A Health Nut’s Guide To Holiday Gatherings
When it comes to your diet restrictions you may have strong feelings about what foods you tend to eat or avoid. If you’re anything like me I feel the most confident in my healthy eating habits when it’s in my control. But when you’re going out to eat, eating at a friend’s house, and going to family gatherings theres only so much you can control about what food is available. Over the years, I’ve learned that especially being a vegetarian it can be an awkward thing explaining that you will only eat certain things. You don’t want to seem rude but you don’t want to put your health morals aside and eat whatever is offered to you, it’s a tricky situation.
With the holiday season comes holiday gatherings in which there isn’t exactly going to be quinoa and veggies being served for dinner, and while you certainly have the right to indulge in your favorite holiday food, there is a line that you will draw when it comes to splurging. Here is how you can enjoy holiday festivities without making your stomach hurt with foods your body isn’t used to and without starving from avoiding all available foods:
1.) Bring your own dish: Make something that is up to your health standards, and something that could possibly hold you over if need be. You could do one entree dish or an appetizer, main dish, and dessert. That way, at least you know that there will be something there that you’ll like!
2.) Dive in to the fruit and veggie platters: Almost every holiday party is bound to have a veggie platter or fruit platter of some sort, thats an easy way to munch away as much as your little plant eating heart desires.
3.) Moderation, darling: Don’t kick your self for enjoying the holiday food, this time only comes around once a year and it’s important to treat yourself! Either nibble here and there on some christmas cookies, or get creative and make something that you know you can fully enjoy without an after taste of guilt. My favorite blog for clean desserts “my clean treats” is a guarantee for desserts that are satisfying and guilt free.
4.) Respectively decline: “Wow aunt Joanne! That deep fried, bacon wrapped mini sausage- water chestnut and cheddar cheese kabob covered in barbecue sauce seems super appetizing but I prefer my arteries in tact and unclogged” might not get you the kindest response. There’s no need to make anyone feel bad about making food that you personally wouldn’t eat, or to food shame people who chose to eat it either. If you want people to respect your food preferences you can’t disrespect their choices or make them feel bad about indulging, it is the holidays after all!
Moral of the story: don’t have any shame in your picking eating game, if you do what everyone else does you’ll be just that- like everyone else. Stick to your gut, and be nice to it this holiday season! (Ew, I hate the word gut.) But also, don’t be afraid to indulge in your favorite holiday treats and have a healthy and happy holiday.
“It’s a good day to have a good one.”
-Alena Purpero