Hungry Girl's Holiday Shockers and Swaps

Posted Tue, Dec 18, 2007, 5:00 am PST

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We're not waiting 'til New Year's for a countdown! Here are HG's most shocking holiday foods...

5. Sugar Cookies (1 medium, avg. = 200 calories & 10g fat!)

These buttery baked sweets are everywhere this time of year. You'd think they wouldn't be so bad, since they don't have chocolate chips or gobs of peanut butter in 'em. But take a peek at those stats.... Talk about sugar shock!

HG Swap Out! - Chances are if you show up to a holiday party with a platter of these fatty cookies, there will already be a bunch of identical trays in circulation. Why not bring along some cute fortune cookies instead? It's totally original, tasty, and each of those Chinese cookies has only around 25 fat-free calories! Check out myluckyfortune.com for cookies with holiday greetings inside! And keep a few at home for those Christmas-time cookie cravings...

4. Stuffing (1 cup, avg. = 356 calories & 17g fat!)

Hunks of bread soaked in broth, butter, and eggy goo equals one insanely high-calorie, fatty food. And it's only one teeny part of a holiday meal, hungry people!

HG Swap Out! - Treat your guests to a lightened-up version of this seasonal staple by using toasted light bread, fat-free broth, light buttery spread, and fat-free egg substitute in place of those other ingredients. Then add tons of delicious veggies and spices. Click here for HG's recipe -- each 1-cup serving has just 88 calories and a gram and a half of fat! So feel free to stuff your face without guilt.

3. Eggnog (1 cup, avg. = 400 calories & 20g fat!)

This spiced sip may be a tradition, but it's traditionally loaded with crazy amounts of calories and fat. And these stats are sans added alcohol! Eeeks!

HG Swap Out! - Indulge in some eggnog-flavored light ice cream like Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned Light Ice Cream -- a half-cup serving has only 110 calories and 3g fat (and it's ICE CREAM!). For a liquid nog fix, pick up some of Vitasoy's Holly Nog -- each cup has just 120 calories and 2 grams of fat. And we saved the best nog swap for last -- it's HG's own No-Nonsense Nog (just 88 calories and 2 grams of fat per cup!).

2. Apple Pie (1 slice, avg. = 490 calories & 25g fat!)

Sneaky little fruit pie! Who knew that you're actually one of the most fat-packed holiday desserts?! For shame...

HG Swap Out! - Ready for the best thing to happen to apple pie since, well, apples?! Amy's Kitchen, one of our absolute fave food companies, has rolled out the most adorable apple pies EVER. Each small pie has 2 servings -- so you can actually eat a half a pie for just 230 calories and 8g fat (way better than a slice of the regular stuff!). We're all about buying several of these and setting 'em out at holiday parties (as well as keeping a few in the freezer for ourselves!).

1. Dairy Queen Yule Flip Peppermint Chip Blizzard (1 medium = 810 calories & 23g fat!)

Oh, we're flipping all right, DQ! Your crazy peppermint shake has an insane amount of calories and fat...and that's just for the medium! The large one has well over 1,000 calories and 35 grams of fat!

HG Swap Out! - In honor of this year's top-ranking shocker, we whipped up an exclusive new recipe, just for you, Yahoo!ers...

HG's Minty Wonderland Shake
PER SERVING (entire shake): 195 calories, 3g fat, 125mg sodium, 36g carbs, 2g fiber, 28g sugars, 6g protein

Ingredients:
5 oz. light vanilla soymilk
1/4 cup Breyers Double Churn Free fat-free ice cream, Creamy Vanilla
2 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Splenda)
1 standard-sized peppermint candy cane, crushed
1/2 tbsp. semisweet chocolate chips, crushed
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup crushed iced (or 5 - 8 ice cubes)
Optional: Fat Free Reddi-wip

Directions:
Mix sweetener and peppermint extract into the soymilk. Then place the soymilk and all other ingredients in a blender and mix on high until just blended. If you like, top it all off with some Fat Free Reddi-wip. Happy holidays from Hungry Girl!

For more shockers and swaps, plus tips, tricks and more, visit hungry-girl.com and sign up for free daily emails!

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229 Comments

1. Posted by Angela R on Tue, Dec 18, 2007, 12:13 pm PST

HG's made over peppermint shake can have it;s sugar count FURTHER reduced bu do the following: 1. swap out a Splenda sweetened no sugar added candy cane 2. Use the new hershey's Sugar Free Chocolate chunks 3. Ues Sugar free Cool Whip, rther than using the reduced fat Reddi Whip
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2. Posted by egon_ct on Thu, Dec 20, 2007, 12:17 pm PST

Stay away from foods and beverages loaded with artificial sweeteners, including and most especially Splenda and Aspartame. Those are much worse for you than a small amount of sugar (do your research). Items full of artificial sweeteners are being presented in this column as the greatest thing since sliced bread so often that I am wondering if the column or columnist is getting kick backs from the artificial sweetener manufacturers.
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3. Posted by Angela R on Fri, Dec 21, 2007, 11:38 am PST

Next time, egon, please try to press the response button once...you're getting dup;icates here.
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4. Posted by Bylli Crayone on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:50 am PST

YUM
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5. Posted by Rebecca S. on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:51 am PST

Give me a break. It's not as though you eat this way all year long, so ENJOY. Everything in moderation....
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6. Posted by caitlyn on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:53 am PST

WOW Angela wheres your chistmas spirit
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7. Posted by First L on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:55 am PST

Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy your Christmas dinner. It comes but once a year.
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8. Posted by gwen f on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:55 am PST

I agree with limiting artificial sweetners, and while we're at it, might as well try and get away from the transfats, high fructose corn syrup, and modified ingredients in most these treats.
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9. Posted by Anna S on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:55 am PST

Before you go swapping out splenda for sugar, you might want to look into what splenda really is. Yes, it's made of real sugar but do you know what has been done to it? How about just eat a little bit and excercise? Instead of ingesting great gobs of sugarless this and artificial that, just have a small amount, and hit the gym. Eat Drink and be happy, just in moderation. Our bodies aren't supposed to have all of that articifial stuff in our foods. It's a nice idea but in the long run, what happens to our insides after ingesting ang processing all those chemicals? Have a nice small slice of whatever you want. And have a healthier Life!
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10. Posted by webstersmokey on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:56 am PST

thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my party loved them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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11. Posted by t.alcalde on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:57 am PST

TERRI
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12. Posted by xopaigee on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:57 am PST

i totally agree with egon. artificial sweeteners are not safe no matter what the FDA (talk about lobbyist's pressures and testing done by the manufactureres themselves) may say.
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13. Posted by Joe on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:57 am PST

egon was busy researching sugar and obviously didn't research posting comments.
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14. Posted by Cute_Dancer on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:58 am PST

aside from the artificial sweeteners, these are really good ideas! and they are easy ways to eat healthier during the holidays. and having splenda isn't so bad, it's the aspertame that will kill you.:)
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15. Posted by shebewiggin on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:59 am PST

Christmas is the time for YUMMY Treats, it is part of the Holiday Season, enjoy. You have a whole new year to worry about it!
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16. Posted by Debbi on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 6:59 am PST

as a diabetic some of us have to have the sweetners and yes im careful of what i have and so on but everything i have from drinks to treats have sweenters in them some of us just can escape them
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17. Posted by Eric & Natalie S on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:00 am PST

I agree to stay away from the artificial sweeteners if you can! The trick is that using them doesn't mean you can eat as much as you want guilt free! I think the trick is to control what you eat. If you want to try everything, don't take a whole serving! Another idea is to save all of you bad-eating for one or two days total. Your body will disregard one day of bad eating... it's the perpetual holiday snacking throughout December that puts on pounds!
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18. Posted by witty_serendipitous_olive on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:01 am PST

I agree about the overuse of artificial sweeteners! Once you take out the fat and sodium in foods, they are normally replaced with other chemicals and preservatives. Although splenda and aspartame have been approved by the FDA, who knows what the long-term health consequences might be down the road. I think that the key is moderation and portion control!
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19. Posted by photoanna1 on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:01 am PST

I have a feeling that I willgain few pounds!! lol
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20. Posted by photoanna1 on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:01 am PST

I have a feeling that I willgain few pounds!! lol
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21. Posted by mfsn2003jxn on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:01 am PST

Nice job, Rebecca!!! It is not the foods fault. Enjoy the holidays!!
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22. Posted by zairea_zi on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:02 am PST

hey i just want 2 kno i love yall ice cream =)))
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23. Posted by freidlichten on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:02 am PST

the sugar substitutes in the last recipe are real cause for concern. if you're worried about your weight like the rest of us, eat a smaller portion, or (gasp), don't eat it at all.
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24. Posted by Anna S on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:03 am PST

Think of all those ladies on the Titanic who passed up dessert in an effort to stay trim. Do you think they floated any better than anyone else? and they went thru all that without having had any cake. I think all of the artificial stuff makes you grouchy... Merry Christmas
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25. Posted by witty_serendipitous_olive on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:03 am PST

On a more positive note, I love the suggestion for Amy's apple pie. Amy's products are great. I also like the idea for a "healthier stuffing."
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26. Posted by n_lustig on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:06 am PST

I'm diabetic. I don't have the option of just saying what the heck. So I think it was great to see an alternative low sugar version. Thanks!
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27. Posted by Fantasia~In~Pink on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:06 am PST

I am sorry, but I disagree with you. This holiday is only ONE TIME A YEAR. I say, be good for the other 363 days (Thanksgiving is another one) and have fun on this day! Enjoy those "bad" comfort foods we know and grew up with. Traditions are not something that will sabotage you completely if you do this one time (or two for thanksgiving) a year. Joy and stress free are not always going hand in hand this time of year... why not allow yourself some familar comforts for that one day? One day out of a whole year is not something to beat yourselves up over! So for one day, relax, enjoy, eat, for tomorrow you can go back to your rice cakes.
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28. Posted by isisshai on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:06 am PST

Stick to the Reddi-Whip. Cool whip tastes terrible and it is pure chemicals. Love the addition of a healthy choice like Amy's Kitchen. Tastes great and it is a smart choice. Kudos.
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29. Posted by coolcat40@sbcglobal.net on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:07 am PST

egon_ct GOOD CALL! If people only knew how bad those sweetners are for them,I mean if they could meet the people that had problems with it ,BIG PROBLEMS, that might open their eyes.It's been banned from our house for 20 some years, No Diet Coke addicts here.
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30. Posted by Norm D. on Mon, Dec 24, 2007, 7:07 am PST

My comment is on the writing style. I automatically become suspicious of the taste when exclamation points are used so often. Does anyone say "vegetables" anymore? My opinion is that if you are sensible in your consumption, being that you wouldn't be eating this way the rest of the year, that rebecca has it right. Everything in moderation.
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