Appetizer buffets at a party, a family feast, and baking cookies are traditional ways of celebrating the winter holidays and can be enjoyed without the holiday weight gain you may remember from years past.

One of the best strategies is to control the portions or amounts of each food you choose. But what exactly is a normal portion of say, cheesecake, or pizza? Just in time for the holidays, a new interactive quiz has come online from the National Institutes of Health . . . and its title aptly describes how difficult it's become for Americans to know whether there's too much food on their plates: Portion Distortion: Do You Know How Food Portions Have Changed in 20 Years?

The quick, fun quiz is a great way to start taking a closer look at food portions (just be warned that if you had a 16 oz. mocha coffee and a large muffin for breakfast, you'll need to hike for about two hours to burn off the calories.)

The Feast

Registered dietitians warn not to deprive yourself of special holiday foods or feel guilty when you do indulge in some sweet potato casserole or cauliflower drenched in cheese sauce. Instead, try to put together a plate with normal or small portions of the foods you find at a feast.

For example, the amount of meat recommended as part of a healthful meal is 3-4 ounces—and it will look to be the same size as a deck of cards. Visualize the following objects when serving yourself a meal or a snack.

• 1 oz. meat: size of a matchbox
• 3 oz. meat: size of a deck of cards or bar of soap—the recommended portion for a meal
• 8 oz. meat: size of a thin paperback book
• 3 oz. fish: size of a checkbook
• 1 oz. cheese: size of 4 dice
• Medium potato: size of a computer mouse
• 2 Tbs. peanut butter: size of a ping pong ball
• 1 cup pasta: size of a tennis ball
• Average bagel: size of a hockey puck

The Cocktail Party Buffet Table

The day of a holiday party, eat small low-calorie, fiber-rich meals and think ahead about what party foods you want to eat, which ones you will just sample and which ones you will skip. Other tips from www.eatright.org, the Web site of the American Dietetic Association:

• Conversation is calorie-free! Avoid rushing to the food table when you arrive at a party. Greet people you know, get a beverage and settle into the festivities before eating.
• Ask for sparkling water and a lime twist rather than wine, champagne or a mixed drink. Sparkling water doesn’t contain calories.
• If you’re bringing a dish, make it healthfully delicious—and low-calorie, too. That way, you’ll know there’s always something with fewer calories you can munch on. Perhaps bring raw vegetables with a yogurt or cottage cheese dip, or a platter of juicy, fresh fruit.
• When you’re entertaining, make over your menus with fewer calories and fat.

If You Must Dine at the Drive-Through

Preparing for holiday celebrations puts many in people in such a rush that they eat more fast food than they'd like. But even at a drive-through burger place, you can choose foods that won't ruin months of watching your weight. Try the following substitutions:

Skip This / Try Instead	Calories Saved
Double cheeseburger / cheeseburger	280
Super fries / small fries	330
Large soda / medium soda	100
Large soda / diet soda	310
Breaded chicken sandwich / grilled version	205

Find the calorie counts for many more fast food items within our Restaurant Eating Tips article.

Dessert

If you tried the Portion Distortion quiz you already know the rap against "modern" cheesecake. While a slice of this favorite dessert was 260 calories 20 years ago, today a large piece of cheesecake has about 640 calories. This is 380 more calories more than Americans typically consumed 20 years ago.

For a cheesecake that has less than 100 calories per slice, try the recipe for Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake With Sliced Strawberries, from the American Cancer Society's Healthy Eating Cookbook.

More Resources

Party Food Recipes from the American Cancer Society
Delicious healthful recipes for every occasion.

Everyday Choices for a Healthier Life
Information about diet, physical activity and other lifestyle habits that help prevent three different chronic diseases.