Keep the Holidays Healthy, without compromising your diet! You can enjoy great food with family and friends and not go home with regrets or feeling ill.
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When you travel or visit relatives, you need an easy breakfast. I really like DIY Oatmeal Breakfast Cups because each person can custom prepare theirs according to their taste preferences.
I will suggest ideas on how to keep the holiday healthy and fun, whether you’re in the middle of the Whole30 diet or have food intolerances. Ideas that our family has put into practice and are approved by kids!
Holidays = Food Traditions
Food is an important part of any holiday, regardless of your home country. People like to host holiday celebrations and serve certain foods that reminds us of our culture. Food makes us feel comfortable and contributes to our memories as we age.
In America we have a holiday coming up on July 4th; Independence Day! It’s a federal holiday that reminds us of our countries independence and the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the year 1776. It’s a holiday we celebrate proudly with lots of food and noise!
Across our country, Americans celebrate with grilling hot dogs and hamburgers, everything red, white, and blue, lemonade, strawberry shortcake AND fireworks!
Fun Fact: It is estimated that 150 million hot dogs will be eaten on July 4th!
7 Suggestions on How to Keep Healthy in the Holiday!
- Inquire about the menu. Knowing what is on the menu can be helpful in so many ways!
- Contribute food. Find food that fits your diet and will be well received by others. (Think: strawberries, blueberries, vegetables to grill, drinks, and healthy dips.)
- Remember the 80/20 rule. Decide beforehand if you are going to “cheat” that day and if so, on which food item. Chose an item that won’t cause an allergic reaction (perhaps, potato chips?).
- Bring the beverage! Homemade lemonades, homemade iced tea, and even fruit/veggie infused water is a hit with almost everyone at a party.
- Pack your medicine, supplements, etc. If you take a digestive aid, bring it! Allergic to nuts or peanuts, bring your epi-pen! Its always recommended to bring an oral anti-histamine for hidden allergens.
- Consider bringing “look-alike” food. My family likes an organic hot dog that is sold at our local organic meat market, so we bring enough hot dogs for our family. I like to bring chips that are grain-free (see below for suggestions) or chips that have been made with a sustainable oil like coconut oil.
- Have fun and try a new recipe! Their are many healthy side dishes and desserts that are beautiful and tasty. Keep reading for links to grain free delicious desserts that fit the occasion!
Keep the Holidays Healthy
A recipe recommendation for you! Grain Free 4th of July Vanilla Cupcakes!! They are grain-free and lightly sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar. Not to mention, they are so fun to prepare!!
Grain Free Strawberry Shortcake made with locally picked strawberries! This dessert is one of my favorites during the summer. I might have even enjoyed it for breakfast! It’s nut-free and easy to prepare quickly.
Grain Free Mini Fruit Tarts would look appealing at any 4th of July celebration! They are fun to make and eat!
Corn-Free and Grain-Free Chip Options
The three BEST grain-free and corn-free chips:
#1 – Siete Sea Salt Tortilla Chips – DIP CHIP
#2 – Bean Chips, Himalayan Pink Salt – NACHO
#3 – Late July Sea Salt Multi Grain Tortilla Chips
We like to eat them plain, with salsa, hummus, or even with a homemade dill dip.
Communicate
Sometimes it comes down to communicating about our diets or food allergies. The last thing I would want to do is insult the host or make them feel awkward due to my food allergy, food sensitives or diet choices.
At family holiday gatherings, I am perfectly content to eat meat and vegetables. Usually that is safe for me and doesn’t make my stomach upset. I need to communicate that to the host so they don’t feel neglectful or uncomfortable. My daughters like to contribute to holidays with a special pie that is dairy free, which works well for at least five immediate family members!
Keep the Holidays Healthy Without compromising your diet!
Enjoy the holidays, your family, friends and the FOOD without any guilt! I hope you find the 7 suggestions helpful as well as the delicious grain free recipes!
It only takes a little bit of effort to make your time delightful.
Remember to inquire about the menu, contribute to the holiday spread, and consider bringing “look alike” food to the party!
Drinks are an easy way to contribute! You can keep it simple and creative!
Iced tea suggestions: Hibiscus tea bags , Green Tea & Ginger, Chamomile Lavender, Green Tea & dried raspberries, and True Blueberry herbal tea. I like to add 1-2 drops of liquid stevia to one quart of steeped tea. A little bit of stevia goes a long way, so SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia will last you many, many quarts of tea! Your friends and family will never know it’s sugar-free!
Amazon Link: Organic Hibiscus Iced Tea Bags – Pitcher Ready
Iced water infusions: oranges, lemons, cucumbers, peppermint, and blueberries. For more Infused Water Combinations check out Earth911’s fun chart!
I hope you found these suggestion helpful! It’s important to not spoil a holiday with a food reaction, upset stomach or even guilt over food that is not healthful for your body.
Happy 4th of July!!!
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