.
We just want to remind you that balance and moderation are key to a successful weight loss journey over the holidays. For some more tips to help you successfully navigate holiday party, check out our recent Wellness Article: "Navigating The Festive Feast: Healthy Eating Tips For A Wholesome Holiday Season." With that said, here's to a holiday season filled with joy, good company, and delicious, nourishing food!
