It may be whom you know that gets you invited to holiday parties, but it’s what you know about the season’s culinary temptations that can keep you from picking up unwanted pounds along the way. To help you identify which foods and drinks are more naughty than nice, here are a few calorie charts:
APPETIZERS
Marinated olives (10 medium) 60 calories, 5 grams fat
Tortilla chips and salsa (10 chips, 1/4 cup salsa) 150 calories, 7 grams fat
Seven-layer dip with chips (10 chips, 1/4 cup dip) 180 calories, 10 grams fat
Hummus with veggies and pita crisps (1/4 cup hummus, 3 carrot sticks, 1 small toasted pita) 200 calories, 6 grams fat
Fried calamari (3 ounces) 200 calories, 8 grams fat
Fried mozzarella sticks (4 sticks) 300 calories, 21 grams fat
LIQUID CELEBRATIONS
Chocolate martini (6 1/2 ounces) 438 calories
Eggnog, whole milk (4 ounces) 200 calories
Pina colada (6 ounces) 378 calories
Cosmopolitan (4 ounces) 200 calories
Margarita (5 ounces) 170 calories
Eggnog with low-fat milk (4 ounces) 140 calories
Beer (12 ounces) 150-198 calories
Martini (2 1/2 ounces) 160 calories
Port wine (3 ounces) 128 calories
Red wine (5 ounces) 106 calories
White wine (5 ounces) 100 calories
More Top Picks Best Bench Vises
Light beer (12 ounces) 95-136 calories
Champagne (4 ounces) 85 calories
BEST BETS
Crudities with salsa, low-fat dressing
Pretzels, popcorn, baked chips
Handful of nuts, fresh fruits
Shrimp, oysters, smoked salmon
Simply prepared veggies
Whole-wheat breads, rolls
Fruit sorbet, sherbet
Apple cider, mimosa or bloody mary
Chocolate-dipped strawberries
WORST BETS
Chips, dips, anything fried
Handful of candy
Fried veggies, wings, fried seafood
Cream soups or bisques
Processed meats, sausages, fatty meats
Ice cream, whole-milk eggnog
Fruitcake or fudge