The American Heart Association has  tips and ideas to help you have a budget-friendly and heart-healthy holiday! 

Throwing a dinner party?

Make it heart-healthy with these great resources:  

Online Invitation and Guest List - The American Heart Associaiton's free online memorial and tribute program is a good place to set up your party invitation. It allows you to create a special Web page with a unique URL that can be shared with others. There your guests can RSVP to the party and donate to the American Heart Association.  Recipe Cards - These tasty and health recipes are sure to be a hit at your party: Cool Cucumber Dip, Red & Green Bell Pepper Boats, Red Wine & Beef Stew, Devil's Food Cupcakes Grocery List - This grocery  list includes all the ingredients needed to make the four recipes we listed above. (TIP: Don't forget to look for the heart-check mark when grocery shopping!) Entertaining Tips - If you're a first-time party host, or could use some helpful hints, check out our entertaining tips.

Honor Someone Special with a Web page 

This holiday, honor a friend, colleague or family member who lost their battle with heart disease, or pay tribute to someone who has survived a cardiovascular event. The American Heart Association's free online memorial and tributes program allows you to create a special Web page. A "memorial" Web page is built in honor of someone who has passed away, while a "tribute" Web page acknowledges a survivor. Go online to honor.americanheart.org for easy directions on uploading photos and posting a tribute about the person you want to honor. A unique URL will be generated for the Web page you are creating. Share this URL with friends, family and others!

It's Better to Give Than Receive, but Why Not Do Both?  

This holiday, give yourself the gift of information! Sign up for one our heart-health e-newsletters, and forward it to a friend. Every edition is packed with reliable, science-based news, tips and tools about managing your condition and improving your heart (and overall) health. And you’ll get a new recipe every month! Our e-newsletters cover caregivers, heart attack, arrhythmia, cholesterol, heart failure, high blood pressure and peripheral artery disease. To see a sample e-newsletter, click here. Visit americanheart.org/myheartnews to sign up and send a gift to a friend!

Or, give a gift that may save a life. The American Heart Association offers a free iPhone application for Hands-Only CPR. The application shows step-by-step instructions on how to perform Hands-Only CPR and includes a fun, quirky public service announcement, “Handwalker.” The application is available on the iTunes store or by visiting our Hands-Only CPR Web site. 



More Holiday Tips

Many families have holiday traditions. Some of those traditions include making special recipes. Try making your old favorites with a healthy twist with these helpful nutrition tips.

Choose assorted unsalted nuts, fiber-rich crackers and raw vegetables with low-fat dressing and hummus for quick snacks or appetizers at a holiday party. These are great alternatives to a typical cheese platter that’s loaded with saturated fat. If you like eggnog, be sure you buy the low-fat or fat-free version to cut down on calories and fat. Mulled apple cider is an even better choice. Select fat-free evaporated milk to make mashed potatoes creamy. Use low-sodium chicken broth to get a little more flavor in your potatoes. Stuffing mixes are holiday classics. Make your own colorful and heart-healthy version by mixing in dried cranberries, raisins and apricots instead of meat. Skip the prepackaged gravy mixes and make your own! Low-sodium broth and skim milk make delicious and more heart-healthy gravy. Avoid pre-packaged pumpkin pies – the crusts are typically filled with trans and saturated fats. Crustless pumpkin pies or angel food cakes with fresh or frozen berries are tasty alternatives. Skip pre-packaged cakes and cookies, too

 
Other Resources:

10 Heartwarming Ideas for the Holidays

Eating Healthy on a Budget