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Strategies for Joyful Holiday Eating
You don't have to give up your favorite holiday foods to prevent the "holiday 5" this year. A key strategy is to be mindful about your choices and to balance your regular healthy eating style with more decadent foods that are most connected to family, love, and celebration for you. This year enjoy them to the fullest without the guilt.
1. Identify holiday foods that have the most  meaning for you. Everyone has a few top favorites that they most enjoy during the holiday season. Special family recipes are sometimes eaten only once a year and the holidays would not be the same without them. Reflect on which foods hold the most meaning for you. Is it the corn bread stuffing or your grandmother's famous pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving?
2. Practice mindful eating and savor the experience. Limit distractions such as television; express gratitude for the food and the connection with your family/friends. Notice how delicious the food looks, enjoy the aroma, and chew slowly to fully experience the food. The joy of food doesn't increase with the amount eaten, so dish up a small portion or share with a loved one. Fully enjoying a small portion will bring you more pleasure than being uncomfortably full.
3. Recreate the flavors of holiday classics using superfoods. Some traditional holiday foods packed with nutrients include Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, green beans, and cranberries. Use these foods as the foundations for new, delicious recipes or revise some of the old classics and create healthier versions that the whole family will enjoy. Here are a few recipes to get you started:
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Mindful Eating for the Merriest of Holidays Interactive workshop on Saturday, November 12, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. with Bastyr Dietetic Intern Bridget Nichols, MS, CN and Michelle Babb, MS, RD, CD The holiday season can be one of the most challenging times to be mindful about food choices. Learn techniques to: - Help you manage your weight
- Improve your digestion
- Celebrate the joy of food during the holiday season
Bring a friend or family member to kick off the holiday season. This workshop is only $20 and space is limited, so be sure to register today! Click HERE to register online or call (206) 938-0689 |
