Health Through the Holidays: Nourish Well, Savor the Moments
The holidays have a way of sneaking up on us. One moment we’re savoring the last of fall, and the next we’re staring down a calendar packed with gatherings, travel, shopping, and enough celebrations to make even the most balanced routine feel shaky. For many people, this season brings a mix of joy, anticipation, nostalgia—and sometimes a little stress about staying healthy when food traditions, busy schedules, and indulgences are everywhere.
But staying healthy through the holidays doesn’t have to mean restriction or rigidity. It also doesn’t mean skipping the foods you look forward to all year. Instead, it’s about being intentional: planning well, choosing what truly matters, and building memories that nourish more than just your plate.
Plan Your Plate Before the Party
One of the most effective ways to enjoy the holidays without feeling overwhelmed is simple: plan ahead. Instead of walking into a busy season hoping for the best, take a breath and look at your calendar with intention.
Are there multiple gatherings in one week? Choose where you might want to indulge and where you’ll keep things lighter. If you know Thursday’s office party always has your favorite homemade fudge, maybe Wednesday’s dinner is a nourishing at-home meal with vegetables, protein, and plenty of color. When you consciously decide what you want your week to look like, you take back control from the chaos.
Planning also means making sure your everyday choices support your energy. Keep your basics in place—hydration, protein at each meal, produce variety, and movement you enjoy. Those small anchors help steady the bigger swings the holiday season brings.
Set a Menu With Intention (and Joy!)
When you’re hosting or contributing to a holiday meal, think beyond tradition and consider how you want to feel. Setting the menu intentionally can create a celebration that’s both delicious and supportive of your health.
Start with the staples you truly love. Not every holiday food needs to make an appearance just because “we always make it.” If Aunt Susan’s marshmallow salad has been going mostly untouched for ten years, let it retire gracefully. Choose the dishes that bring genuine joy—your grandmother’s stuffing, your family’s favorite soup, the pie you wait for all year.
Then, balance those indulgent favorites with nutrient-dense sides and vibrant additions. Simple roasted vegetables, a crisp seasonal salad, or a fresh fruit board can add color, texture, and nourishment without feeling like “health food.” When everything on the table is intentional, you experience the meal with more presence and less guilt.
Menu planning also encourages mindful preparation. Prepping veggies or assembling dishes earlier in the week can reduce the last-minute rush and leave you more energy for connection, conversation, and the parts of the holiday that matter most.
Create Family Memories Beyond the Plate
Food is an important part of holiday culture, but it’s not the only source of connection. The traditions you build with family (and friends who feel like family) can make the season richer in ways that linger long after the last cookie is eaten.
This year, consider creating memories around activities that have nothing to do with the kitchen. Go for a holiday lights walk with warm mittens and good conversation. Host a game night, explore a Christmas market, or break out old photo albums and retell the stories that make your whole family laugh. Decorate the tree together, volunteer, build a fire pit night, or add a new tradition—like writing gratitude cards or crafting ornaments.
These kinds of experiences reinforce that the holiday spirit is ultimately about presence, not just presents… and certainly not just the food. When memories come from time together, not just what’s on the table, it naturally shifts the season’s focus and reduces the pressure around eating.
Indulge Where It’s Truly Special
Holiday health doesn’t require skipping the foods that make the season magical. The key is to indulge intentionally—where it feels meaningful, nostalgic, or simply delicious. The store-bought cookies at every event may not be worth it, but Grandma’s cinnamon rolls that only show up once a year absolutely might be.
Let yourself enjoy what’s special. Savor it, slow down, and make it an experience rather than something you rush through or eat mindlessly while distracted. When indulgence is thoughtful, it becomes part of a balanced life rather than something that throws you off track.
Your Holidays, Your Health
Ultimately, staying healthy through the holidays isn’t about rules—it’s about mindfulness, preparation, and choosing what truly matters. When you plan ahead, create intentional menus, build memories beyond food, and indulge where it counts, you give yourself the gift of a holiday season that feels good physically, mentally, and emotionally.
This year, let your holiday be full of nourishment, connection, and joy that lasts. You deserve to feel your best—even in the busiest, brightest season of the year.
Jenn Paet, Health Coach