Party Smart

Take a nap and eat a healthy snack before the party. You’ll arrive refreshed and less likely to overeat high-calorie, high-fat party foods.

Do not drink alcohol Even in small amounts, drinking alcohol during pregnancy has been shown to cause birth defects.

Limit salt so you don’t reach for drink after drink and to minimize pregnancy-induced swelling.

Add frozen berries to beverages; they add both flavor and essential nutrients.

Drink only pasteurized eggnog that does not contain alcohol.

Practice food safety Avoid high-mercury fish; processed meats unless served steaming hot; pâtés; soft, unpasteurized cheeses such as Brie and feta; unpasteurized juices; and raw sprouts.

Mocktail Hour

Toast the season in high spirits with festive nonalcoholic drinks and our tips for partying safely while expecting.

Even though you need to party smart while you’re expecting, you can still mingle, nibble and raise your glass to the holidays. To help, we’ve gathered some glamorous and tasty “mocktail” recipes from one of the country’s best mixologists; they’re so spirited, you’ll forget they’re made without spirits. Some even include good-for-you pregnancy nutrients such as calcium, fiber and folate.

Master beverage mixer Ryan Magarian and his team at Liquid Relations, who developed these recipes for Katsuya by Starck restaurants in California, offers this tip for the perfect mocktail: “When you’re replacing alcohol with water, tea or juice, you still want a perfect balance of all ingredients,” he says. “Just like a real cocktail, a mocktail should never be too sweet or too syrupy.” And make them in batches, Magarian recommends. “Pick a recipe, make it in quantity and serve it in a beautiful pitcher.”

If you’re attending someone else’s fête, follow our party-smart ideas for celebrating safely while you’re expecting. Cheers!  

For mocktail recipes, click on the Related Links below.


 

December/January 2009