7 Gentle Nutrition Ideas for Intuitive Eaters at Holiday Meals
If you know me at all, you’ll know at the outset this isn’t a message about what to avoid or restrict to suck all the joy out of holiday eating. Food is meant to be pleasurable—especially so at the holidays when it brings family and loved ones together.
Let’s celebrate that food is so much more than energy and nutrients. It’s also how we share love, connection, memories, comfort, and more.
And isn’t that awesome? My point is, there's no need to feel guilty for eating food you enjoy ever, but especially at the holidays. Choose and eat foods you love—especially those seasonal favorites that only come around at certain times of the year!
Of course, it’s not necessary to tweak any of your holiday dishes. Full stop. But if you're looking for ways to incorporate some very gentle nutrition enhancements into your festive meals, I thought I’d throw out some ideas:
If you’re making stuffing or other dishes that call for broth and you’re not making it homemade, consider choosing a no-sodium version and seasoning it yourself. Most of the excess sodium in our diets comes from processed and packaged foods not the saltshaker so this is an easy way to make a heart healthy choice.
Up the fiber with whole grains. Consider making a grain salad... choosing brown or wild rice (or making a blend of white, brown, or wild)... or using a whole grain bread in your stuffing. I’ve made my stuffing with a dense whole wheat bread from the local bakery for years. Not only is it delicious, but I’m not sure anyone has ever even noticed the variation.
Does it seem like butter is in all your favorite holiday dishes? Maybe you want to swap some of that butter for more heart-healthy olive oil. I find that in many recipes you can make the switch pretty seamlessly.
Add color. Whether you’re filling your plate or planning the meal, look for ways to add colorful (and fiber-rich) fruits and veggies. Beets, winter squashes, greens, brussels sprouts, apples, pears, pomegranates, and others are yummy seasonal choices. Some make great standalone dishes and others make fun edible garnishes. Be sure to look for recipes that genuinely sound yummy to you—and don’t forget that roasting brings out the natural sugars in veggies making them extra tasty.
In charge of the apps? This is a great place to add in some nutrient-dense raw or blanched veggies, as well as fresh fruits, nuts, and seeds. Tzatziki, hummus, pesto, and bean dips make great dips and sides with a bit of gentle nutrition oomph. My family would revolt without the pigs in a blanket my sister brings to Thanksgiving every year… but we add variety and gentle nutrition with some of these other options too.
Season your dishes with fresh herbs and spices. Not only do these add tons of flavor, which means you can rely less on butter and salt, but they also pack an antioxidant punch and offer lots of other beneficial health properties. Stock up your grocery cart with rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley and other fresh herbs and look for ways to incorporate them into your holiday dishes.
Dark chocolate. Need I say more? It’s rich in antioxidants and flavonoids and according to some studies may even have protective cardiovascular benefits. (Given my penchant for dark chocolate, I think this means I should have the healthiest heart on the planet?! 😜) Maybe some quality dark chocolate would make a nice addition to your holiday dessert table?
As always, when we talk about gentle nutrition, I'm offering flexible tools and ideas NOT strict rules. Take only what you need and want and leave the rest (or all) of these ideas behind.
Remember, if it’s rigid, complicated, or unenjoyable, that’s not gentle nutrition. That’s diet culture—and we can give it a hard pass.
Enjoy your holidays, food, and loved ones this season!