7 Reasons to Bring Seafood Home for the Holidays

The holidays are coming, and with them, the decorations, parties, shopping—and fear of overdoing it. For many, the stress of the season is augmented by worry that their efforts throughout the year to get in shape, eat healthily, and stay energized will be blown up in the last few weeks of the year. But 2022 doesn't have to end like this—if you add a good dose of seafood to your holiday plans. 

While the American Heart Association and others recommend enjoying two to three servings of seafood a week for optimal health benefits throughout the year, during the holidays, the reasons to add seafood to your diet are even more persuasive.

Find balance. Consuming seafood, which is vitamin-, mineral-, and Omega-3 rich and low in sodium and saturated fat, can help offset the less than healthy foods most Americans consume over the holiday,  

Watch your waist. Beyond balancing your nutritional needs, seafood's low-calorie count will allow you to enjoy that piece of cheesecake or extra cookie guilt-free, knowing you are consuming fewer calories by preceding it with seafood versus more caloric options.

Recharge your batteries. With all the running around that seems inevitable during the holidays, it is easy to run low on energy—just when you need it most. Seafood won't leave you feeling weighed down, and its high protein content will give you the energy you need to see you through the season.

Drop the drive-thru. During the holidays, when you are rushed for time - and when aren't you? - it is easy to head to the closest fast-food drive-thru. But with seafood, such as frozen lightly dusted calamari, that goes from freezer to fully cooked in as little as 90 seconds, or grilled branzino that is plate-ready in mere minutes, you can fix healthy meals faster than you can place your food order. 

Stretch those dollars. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, Americans can expect to pay record prices for turkey, with the average cost of a 16-pound turkey soaring from $23.99 in 2021 to $51.81 in 2022. Meanwhile, the cost of ham has risen 30% in the last three years and is expected to continue to rise. In comparison, frozen seafood can be affordable without sacrificing quality or taste and combined with other ingredients to create tasty and satisfying dishes without emptying holiday funds. 

Reignite the festivities. With so much to do during the holidays, it can be hard to maintain that festive feeling, especially at the end of a busy day. This often leads to lackluster last-minute meals made with whatever happens to be in the refrigerator. Yet keeping a stash of high-quality frozen shrimp, calamari, or fish on hand that's ready in minutes can inject ho-hum meals with a fresh, festive air. 

Lighten up. Try interspersing often heavy flavors of the season with lighter seafood dishes, such as chilled shrimp, calamari on a crisp lettuce bed, or grilled branzino. Your tastebuds will appreciate the rest.

Of course, seafood is the perfect food to serve on the holidays themselves, whether Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa or New Year’s. Seafood can star as the centerpiece, replacing the turkey or the ham for a refreshingly new tradition, or costar as an appetizer or a side dish. But no matter what you feature on the holidays themselves, make seafood a staple throughout the season. Your body and your mind will be glad you did.