Holiday Survival Guide
From travel snacks to recipes and how to keep your kids from having a sugar meltdown...
We’re about halfway into the holiday season and this is generally the time when I start hearing from clients and friends that are getting tired of the Champagne and chocolate, feeling fatigued, bloated, stressed, and uncomfortable in their clothes. So how can you enjoy the final stretch of the holidays without the hangovers, sugar highs, and that dreaded feeling that you need start over again in January?
Master your mindset. When you think about it, the holidays are just a few extra parties and meals, but many of us write it off as a time where it’s not possible to follow our healthy routines and feel good. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. There is space where you can have your favorite panettone and your salmon with greens. If you’re not satisfied with how you’re feeling, the choices you’ve been making or find diet-y thoughts creeping in, here are some tips:
Be intentional. It can also be all too easy to eat mindlessly this time of year. There’s a big difference between an intentional indulgence that makes your heart sing and eating just for the sake of it. Unidentified passed apps? Sure. Random packaged chocolate thing you don’t even really like? Why not? Instead, ask yourself these questions: Do I want this? Does this feel good?
It’s not all or nothing. As a culture we love to engage in this holiday off-the-wagon, see you next year mentality. This idea that we sign off at Thanksgiving and put our health on hold until next year is really just yo-yo dieting in disguise. It’s normal (and it can be fun!) to have more indulgent meals this time of year, but that doesn’t mean that all your meals need to be, or that you need to spend January repenting for your sins. One meal won’t change your life, but six weeks of it can start to impact your nutrition and wellbeing.
Nourishment over restriction! Resist the urge to restrict before a big meal. If you show up to the party hungry or feel like you need to repent for yesterday’s choices, it will likely backfire. If you don’t feel satisfied by your “healthy” food you’re going to rebel against it later. Instead, make sure you’re getting your nutrition in daily. Are you hitting your protein needs (check my protein cheat sheet here!), eating enough fiber and vegetables, drinking enough water? Prioritize these things, and the extra-ness of the season won’t impact you as much.
Commit to your wellness non-negotiables. Maybe that means moving your body every day (even if it’s a walk), having a solid breakfast, taking your supplements, prioritizing sleep, or meditating.
Have fun! If it’s not fun, what’s the point. Life is short. Remember: being hungover is not fun. Especially when you have kids. Gahhh.
Have a travel game plan. Travel can easily throw you out of the routines that keep you energized, sleeping well, digesting well and feeling good. My number one tip for travel days is to *plan ahead* and stick to a regular eating schedule to avoid the graze fest. Eat your meals at the time you normally would and try to avoid excessive snacking in between. This might mean bringing breakfast, lunch or dinner with you or planning ahead where you will stop (if you’re driving or your airport happens to have good food). It can be fun to have something snacky with you, so factor that in and bring something so you’re not in food purgatory (you know, when you’re snacking on random food for hours and feel neither satisfied or hungry—and, perhaps, even a bit sick).
Aside from the travel day itself, what do you do when you get there? Maybe you’re staying at a hotel, an airbnb or with family. Each brings it’s own unique challenges, but learning to sit somewhere in between your regular routine and going with the flow is the key to enjoying yourself and feeling good.
While there may be more meals out or cooked by others, there is generally at least one meal (typically breakfast) that you own — meaning you can have whatever you want without judgement. Maybe you make yourself some eggs, bring your own collagen powder to add protein to your oats, or find a coffee spot or smoothie bar nearby where you can get a protein shake or another healthy breakfast option.
Bringing satisfying, blood sugar balancing snacks also helps. Here are a few ideas that will fit into your suitcase.
Dry Roasted Edamame: Crunchy, slightly salty, low in carbs, and high in protein, these are a great packaged snack!
Chomps: These are grass fed, tasty and easy to travel with.
Protein bars: A few of my favorites are Aloha (try the peanut butter cup flavor!), Redd, and Sakara.
Raw nuts and seeds: You can make your own trail mix with an assortment of nutrient-dense nuts and seeds.
Nut butter packets: Great with a piece of fruit, in a yogurt, on a cracker or on it’s own. My favorite is Pic’s Peanut Butter Slugs — if you’re in LA, you can find them at Erewhon (shocker).
Beef Jerky: The County Archer brand is great and commonly found at the airport. Make sure to get the sugar free kind!
Ella’s Flats: I’m obsessed with these crackers. They have zero grams of net carbs and 8 grams of protein per serving! A great vehicle for dips, nut butters, cheese, etc., or just on their own.
Brami Beans: I’ll admit these are a little polarizing — people either love them or hate them, but they’re high protein, low carb, and shelf stable. Worth a try!
Collagen powder: Not really a snack, but you can add to your coffee, tea, yogurt, or an oatmeal cup to make your meals more satisfying and ensure you’re getting your protein in. My favorite unflavored collagen is from Needed (use the code MIA20 for a discount).
Electrolytes: Hydration is critical during travel and can be easily neglected. I love LMNT and Needed's Hydration Support. They both come in single serve packets, which are perfect for adding to your water bottle on-the-go.
