Nutritious choices made simple ®
Feeding others or providing edible holiday gifts is a long held tradition, and we’re all for it! Giving food gifts—especially homemade ones—is an act that comes from the heart and shows care and consideration. And that’s what you’re going for when you give a food gift, right? Purchased food gifts of high-quality provisions or local specialties are also welcomed by most (I myself love getting those nice boxes of citrus fruit) and the convenience factor for the giver cannot be beat.
On a normal day, managing diabetes requires constant attention to blood sugar levels and thoughtful choices in your diet. During the holidays, things get even more complicated for diabetics. Parties, travel, and a never-ending barrage of sugary treats can disrupt their routine and create a real health challenge. I’ve compiled some tips from the CDC and the American Diabetes Association to help people with diabetes enjoy a healthy holiday season.
The last thing you want to do as a guest is show up and take up valuable counter and oven space to prepare your dish. We’re planning to bring Southern Cornbread in a cast iron skillet to this year’s meal. I will bake the recipe ahead and cover the skillet with some aluminum foil to transport it in the car. When we arrive, I will heat it up on the stovetop to serve it warm.
Happy holidays! Let’s keep them that way with food safety guidelines that keep your family and friends safe. From a day of baking to the holiday office party, we’ve got you covered with tips and resources to ensure your holiday is all joy and cheer.
I’m one of those people who throw an annual holiday party, and every year I make a big bowl (okay, more like 2-3 bowls) of punch for my guests. I serve grown-up punch: its festive appearance (complete with fancy ice ring) belies its potency. People look forward to it because punch is one of those things that just screams “party.” Plus, pretty much nobody else I know makes punch.
Let’s face it: the holidays are not all glowing and perfect like the picture found on the front of a Hallmark card. They are packed with last-minute gift giving, scrambling for your child who “forgot” to tell you they need a crimson collared shirt for their holiday concert, and well, just trying to keep up. Whether it’s because you’re too busy to get to the supermarket or craving less healthful foods, holiday stress reaches all aspects of your food choices. The good news is you’re not alone, and there are solutions to these common problems.
Figs are a delightful treat in the fall and winter. If you’re looking for non-alcoholic beverages to delight guests at a holiday party, try making up a big batch of this delicious smoothie and serving it in small cocktail glasses.
It seems like most people either fall into one of two camps when it comes to stress: it either prompts you to eat more than you usually would (science shows that’s about 40% of the population), or it completely takes away your appetite (another 40% fall here; the other 20% don’t change their food intake at all in the face of stress). Add in all the holiday “joy” that’s around right now and it’s not difficult to see that lots of us use food and alcohol to assuage our seasonal stress. And yet, there are ways around it, thank goodness. For the sake of your health and sanity, you owe it to yourself to try and manage your stress in non-food ways.