Are you ready for Chinese New Year? Just 2 more days to the auspicious season! The Chinese New Year is a wonderful way of gathering with your loved ones to enjoy joyous feasting over reunion dinners and delectable goodies. While enjoying in the long weekend break, here are 5 ways to enjoy the festive season while staying healthy.
1 | Choose Healthier Food Options
Chinese New Year is not complete without a feast-ive spread, and indulging in those delicious steamboat dinners. Go on, dig in but feast smartly! Opt for food products which carries the Healthier Choice Symbol as they are lower in total fat, saturated fat, sodium and sugar. Ask for less oil, plum sauce and golden pillows for your Yu Sheng.
Some healthier choices of Yu Sheng you can order from foodpanda are Sakae Sushi and Makan@Jen Or simply prepare your reunion dinner with a variety of colourful vegetables, lean meat and fish dishes! If all else fails, the general rule applies – stay clear from them carbs as much as you can.
2 | Snack in Moderation
Who can resist those yummy Chinese New Year goodies when they are right in front of you? Instead of torturing yourself by resisting, try to limit your snacking to just 1 or 2 pieces per snack. More visiting in a day, less snacking per house – you do the math.
Go for those Mandarin Oranges you brought for your elders (after exchanging for a hefty ang pao though), which is an excellent source of Vitamin A and C or munch on some healthy nuts and melon seeds! Here’s a caloric guide of the CNY goodies, just so you know before you pop in another Pineapple tart.
3 | Hydrate!
With so many visiting in a day coupled with Singapore’s humid weather, things can go awry quickly. Hydrate with plain water and not sweet beverages! If you absolutely have to, opt for green tea or non-fizzy drinks. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to miss out on grandma’s festive spread because you’ve fallen ill. Bottles up, drink up!
4 | Stay Active and Exercise
Not only do we encourage you to maintain a healthy balanced meal this festive period, we urge you to stay active! One of the simplest way is to plan a workout schedule before and after the holidays. Or since there will be so many visiting in a day, walk the longer route or climb the stairs instead of taking the lift. As the saying goes: a little goes a long way.
5 | Find the right balance
At the end of the day, it’s the time of year to meet with your relatives, and feast with your family and friends. Our advice is not to deprive yourself too much and enjoy what you love the most about the festive CNY season. Put these 5 tips together and celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Monkey for a swing-in good time.
Contributor
Tan Xue Wei | An Affair with Food
