The Holidays are here! Set yourself up for success with these helpful tips for eating well and feeling better during the holidays.
The holiday season is a time of the year many of us look forward to. Family and friends gather to share experiences and continue (or create) holiday traditions. For some of us though, it’s also a season wrought with anxiety and temptation that all of our hard work and discipline will fall away as we’re faced with all of the deliciously decadent sweets, treats, and holiday feasts.
Although it may be a temptation to take the month+ holiday season off, I’m here to assure you that it is possible to continue eating well and feeling better during the holidays! Here’s a few tips I’ve learned over the last few years. It hasn’t always been easy, and I won’t pretend that I don’t struggle some days (or weeks), but these tips have helped me to continue eating well and become more attuned to how certain foods make my body feel overall.
Tip #1: Stay Hydrated
Often times, we’ll mistake the early signs of dehydration for hunger. Before you go for that extra sweet treat or snack in the breakroom, have a glass of water and reassess if you truly want (or need) that extra treat.
Better yet, keep your water bottle handy. We’ve all heard that we should drink 8 glasses of water a day, but according to the Mayo Clinic, the actual amount you actually need depends on a variety of factors.
Here’s their recommended daily average of water to help you stay on track:
- About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men
- About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women
Remember though, some of that water content can come from fruits, veggies, and other liquids throughout the day. I like to throw together my Green Juice when I need a pick-me-up or break from water. So EASY and REFRESHING.
Tip #2: Meal Prep when you can
I know, this isn’t really a holiday specific tip, BUT hear me out. When I’m on vacation, I like to allow myself the freedom to try new restaurants and experience all the food I want. I’ve found it’s a healthy balance that keeps me from feeling deprived and also fuels my recipe creation.
Sometimes though, transitioning back from a weekend getaway to “normal” mode is hard. And that’s just for a weekend! The Holiday Season starts the last week of November (although some may argue it begins around Halloween LOL) and extends through January 1st. That’s a LONG time to be on vacation mode for me in the eating department.
That’s where menu planning comes in. A little extra work at the start of the week makes it easier for me to stay on track during the holidays because I have delicious, good-for-me meals ready to go! Personally, it’s easier for me to bounce back from a weekend of indulgence when I’m eating more healthfully the rest of the week.
Here are some of my favorite protein-packed and veggie-loaded meals:
Spiced Turkey and Butternut Squash Skillet with Goat Cheese
Turkey Meatballs in Dijon Gravy
Tip #3: Keep Snacks Handy
My third tip for staying on track and eating better during the holidays is to have a snack stash. Especially when you’re on the go or don’t usually eat breakfast like me. Here’s a few ideas to have handy that you can grab-and-go on your way out the door:
- Green Juice – refreshing and a great energy boost to start the day off – the lemon juice and ginger help fight off inflammation
- Light and Fit Yogurt – lots of flavors for ~ 80 calories and 12 grams of protein
- Light String Cheese – 50 calories, 7 grams of protein, and fun to pull apart and eat!
- Chip choices [Popcorners Spicy Queso?]
- Veggies and dip snack boxes – raw veggies aren’t my go-to snack, but I actually look forward to putting together a mix of veggies that I can dip into The BEST Light Ranch Dressing. I recommend a mix of grape tomatoes, celery, carrots, snap peas, or bell peppers.
Tip #4: INTEGRATE HEALTHIER VERSIONS OF YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY DISHES
This is my favorite way to stay on track during the holidays and eat better: finding creative ways to re-imagine my favorite dishes without compromising on flavor. Hosting and cooking an entire Thanksgiving takes a lot of planning, time, and effort. Don’t feel like you have to make healthy versions of EVERY dish – especially if you’re sharing cooking duties with family or friends. Even lightening one or two dishes can make a difference.
Here’s a few ways I lighten up my holiday meals:
- Include some healthier or lighter versions of your favorite dishes:
- Perfect Roasted Turkey and Gravy – Step-by-step instructions for a delicious and perfectly cooked turkey and gravy. You can adapt this recipe for a chicken, too!
- Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes – buttery and creamy – without butter or cream!
- Easy Mashed Potatoes – flavor-packed and only 4 ingredients
- Lightened-Up Mashed Potatoes – garlic-infused as they cook
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes – crispy yet creamy, these are the perfect side all year long
- Stuffing/Dressing
- Easy Garlic and Herb Stuffing – traditional stuffing with a fraction of the butter but the same great flavor and texture
- Sausage and Apple Stuffing – you can use Italian or a more traditional breakfast sausage, whichever you prefer
- Vegetables
- Green Bean Casserole – skip the canned condensed soup and make your own quick mushroom alfredo sauce. You won’t regret it.
- Green Beans Almondine – browned butter, tender-crisp green beans, caramelized shallots and crunchy almonds come together for a fast, fancy dish
- Quinoa-Stuffed Delicata Squash – mushrooms, quinoa, and dried cranberry stuffed roasted squash captures the flavors of Fall, it’s a great dish for GF and Vegan guests
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Lighter Baked Macaroni and Cheese – fancy mac and cheese, but no one will guess it’s not the full fat version
- One Pot Macaroni and Cheese – an all time favorite any time of year, it comes together in one pot in under 20 minutes
- Rolls
- Skinny Dinner Rolls – my absolute favorite dinner rolls – just 70 calories and you can make them a day ahead and reheat before serving
- Cheddar Bay Biscuits – these Red Lobster copycat biscuits come together quickly but are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven
- Other Holiday Dishes
- Healthy Chicken Tamales – Tamale parties are a tradition in Jeff’s family. My version tries to honor that tradition but lighten it up a bit. These take some time but are SO worth it
- Lasagna with Meat Sauce – an Italian classic that always gets rave reviews
- Baked Eggplant Parmesan – a beautiful vegetarian dish, my Baked Eggplant Parmesan actually stays crispy
- Dessert
- Easy Apple Turnovers – quick and delicious, you’ll have everyone believing you’re a professional baker
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars – pumpkin pie meets pumpkin bread, these delicious GF bars are delicious with or without sweet cream cheese topping
- Light Cranberry Bliss Cookies – Cranberry studded white chocolate topped cookie bars – delicious and festive
- Skinny Double Chocolate Brownies – Naturally sweetened and fudgy, you could add a splash of peppermint extract to make the perfect peppermint brownie
- Lightened-Up Cut Out Cookies – these lightened up sugar cookies are the perfect blank canvas to let you (or your guests) creativity go crazy
- Swap out ingredients that won’t impact flavor
- Turkey sausage in stuffing
- Use light butter to get the flavor without as much fat, calories, or points
- Swap in dairy or non-dairy milk or half and half in place of heavy cream
- Sneak in some extra veggies where you can. I know some people will puree cauliflower to add to their mashed potatoes or add carrots to their mashed sweet potatoes
Tip #5: Remember to enjoy the season
- Stay on Track tip #5 – Allow yourself some indulgences, but be mindful and really enjoy the experience so you don’t feel deprived (if that works for you, of course)
- Enjoy your favorite foods and the wonderful memories associated with them, but listen to your body and honor it.
- Know that even if you overindulge, you can (and will) get back on track.
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