5 Tips for Eating Healthy During the Holidays

A Keck Medicine of USC dietitian explains how to eat healthy during the holidays.

Parties, seasonal foods and family gatherings can cause you to stray from your daily food routine and lead to irregular levels of hunger and fullness. Enjoying the holiday season does not mean you have to sacrifice your health goals, however. Follow these nutrition tips to fuel your body for all of the fun activities of the holiday season.

Healthy holiday eating tip #1: Potluck with friends

Try making a holiday-themed vegetable platter. Cauliflower can be used to construct the base of a snowman with black olives for eyes and buttons. Including fiber in your meal can keep you satiated longer and may improve blood sugar control. Aim to include vegetables in a variety of colors for a wide range of phytonutrients that can benefit your immune system, eye health and reduce inflammation.

Healthy holiday eating tip #2: Visiting out-of-state family

Offer to cook your favorite nutritious meal or try out a new recipe using local ingredients. Some regional specialty ingredients include marionberries in Oregon, salmon in Alaska or key limes in Florida. Take your family or friends along when grocery shopping and try to be accommodating of dietary restrictions. You can start a new family tradition of adding recipes to a communal cookbook and update it each year.

Healthy holiday eating tip #3: Hosting guests

Eating breakfast can give you and your guests energy for long days of entertaining. Choose a breakfast that contains protein like eggs. Eggs provide several health benefits. To save time on busy holiday mornings, prepare an overnight egg casserole rather than making eggs to order.

Healthy holiday eating tip #4: New Year’s Eve party

Balance your beverage intake by having alcohol and sweetened drinks in moderation and putting a focus on hydration. Try out some new mocktail recipes using herbs, fruit juices and teas to flavor sparkling water. You can make hydration part of your pre-party and bedtime routines by keeping your water bottle close by.

Healthy holiday eating tip #5: Holiday baked good exchange

Baked goods often make a more prominent appearance during the holidays as they are a fun way to share family recipes and traditions. Substituting ingredients like applesauce for butter in banana bread or oat flour in cookies can boost nutrition content while adding new flavors. For well-loved recipes that should remain unchanged, focus on enjoying them along with other nutritious foods to form a well-balanced plate.

Finding nutrition balance

The holiday season can be a joyful time. You can still enjoy it while finding nutrition balance this holiday season. Remember, you do not have to have an “all-or-nothing” mindset when it comes to choosing what you eat. Instead, make a few health-conscious decisions each day to help you feel your best.

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