United Supermarkets’ Dietician Shares Her Secrets for Making the Most of the Season

This is the jolliest time of the year, when we often reach for cookies or fudge or dress up for a holiday party full of delectable treats.

United Supermarkets' corporate dietician Brenda Garcia encourages an 80/20 approach: You should eat nutritionally 80 percent of the time so you can indulge 20 percent of the time. But never fear, she has some advice to make that a little easier when temptation is lurking at every corner:

1) Embrace full-flavored fruit. Berries, pomegranates, apples, and oranges are all great sources of Vitamin C, which will help strengthen your immune system during the cold and flu season. For a little sweet treat, slip a dark chocolate chip inside a raspberry. Click here for more information on supporting your immune system through food.

2) Plan ahead to eat healthily. United Supermarkets offers convenient Dietician Top Pick ready meals — in fact, throughout the store, you'll find many Dietician Top Picks identifying products that not only taste great but also nutritious. As you're shopping, compare your choices to some of the dieticians' selections and you might find some easy substitutions. When it comes to the day of the big event, eat a healthy meal before the party so you're less likely to overindulge on unhealthy party food.

3) Check out the Happy + Nourished blog for recipes and nutrition tips. Might as well mix up your meal planning with a few new healthy recipes, right? Here are some of our favorites:

• Pear burrata salad
• Wine Wednesday with more nutrition
• Lower carb "cornbread"
• Lemon chicken with farro and brussels sprouts
• Plant-based pumpkin chili

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