Dr Nick Fuller's healthy eating tips for the Christmas holidays

For parents it can often feel like raising children is a tug of war. You want to enjoy your time with them, as conflict-free as possible, yet you know that you cannot succumb to their every demand. This is the balancing act.

There are many wonderful things that a parent can do for a child. They can buy them the latest iPhone, they can take them on a holiday to the beach, they can provide financial support for their university degree, and they can even put down the deposit for their first house. These are all kind and generous offerings, but the sum of all of them combined does not equate to the gift of true health. They will learn the foundations of health almost entirely through what they observe in you.

At its best moments being a parent is the greatest joy of all. It is the gift that the universe has given to you. The way for you to return this gift is to be the example that steers them to a lifetime of positive health.

This festive period, instead of succumbing to weeks of calorie-rich celebratory food, plentiful drinks and maximum downtime, implement healthy habits for the whole family, as found in the clinically proven blueprint – Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids. This is not about deprivation, but instead setting boundaries around food, exercise and sleep health, to ensure you raise children that don’t have a lifelong struggle with health and weight.

Check out these five tips to get the family eating healthily over the Christmas period.

1. Have fun with food hacks 

If you're cooking Christmas lunch, get creative by swapping in healthier ingredients and options. I promise your traditional fare will taste just as good, if not better.

• Roast your veggies using healthier cooking oils like olive and avocado, and use flavourful herbs instead of salt.
• Swap salted ham for leaner meats like fresh seafood that are better suited to a hot Aussie Christmas Day and taste even better when grilled on the barbie.
• Ditch the traditional heavy cakes and puddings for healthier options incorporating ginger and spices to still enjoy the flavours you love. 
• Give store-bought sauces and dressings a miss, making your own from scratch using fresh ingredients.

2. Skip the low-carb alcoholic drinks and enjoy your favourites (in moderation, of course)

Despite the marketing promises, low-carb alcoholic drinks are not better for our waistlines and won’t help you avoid Christmas weight gain. Many low-carb options have a similar amount of carbohydrates as regular options but lull us into thinking they're better, so we drink more.

Instead, enjoy the drinks you enjoy in moderation, stick to one to two standard drinks daily, and sip lots of water in between drinks to stay hydrated. You can also try mixing things up with these healthy Mocktails.

3. Ask Santa for a healthy gift

Adding a health-related gift to your Christmas wish list – some exercise gear or a healthy cookbook – is another easy, non-food way to avoid weight gain and to role model healthy habits for the whole family.

4. Fill up before you head out 

If your festive season is filled with parties, enjoy pre-event snacks – like these tasty stuffed mushrooms – before you head out. That way, you and your kids are less likely to fill up on finger food that’s high in fat, salt and sugar and low in nutritional value.

You'll also be less likely to stop for an unhealthy fast-food option on your way home.

5. Don't skip breakfast on Christmas Day

It's tempting to skip breakfast on Christmas morning to 'save' the calories for later. But this plan will fail when you arrive at lunch hungry! 

Fuelling the whole family with a healthy and delicious breakfast – like these pancakes – will kickstart your metabolism and make everyone feel fuller to reduce the risk of overeating.