The MyPlate Team continues to share “Makeover Monday” recipes each week on the USDA blog and the MyPlate Facebook page through January 6th.
Looking back, my fondest childhood memories took place during the holidays. I remember the smell of food cooking from the oven, the sound of the football game on TV, and my grandmother’s attempts to shoo us from the kitchen. Today, I’m a part of a new generation - one that’s plagued with obesity and overwhelming chronic disease. So while our traditional family recipes hold a special place in our hearts, eating healthy should also be factored into the equation.
As a nutritionist, I feel that reinventing family recipes is a great way to get your family eating healthier and a perfect opportunity to introduce new foods. One holiday recipe I’ve always enjoyed is my grandmother’s slow cooker stuffing. Born and raised in Kentucky, my grandmother’s southern-style recipes taste delicious, but are usually high in calories, saturated fat and sodium. Her original stuffing recipe contained 8 g saturated fat and 669 mg sodium per portion.
To makeover my grandmother’s recipe, I replaced the white bread with 100% whole wheat bread and used light butter. I also added red dried cranberries and chopped green apples to make it colorful! Using the new SuperTracker feature, My Recipe, I found that I lowered the saturated fat and sodium by more than half!
And how did my family feel about Melissa’s Slow Cooker Stuffing? They loved it and I hope yours will too!
For more tips on planning your holiday meal, check out the video “Holiday Meal Planning Helpful Hints From USDA.”
