The vast majority of holiday season activities center around food. Even if we have a lifestyle of eating healthy, organic, non-GMO foods, it’s normal to feel pressure to eat dishes made with ingredients we’ve committed to avoiding at social gatherings. Our decision to eat healthy foods that bolster our health year-round is an important one and shouldn’t be set aside during the holiday season. With a little planning, however, it’s completely possible to enjoy multiple social gatherings and stay true to a healthy eating plan. Follow these tips to eat healthy, nutritious food during the holiday season.
Invitations to holiday feasts and family dinners
Don’t be afraid to peek into the kitchen or dining room to find out what’s on the menu if your host is providing all the food. Then take a minute to plan what you’re going to eat. The following foods usually make it onto most holiday tables and are less likely to contain harmful additives:
- Garden salads with all-natural dressing
- Fruit and vegetable platters
- Homemade salsa
- Baked potatoes
- Steamed rice
- Steamed vegetables
- Nut mixes
- Dark chocolate
Ask your host for olive oil and vinegar to dress your salad and add flavor to other foods on your plate. You should also feel comfortable asking if any of the main dishes, such as the turkey, are organic, and raised without antibiotics or growth hormones. If so, choose low-calorie turkey breast and avoid fatty accompaniments that contain mystery ingredients, such as stuffing and gravy.
How to handle holiday potlucks
The nice thing about potluck holiday gatherings is that you can bring a flavorful dish made with organic, gluten-free or non-GMO ingredients. Even though some of us might hesitate to share our culinary needs with others, don’t be afraid to do so during the get-together’s planning stages. If enough invitees speak up, it might make sense to include nutritious, additive-free appetizers, main courses, and desserts.
Drinks and other libations
Holiday gatherings usually are flush with sugary or alcoholic beverages that can easily throw off our eating program. It’s especially important to avoid drinking too much alcohol at holiday gatherings, as this can lower your inhibitions and inspire overeating. When you can make beverage contributions to a holiday gathering, consider bringing:
- Organic, dairy-free eggnog
- Organic, dairy-free plain or chocolate milk
- Sparkling water
- Sulfite-free, organic wine
- Organic fruit juice with no sugar added
Some rules of engagement worth mentioning
- Have an all-natural, healthy meal or snack before you go to any holiday event. If you’re not hungry, you won’t focus on the food.
- Don’t overstuff yourself. Even if there are healthy, nutritious selections, eat until you’re satisfied and not until you’re bursting at the seams.
- Focus on the party, not on the buffet. Find friends and family you haven’t seen in a while and spend the time catching up. Dance, sing, make new friends, and network when the occasion calls for it.
- Bring something to the table other than food. Contribute decorations or help organize holiday games and activities
If you’re looking for a more individualized approach to nutrition, Nutrition Response Testing (NRT) can provide this. NRT is a process of analyzing the body in order to find out the underlying causes of illness. Dr. Forman and his compassionate team at Total Health Restoration can perform some simple tests, which will help determine if there is an underlying stress or dysfunction in a particular area of your body. Once they’ve determined your specific nutritional need, they can begin a customized nutrition program for you.