The Holiday season can be amazing, full of joy and wonder, family, happiness, and hope. It can also be stressful and overwhelming at times. When we are trying to make healthier choices for ourselves, the holidays can be even more difficult. Our family members, co-workers, etc may not be following the same changes or even know that you are trying new things. It can force conversations you may not want to have or open up new avenues of support you didn’t know you had! With the holidays fast approaching, I would like to share some ideas for navigating this time of year.
Plan Ahead- This might be the most crucial tip. Whether it is a party, work event, or family meal, planning ahead can make a huge difference. If you are attending, check in with the host and offer to bring food. If you feel comfortable, you can explain why you would like to contribute to the food, especially if they insist you don’t need to bring anything. Once you explain that you have some food restrictions to follow, most hosts will likely be more than happy for you to contribute food. Be sure to bring enough to share! Whole food, plant-based meals are delicious and you don’t have to be strictly following any diet to enjoy them!
Check with the Restaurant-If you are going out to eat but don’t have a say in the location, call ahead! I have had great success with calling restaurants that may not have anything specifically plant-based on their menu. There have been a few group outings where I have not been able to select the restaurant so a couple days ahead, I gave them a call. I have always been offered an option that ultimately was envied by others! It never hurts to ask.
Eat Before You Go- If you really aren’t able to get a meal that works for you, you can always eat before you go. If you are full when you arrive, you won’t be so worried about eating or as tempted by the available options. At lot of places will have fruit or veggie trays and although I wouldn’t call it a full meal, you can certainly snack throughout the evening on that. Especially if you are full when you arrive!
Take Charge- If you are in a situation where you are able to host, do it. Then you will be in charge of the food. You can ask people to contribute sides like fruit and vegetable trays or drinks, etc. If you are sticking to a plant based menu (which I hope you do!) but are serving guests who eat animal products, allow someone else to bring those to dinner. Don’t feel obligated to make food that you don’t want to eat but I think it is also fair to let others bring the foods they are comfortable with eating. Just as I would hope others do in return as mentioned above.
Have an Explanation Ready- Following a plant based diet is not always easy at the beginning in a society that is not set up for it. At the same time, your personal choices of what you eat and why are not really any one else’s business. However, during the holidays, food choices will likely come up and you have to be ready for what you are going to say. Or not say. If you are comfortable discussing your healthier choices, go for it! Explain the health benefits of a plant-based diet and share the ones you have experienced for yourself. There are often people who are not comfortable with following a diet that is different from the standard and they may have strong opinions. It is not your job to change their mind, best to just move the conversation on to something else.
Hopefully these few tips can help you navigate the holiday season a little more easily. Making lifestyle changes, no matter what they are, can be difficult. The most important thing is consistency. We already know that whole food, plant-based meals are delicious which means the holidays can be just as delicious as that have always been.
