Tips for healthy Easter eating

Jessica George, Registered Dietitian
CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center

Chocolate bunnies, candied eggs and jelly beans might be popular with the kids on Easter morning. But when it’s time for Easter brunch, lunch or dinner — there’s one food that is usually the centerpiece at this holiday meal: Ham.

Unfortunately, ham — like other processed meats — contains high amounts of cholesterol, fat and sodium. That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy your Easter ham this holiday. In fact, some honey or brown sugar hams are actually lower in sodium compared to other hams. But you should pay attention to portion sizes. And if you or your holiday guests are trying to eat heart-healthy, you can explore other alternatives — like pork tenderloin or salmon.

Explore the healthy Easter recipes below for some options to serve. All the following have been taken from our healthy recipes at CentraCare.com. And each of these recipes — like all of those we feature online — have been reviewed by a registered dietitian and strive to be within the Heart Healthy Guidelines. That means they are low in saturated fat, no trans fat, no partially hydrogenated fats and low in sodium.

Appetizers:

• Hummus Deviled Eggs
• Guacamole Dip

Salad & Vegetables:

• Apricot Sweet Potatoes
• Crunchy Apple Salad

Entrees:

• Pork Tenderloin in a Crock-Pot
• Salmon with Vegetables

Desserts:

• Frozen Lemon Phyllo Clouds
• Orange Angel Food Cake Dessert