Holiday Party Ideas: 10 Ways To Be Fit AND Festive

Looking for some fun and healthy holiday party ideas that don't include tons of sugary sweets and fattening egg nog?

From party ideas to recipes and more, we've got you covered!

Holiday parties don't have to include excessive junk food or being sedentary.

Get creative this season with healthy holiday party ideas to stay active, eat nutritious foods, and enjoy spending time with family and friends.

If you're looking for healthy holiday party ideas to enjoy seasonal festivities guilt-free, use the ideas below to get started!

Find out how to survive holiday meals and avoid eating way too much!

10 Fun and Healthy Holiday Party Ideas, Recipes, and More!

1. Try Healthy Baked Turkey Meatballs

Replace traditional meatballs with this homemade turkey meatball recipe as a healthy holiday party idea loaded with protein and flavor!

Ingredients

• 1 pound of lean ground turkey
• ½ cup of Italian breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup thinly sliced baby spinach
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons of onion powder
• 2 tablespoons of garlic powder

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine turkey, breadcrumbs, spinach, egg, onion powder, and garlic powder together in a bowl and stir.
• Roll the mixture into eight palm-sized meatballs. Place them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
• Bake the meatballs in a preheated oven until they are no longer pink in the center and the outsides brown (about 15 to 20 minutes). The internal temperature should read at least 165 degrees F.
• Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 8 meatballs

2. Plan Active Party Ideas to Keep Your Body Moving

Host a party with active adventures planned rather than sitting down during holiday parties!

Play twister, have active video games on hand for children, decorate an outdoor trampoline or bouncy house with lights for the kids, go sledding if you live in a cold weather climate, or plan other active holiday party ideas. Get creative!

3. Choose Healthier Holiday Cocktails

Holiday cocktails can contribute to a significant number of calories, increasing your risk of holiday weight gain. The good news is that if you choose lower-calorie cocktails instead and drink them in moderation, you can include them in your holiday party plans.

Lower holiday cocktail ideas for parties include Bloody Marys, wine, champagne, and hard alcohol mixed with calorie-free sparkling water or club soda.

Another festive option is apple cider mixed with a tiny amount of vodka and cinnamon. Make a carrot mimosa by combining together chilled 100% carrot juice with chilled dry champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish it with carrot stems!

Avoid high-calorie mixers like soda, lemonade, and juice blends containing added sugar. Steer clear of diet drinks sweetened with artificial sugar whenever possible, as such sweeteners can induce sugar cravings and affect your body's insulin levels.

Light beer is another lower-calorie option, containing just 103 calories in each 12-ounce portion.

4. Prepare a Festive Veggie Tray

Get festive when planning healthy holiday party ideas by creating a Santa Claus veggie tray! Use red peppers for the top of the hat, cauliflower for the fluffy part of the hat and Santa's beard, cherry tomatoes for his nose and coat, and olives for Santa's eyes. You can use cucumber slices for the rest of his face and a dish of veggie dip as the ball of Santa's hat!

If you prefer, create a Christmas tree veggie tray out of the fresh vegetables of your choice.

5. Make Grinch Fruit Kabobs

Grinch fruit kabobs make the perfect healthy holiday party idea, especially for kids! You'll need toothpicks, freshly cut strawberries, green grapes, and banana slices.

String a grape, banana slice, and strawberry on the toothpick with the top cut off to create a Grinch face and hat. If you'd like, top the hat with a mini marshmallow (optional) and serve this nutritious holiday treat at your next gathering!

6. Prepare a Holiday Fruit and Cheese Platter

Get creative when making a Christmas tree fruit and cheese platter as one of the best healthy holiday party ideas this season!

Ingredients

• 3 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 ounces of Colby-jack cheese
• 2 ounces of gouda cheese
• 1 ounce of parmesan cheese
• 2 cups of red grapes
• 4 cups of green grapes
• 1 cup of fresh blackberries
• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• Fresh parsley sprigs

Instructions

• Cut the cheese into bite-sized chunks.
• Thoroughly wash the fruit and cut grape stems to create small clusters of 4-5 grapes.
• Create the fruit and cheese tree on a large flat serving board.
• Begin at the bottom and place food on the tray in the following order: cheddar cheese, green grapes, Colby-jack cheese, red grapes, gouda cheese, green grapes, parmesan cheese, and finally, blackberries on the top.
• Build up the tree as desired by adding more layers of fruit and cheese.
• Tuck small sprigs of rosemary and parsley within the fruit and cheese to fill out the tree platter.
• Serve and enjoy this healthy holiday party idea!

