No holiday meal is complete without the mincemeat pie or Jell-O mold. The holidays are a time when traditions abound, especially when it comes to food.

“Food brings that feeling of family and sharing, and that’s what the holidays are all about,” said Stewart Burger, lecturer and coordinator of special events in hotel, restaurant and institution management. He also coordinates events for President Gregory Geoffroy at the Knoll.

You may have grown up eating the same dishes every holiday, but this year is your chance to add to the tradition.

It is also a chance to infuse some healthy cooking into the festive fare.

Healthy cooking

Judy Trumpy, registered dietitian at Thielen Student Health Center, said there are many ways to cook and eat healthily during the holidays.

Applesauce can often be substituted for butter, oil or shortening in recipes for cookies, cakes and other baked goods to reduce fat content.

“You can often reduce the fat content from one-fourth to one-third, even one-half,” Trumpy said.

Burger said you can purchase applesauce specially made to be a fat substitute.

When using applesauce as a substitute, Burger recommends serving the baked goods fresh and freezing what you don’t use, which keeps them fresher for a longer period.

You can also reduce the amount of sugar in a recipe and add more spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg for additional flavor, Trumpy said.

She also suggested lowering the fat and calorie content of casseroles and side dishes by using reduced-fat soups and less cheese.

Several Web sites can guide your search for healthy holiday recipes. Trumpy recommended www.allrecipes.com and

www.cookinglight.com, which have search options that can narrow your recipe selection to only healthy recipes.

Another option for healthy holiday food is salads. The possibilities for making a salad are endless. Burger said to consider making a fruit or a vegetable salad, or a combination of both.

“Salads during the holidays are always appropriate,” Burger said.

Healthy eating

“Mindless eating” is one of the silent enemies of holiday eating. It is a pattern of not paying attention to what you are eating during festivities that often results in overeating.

“The holidays don’t have to be unending sessions of mindless eating,” Trumpy said.

She said smaller plates fill up more quickly. She recommended only taking six bites’ worth of each dish, but you can always have seconds on your favorites.

“If you’re still hungry, go back for what you really want, but take only enough for three bites,” Trumpy said.

Holiday parties are a chance to celebrate with people, not just with food.

“Be more interested in the people who are there, not the food,” Trumpy said.

Another way to combat mindless eating is to eat a small, high-protein snack before you go to a party. The protein will make you less hungry during the party. Some high-protein snacks are eight ounces of yogurt and a few whole-grain crackers, a piece of string cheese or a small handful of nuts.

Mindless eating can be avoided by maintaining normal eating patterns, even amid the hustle and bustle of the season.

Although you may eat a lot at a party, you should still eat breakfast the next morning. Trumpy said you shouldn’t fast or skip meals before or after a holiday meal or party.

“It sets you up for another binge or overeating,” she said.