Healthy Holiday Eating

The best part of any holiday is usually the food. We love to eat and eat things that are only prepared once or twice a year. Foods that define holidays are what make memories. Oranges, pineapples, bananas, fruitcake, roasted turkey and fresh homemade coconut cake has special memories for certain people of certain ages. But is the holiday really about the food?

What if you are a diabetic, losing weight or have an allergy? Do these spoil your holidays?

One of the common complaints during the family holiday meal is, "So and so can't have that!" It puts a damper on the entire meal for everyone attending. For those trying to prepare the meal it is especially difficult to take into account everyone's eating problems.

1. Eat your own food.

Perhaps most of the problems and anxiety can be solved by everyone bringing their own favorite dish and allowing the host to prepare basic items as tossed salad, drinks, bread and vegetable appetizers. Everyone can eat what is healthy for them and leave the others to do likewise. If the gathering isn't one where you can make this suggestion you should contact your host and volunteer to bring a dish or two.

2. Eat before you go.

If you don't want to be tempted to eat something that's not good for you, eat before you go. Satisfy your hunger pangs and also get your favorite food fix in before you leave for the gathering. Once you arrive, you can nibble and not feel you've been deprived and your host will not feel you've been neglected.

3. Be comfortable saying no.

Guilt leads to eating so avoid the quilt. Make up your mind not to feel guilty by saying no. First say no to yourself, second say no to those who offer you food and third say no to your host. The hardest part of eating healthy is teaching yourself that saying "no" is not a punishment.

4. Remember your purpose.

You haven't come for the food but for the fellowship and the family. The food is the entertainment but the relationships you have with the others is the purpose. If it were about food you could get that at a restaurant or the grocery. You have come to celebrate a holiday with people you have connections and strong relationships so don't let food spoil things.

Holidays and food are natural and have a long, long, long history. It is only in modern times we have discovered the connections between food and health. Not everyone has the same taste for food and not everyone can eat what others eat. Holidays are about relationships not about food. The sooner you can make that distinction the sooner you can enjoy more of the holidays.