High-Fat Hors D’Oeuvres Out Of Style Fend Off Average Holiday Weight Gain; Serve Low-Fat Snacks, Favorites In Small Portions

Let’s talk turkey: The average American gains anywhere from 7 to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Cookies here, drinks and hors d’oeuvres there, two or three traditional holiday meals, and suddenly it’s Jan. 1 and the annual time-to-go-on-a-diet resolutions.

If you’re hosting parties or entertaining this holiday season, you can do your guests and yourself a favor by taking another look at your menus. Heavy spreads on rich canapes, chips and dips with a mayonnaise and/or sour cream base, high-fat pastries and huge portions are out of touch with the way people are eating today, says Robyn Webb, author of “Robyn Webb’s Memorable Menus Made Easy” (American Diabetes Association, 1997).

Even though the trend is toward more healthful eating, holidays should still feel like a celebration. The solution, says Webb, is a mix of lower-fat options and the more traditional, higher-calorie goodies.

“The holidays are no time for a deprivation mentality,” says Webb. “People still want to eat the things they love. But often you can trim down a favorite dish or specialty without sacrificing taste. If you can’t, go ahead and serve them anyway. Just aim for a balance of healthier choices.”

Those choices can include a lot more than boring celery and carrot sticks. Decadent foods such as skewered shrimp with zesty cocktail dipping sauce, smoked salmon and turkey, crispbreads, flatbreads, salsas, bruschettas and crostini all provide menu flair without the fat.

“The idea is not to have identified ‘diet’ and ‘nondiet’ foods,” says Melanie Barnard, who collaborated on the recently released “American Medical Association Family Health Cookbook” (Pocket Books, 1997). “The idea is to serve all sorts of wonderful foods and drink with the same grace.”

Barnard says hosts should keep that concept in mind when setting up the bar as well. Think beyond a few bottles of seltzer for nondrinkers in the crowd. Toasting with champagne? Offer sparkling cider, too. Serving beer? Pick up some nonalcoholic varieties as well.

If you are making an alcoholic punch or eggnog, always offer a nonalcoholic version. Stock up on a variety of interesting mineral and sparkling waters, along with wedges of lemons, limes and oranges. Have decaf as well as caffeinated coffee available.

Supermarkets shelves are stocked with new, great-tasting alternatives to high-fat chips and crackers. Flavored mini rice and popcorn cakes, baked tortilla chips and breadsticks provide crunch without the calories. Pair them with dips made with low-fat sour cream or cream cheese and fresh herbs. Everything from eggnog to brie, pesto to potato chips is now available in reduced-fat form.

Shift the emphasis to fruits and vegetables. Include green salads tossed with low-fat dressings and fresh fruit salads or fruit kebabs on the buffet table, along with heavier dishes and desserts. Instead of filling antipasto platters with high-fat meats and cheese, start with vegetables that have been marinated in a light vinaigrette, then top with diced olives, shredded part skim mozzarella and small pieces of salami.

Most of the time, people are satisfied with just a taste of their favorite high-calorie goodies, so serve those foods in smaller portions. Make miniature versions of cookies and canapes, and cut bar cookies, brownies and cakes into smaller squares.