Happy Holiday Eating: A little about food and function.

By Carrie B. Bergener                     October 2025

An exciting spectacle of celebratory indulgences that combine food with socializing mark our holiday season. At the same time the ingredients of the food match the compassion of the season with high sugar, fats and refined grains.  Holiday parties and meals are laden with appetizers, entrees and desserts that are calorically dense and match the season’s gratifications with volume and variety. While these steps in our meals serve an important function of our culture, we are blasted with food advertisements and advice to “better” our consumption.  There are the “no regrets, eat all you want” calorie-dense buffets that entice us to eat now and pay later. Some advertisements are admonishments to eat healthy menus that turn out tasteless, scantily portioned menus that taste like a mixture of hay and cardboard. This year, Taspen’s looks at ways to substitute refined sugars, ditch the fats, eat something green and enjoy some protein while still celebrating the season. With expert wisdom from Julie Noyle, Taspen’s yoga teacher and Registered Dietitian, we offer ways for Happy Holiday Eating!

Holiday meals begin with appetizers that both stimulate the appetite and ease hunger.  While that seems like contradicting outcomes, priming the digestive system aids the gut in preparing for a full meal by producing gastric juices. Easing the hunger pain promotes less ravenous consumption of food which allows more mindful, slow and healthy eating. Julie tells us the most important nutritional factors to think about are protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. She suggests foods like cheese and crackers, olives, nuts, raw vegetables (think carrots, celery, cucumber, bell pepper) with hummus, fresh fruit (think strawberries, apples, pears) with cheese and/or Greek yogurt, and cold shrimp, smoked salmon, and deli meats. So, let your family and guests enjoy appetizers and time together before moving to the main course.

The entree is the central dish of the meal and serves a cultural significance of sharing ethnicity and family history as we enjoy family recipes passed down for generations.  The entree, accompanied by side dishes, are often the most caloric of the meal.  Potatoes, stuffing, pasta, scalloped this-and-that are flavored and often prepared with milk, butter, cream and cheese. Again, we turned to Julie for recommendations on side dishes that are, perhaps even more tasty and can be prepared without the high caloric results. She suggests replacing high fat ingredients with low or reduced fat ingredients. Julie also offers the following recipes from eatingwell.com. (Apple, Onion, and Cranberry Stuffing, Roasted Beets, Mashed Sweet Potatoes). Another option is to be intentional about the way you prepare your plate. Think about making half your plate fruits and vegetables, a quarter protein, and the other quarter grains. Julie tells us to enjoy an additional side dish that aligns with your nutritional, social, and cultural preferences and it's okay to enjoy the full-fat version sometimes!

Dessert signals the end of the meal and is another culturally significant element that brings the pleasure of spending time together and creating bonds of friends and family. Of the 5 flavors we humans taste and desire (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami,) sweet is typically the taste satisfied at dessert. Healthy alternatives to sugar and fat are found with dark chocolate and fruits. For dessert options Julie offered the following suggestions. Be mindful about what and how much you want (if anything!). Once you make the choice, enjoy it without guilt or shame. Notice the taste and texture of the food. Put your utensil down after each bite and savor the bite. When you’re all done with your meal, consider taking a 10-minute family walk to help support digestion, blood sugar balance, and family bonding!

Understanding food content and flavor, and the significance of our holiday meal gatherings and cultures is fun and important to our well-being.  It’s good and reassuring to know that we can enjoy our celebrations and indulge in many good things while maintaining our health.  Happy Holidays!