Offer to cook. If you’re spending the holiday at someone else’s house, offer to bring a dish that you enjoy and will make you feel good. I often hear feedback that there aren’t enough vegetables at certain family gatherings, so maybe you bring a side dish or salad. If you have dietary restrictions, perhaps you offer to bring a dessert that you can enjoy as well. You don’t need to make a big deal about your cookies being gluten free or low in sugar, just put them on the dessert table and no one will be the wiser. *At the end of the post are three recipes I love for a holiday dinner party.*
Manage your kids sugar intake. This is easier said than done, especially during the holidays. Trust me, I get it — Ozzie has been having his advent calendar chocolate every morning before breakfast these days. I’m not trying to be the fun police, but I am always teetering between wanting my son to have the full experience of something and making sure that I’m setting him up for success with his behavior. As a parent, it’s easy to see when your kids have had too much sugar and not enough nourishment. Cue the tantrums: which really aren’t enjoyable for anyone — you or your kid. It ruins the fun of the whatever the holiday treat was.
Focusing on your kids blood sugar will help them regulate their emotions and energy levels, and it doesn’t mean they can’t partake in any of the holiday fun. Just make sure they’re getting some protein and/or fat with the sugar to balance things out. Whether that’s with snacks (we love Chomps sticks in my house), a string cheese with their lollipop, or just doing your best to get them to eat meals. If you’re making cookies or another dessert as a fun activity, you could try my snickerdoodle recipe below or just halve the sugar. It doesn’t need a full cup of sugar — try 1/2 cup (or whatever half the recipe is). It’s more about the making the cookies together than the sweetness of it. And I promise they’ll still be good!
Okay, but here’s the catch. If your kids find out that you’re trying to limit their sugar intake or if you make a big deal out of it with lots of “no’s” and “you can’t have thats,” it’s likely to backfire. My advice is to try to make it as festive and special as possible. They don’t need to know how much sugar is in the recipe (or isn’t in it). We also love to make “Christmas Trail Mix” in my house — a mix of popcorn, peanuts, dark chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and raisins. A little fun mixed in with some protein, fiber, and fats.
If you’re traveling with kids, you have to have a strong snack game. In addition to the ideas in the snack list (some of which your kids may like, and others not so much), I love Happy Wolf bars for kids (use my discount code: MIA20).
Recipes: Two veg-forward dishes and a healthy-ish cookie recipe to bring to your next holiday gathering.
Recipe: Radicchio & Shaved Apple Salad
Ingredients:
Dressing:
2 tablespoons minced shallot
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt
Salad:
3-4 cups radicchio, chopped
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup fennel, thinly sliced with a mandolin
1/4 cup parsley leaves
1/2 medium-sized Fuji apple, thinly sliced
1/3 cup smoked almonds, roughly chopped (you can use regular almonds if you don’t have smoked)
1/3 cup shaved pecorino cheese
Flaked sea salt
Directions:
Start by making the dressing. Add the shallots, lemon juice, and a pinch of sea salt to a jar and let sit for 10 minutes. This lightly pickles the shallots.
Whisk in the mustard and honey, followed by the olive oil. Set aside until you’re ready to dress the salad.
When you’re ready to serve, add the radicchio, arugula, fennel, parsley, and apples to a salad bowl.
Pour the dressing on top, toss, then add the almonds and pecorino cheese, and toss again.
Sprinkle flaked sea salt on top and serve immediately.
Recipe: Roasted Honeynut Squash with Herbed Tahini Sauce
Ingredients:
4 honeynut squash, deseeded and quartered
1 tablespoon honey
Leaves from 1 sprig of thyme
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons filtered water
Juice and zest from 1 Meyer lemon (use a regular lemon if you can’t find)
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped, plus 1/4 cup mint, sliced into ribbons
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
Kosher and flaked sea salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375.
Spread the quartered honeynut squash evenly across a baking sheet.
Whisk together the olive oil, honey, and thyme, and pour the mixture over the squash.
Season with salt and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until tender.
While the squash is baking, make your tahini sauce. Whisk together the tahini, water, lemon zest and juice, finely chopped mint and parsley until smooth. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if it is too thick or lumpy. Season with salt and set aside. You could also use a food processor for this, but I’d recommend doubling the recipe and using the leftover as a dip for chips or crudités.
When the squash is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before arranging on a platter.
Top with tahini sauce, pomegranate seeds, pistachios and the remaining mint.
Sprinkle some flaked sea salt on top and serve warm or at room temperature.
The squash and tahini sauce can be made up to one day in advance and assembled the next day.
Recipe: Snickerdoodles (Gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free!)
Ingredients
1 stick of organic pasture-raised butter (½ cup), soft
½ cup plus 2 tbsp of coconut sugar, divided
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups gluten free flour (like Bob’s Redmill)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Cream together the butter and ½ cup of coconut sugar in a stand mixer. Next, add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to beat until fully combined.
Mix together the flour, baking soda, cream of tatar and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing until fully combined. Next, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar and ground cinnamon to a shallow bowl.
Create one-inch balls of snickerdoodle dough, roll in cinnamon and coconut sugar mixture and place on baking sheet. Continue until all of the dough is used, then use a cup to flatten cookies into disks.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and enjoy!
This was really handy, thank you!