Servings: 8

7. Make Homemade Holiday Face Masks

Something fun to do during holiday parties that enhances the overall health of your skin is to make (and use) holiday face masks! Consider the following homemade holiday face mask recipes at your next holiday gathering:

Cranberry Nutmeg Christmas Mask

Get into the holiday spirit with a cranberry nutmeg Christmas mask rich in antioxidants!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of seedless grapes
• 1 cup of cranberries
• 4 tablespoons of cranberry juice
• 1 teaspoon of plain yogurt
• Dash of nutmeg
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of honey

Instructions

• Blend the grapes and cranberries and add the other ingredients one by one.
• Mix well.
• Place the mask on your face and leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing it off.

Peppermint Face Mask

A peppermint face mask will give your face the cleansing and healthy glow it deserves this holiday season!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 4 drops of peppermint oil
• 4 drops of tea tree oil

Instructions

• Heat the coconut oil in your microwave for 10 seconds until it melts.
• Add the peppermint and tea tree oils and mix well with a spoon.
• Cool the mixture.
• Apply the mask to your face, leave it on for 10 minutes, and rinse it off.

8. Create Healthy Holiday Smoothies

Nutritious, festive, delicious smoothies make excellent holiday party ideas!

Healthy Egg Nog Protein Smoothie

Egg nog protein smoothies taste similar to traditional egg nog but without added sugar or alcohol.

Ingredients

• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
• 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 1 frozen banana, peeled
• 2 teaspoons of natural almond butter
• 1 pitted Medjool date
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon each of almond and vanilla extract (optional)
• 5-6 ice cubes
• Cinnamon stick

Instructions

• Place all ingredients (except the ice) in a blender and blend the mixture until smooth.
• Add ice as needed to thicken the mixture and continue blending until no chunks remain.
• Pour the smoothie into a glass and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a cinnamon stick.
• Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 1

Toasted Walnut Apple Pie Smoothie

A toasted apple pie walnut smoothie makes the perfect addition to any healthy holiday gathering!

Ingredients

•  1 apple, cored and chopped
•  1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk
•  1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
•  3 tablespoons of rolled oats
•  1 tablespoon of walnuts
•  1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
•  1/8 teaspoon of allspice
•  4 ice cubes

Instructions

• Heat a small saucepan to medium-low heat.
• Add the walnuts and toast them for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until well combined.
• Add the smoothie mixture to a glass and top it with additional walnuts if desired.
• Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 1

9. Make Healthy Crustless Holiday Quiche

Don't forget about breakfast this holiday season! Consider making a healthy crustless quiche recipe to get your mornings started off right.

Ingredients

Instructions

• Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat a deep 9-inch pie dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Prepare the mix-ins of your choice.
• Whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, salt, pepper, mustard, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl.
• Scatter the mix-ins evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish.
• Top the mixture with cheese.
• Gently pour the egg mixture into the dish.
• Place the pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle chives on top.
• Bake the quiche on the baking sheet until the center sets (about 35 minutes) and the edges turn golden. The quiche should be cooked through without any liquid remaining.
• Let the quiche cool for a few minutes
• Cut into wedges, serve, and enjoy it warm!
• Refrigerate the quiche in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Rewarm the leftovers in a pie dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.

Servings: 4

10. Try Rudolf Celery Sticks

Rudolf celery sticks make the perfect healthy holiday party idea, especially for the kids! The recipe is simple to make, delicious, and nutritious.

Instructions

• Thoroughly wash the celery.
• Cut the celery into 3-4-inch-long sticks.
• Top each celery stick with peanut butter.
•  Break the pretzels in half and place them near the top of each celery stick to represent reindeer antlers.
• To each celery stick, add 2 eyes and a cranberry for the nose.
• Enjoy these nutritious holiday party ideas with your family and friends!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on holiday party ideas.