Diwali 2020: Here are some expert tips to enjoy healthy and delicious diwali treats amid COVID times.
Diwali is one of our most auspicious and beloved festivals. It is a festival everyone waits for and is a wonderful time of bonding and celebration. Families and friends meet and celebrate, and it goes without saying that no celebration in India is complete without lots of festive foods. This year though, things will be a little different. With the social distancing guidelines still in place across the country, large gatherings and home visits with family and friends are likely to be restricted, which could dampen the mood a bit. But there is one thing we can still enjoy this Diwali, even from the safety and comfort of our homes – healthy, safe and delicious Diwali treats!
So, here’s how you can have a healthy and safe Diwali this year, without worrying too much about anything else.
Follow Easy Tips To Enjoy Healthy And Delicious Diwali Treats During COVID Times:
1. Don’t get worked up about Diwali sweets
We are all exhausted juggling working from home, schooling from home, doing grocery shopping, and managing the home chores as well. This doesn’t leave us with much bandwidth for making all the sweets at home, but that is no reason to feel guilty. I say instead of getting overwhelmed, get smart about it! Choose hygienically made packaged desserts such as ice-creams from a trusted source as you can be sure of both, the quality and taste with those. After all, we need to eat something sweet during Diwali, and a smart way to do so is by not compromising on safety.
(Also Read: Diwali 2020: 9 Traditional Sweets With Recipes To Celebrate Diwali)
We need to eat something sweet during Diwali, and a smart way to do so is by not compromising on safety.
2. Remember to keep Diwali treats nutritious and healthy
Eating ‘meetha’ does not need to be completely off-limits for anyone, especially during the festival time. Just make sure you choose to eat sweets that are good for you and don’t cause any harm to your health. To pick right, follow these two simple rules:
Make sure you choose to eat sweets that are good for you and don’t cause any harm to your health.
. Be careful of the portion size, especially if you are watching your weight or have diabetes, a liver condition, or any medical condition for that matter. With sweets I believe that the first bite is pure bliss, the second bite is for really tasting it, and third is for maximizing the satisfaction. So, anything beyond that is pure greed and will most likely not be good for you. So, keep this in mind and eat the right portions. Also, don’t forget to look at the nutritional information on the packaging as that will help you take care of portion sizes without exceeding it.
. Always choose ‘meetha’ that gives you some good nutrition, and not just sugar, calories and fat. For example, opt for a rasgulla instead of a gulab jamun as the latter is delicious but fried, while rasgulla is made with cottage cheese and will give you some protein and calcium while being equally delicious! Similarly, picking an ice cream is a better idea than cake. This way, you can avoid refined flour and also score some calcium and protein. Always keep your food allergies in mind too when choosing the desserts.
. Remember packaged sweets and savouries can be both safe and nutritious. You just need to learn to make wise choices and then practice it consciously. Read the labels carefully before you make your choice.
3. Have a Diwali Zoom Cookout
This Diwali, don’t let Covid-19 limit, defeat or upset you. Consider scheduling at least one festive mealtime with your extended family or a group of friends. To ensure that the online meet-up is not too much pressure on anyone (after all, we are already stretched on time and resources), perhaps you can all buy the same packaged sweets and savouries and eat them together during the call while doing a lot of ‘gupshup’ – it’s the closest thing to sharing a meal together and can be huge fun! How about making a fun dessert simultaneously, using a few readymade ingredients?! For example, a fruit and nuts and ice cream dessert that everyone layers in with their favourite beverages while on the call, and then dig in together.
You may just end up starting a new ritual that will bring you closer to people who matter.
Happy Diwali 2020, everyone!
About Author: Kavita Devgan is a known nutritionist, columnist and speaker.
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