As the end of the year draws closer, the season of social a gathering swings into place. If you want to be the star of every party you attend, you will need these quick cues to celebrate in style. We’ve compiled a list of foods that will help to keep your party spirit in tip top shape:

During the day:
First things first, the day you have a big bash to attend, you need to watch what you eat. Cut out a heavy carb rich lunch, as it is sure to make you sluggish by the time you’re ready to put on your dancing shoes. According to experts, avoid white rice, large helpings of potato, bread or rotis and stick to foods like sprouts or fruit platters. Eating such foods has an added benefit. Apart from giving you a much needed energy boost, these items also help to forestall pre party bloat and keep your tummy tucked in.

It is also a good idea to eat mini meals through the day, if you have to party hand at night. A steady supply of nourishment prevents the slump brought on by low blood sugar. Plan to eat about every three hours to stay on track.

At the party:
So you’re dressed to kill and ready to dance the night away? Great, but have you decided on what to drink and what to eat at the party to keep your energy meter soaring upwards instead of flagging after a couple of hours. Drink alcohol in moderation. Wines and champagne are certainly a better pick than hard drinks like whisky and rum. Also, don’t use aerated drinks as mixers for hard drinks. Dilute your drinks with soda water or sugar free cold drinks and have one glass of water for every alcoholic drink you down to stay hydrated and to avoid a full blown post party hangover.

Tired after a long day at work and don’t want to drink alcohol? Then you could try and kick start your party nights with an energy drink like red bull, Gatorade or effect. A lot of young people nowadays prefer drinks like red bull rather than alcohol. These concoctions made from caffeine, herbs, vitamins and amino acids can work wonders for sagging spirits.

Also remember that energy drinks are very high in calories. Since most energy drinks contains caffeine, what they are actually doing is stimulating your nerves rather than giving you energy. The high they give you can also be followed by an energy slump.

For those of you who are health conscious and hate downing aerated drinks or alcohol, the option is to choose from a range of fruit juices like dabur’s real, which are available in many flavors. These fitness waters contain added vitamins and minerals and flavors, and have less carbohydrate than energy drinks.

Make sure you have picked me up snacks on hand. Healthy, well planned snacks can add zip when you’re zapped. Smart snacks are dense with nutrients, especially carbohydrates, and light on calories. Try veggie sticks such as bell peppers, cucumbers and celery sticks, with a low fat yoghurt dip; whole wheat crackers; spicy bhel etc. Tandoorie non vegetarian snacks like chicken tikka are definitely better than fried snacks.

After the bash:
If you do end up suffering from a hangover, don’t fret. Just sip some jasmine, chamomile or lavender tea, it will help your kidneys to detox and flush out the alcohol. You should also eat more citrus fruits the morning after because they help to detoxify.