Holiday Cooking, Food Safety, and Medical Issues with Holiday Food

Holiday Cooking:

• Avoid using high-fat meats such as sausage for flavor in stuffing etc. Use low calorie alternatives such as oysters or tofu or other plant-based foods.
• Do use whole grains such as buckwheat groats or quinoa instead of processed grains. The more original form the food is in, the better.  Imagine picking it off of a tree or plant on the ground.
• Avoid baking but if you must, bake and package and get it out the door as soon as possible.
• Don’t add sugars and marshmallows to sweet potatoes and squashes. They are sweet enough as they are.
  • If you must add sweetness, onions and other vegetables can be caramelized or fruits can be added.

Holiday Food safety:

• Put leftovers away as soon as you know everyone is basically done eating.
  • Most foods have a safe cumulative time out of the oven or refrigerator/freezer of only 4 hours including travel from the grocery store.
  • Don’t let the raw vegetable touch the knife or cutting board you used to cut the raw poultry or meat.
  • If you think you have the 24 hour flu, it is more likely food poisoning!  see my blog at www.foodhealth.net (https://www.foodhealth.net/news/) for more on food storage and food safety. 

Medical Issues: 

• Read all the Holiday eating tips, they pertain to you. But those with Diabetes or Cardiovascular issues have some special challenges.

Diabetes:

• If you have diabetes, watch the sugars and starches.
• Try to make ½ the plate non-starchy vegetables, ¼ of your plate starches (no matter how many) and ¼ proteins.
• Use whole grains for stuffing and add vegetables, nuts, seeds, or lean proteins.
• Avoid going back for seconds.
• If you are eating sweets or starches, try to spread out your carbohydrates. 
• Eat as small an amount of any sweet (if you must) as you can imagine and mindfully enjoy your couple of bites.
• See below if you are also leaning toward cardiovascular issues, since you have a high risk of that by having Diabetes Mellitus.

Cardiovascular Issues

If you have cardiovascular issues such as a high cholesterol level or high blood pressure or are on medicines for these

• Limit the use of salt or don’t add it at all – use herbs & spices.
• Limit creamy or fatty sauces.
• Avoid regular cheese, gravy, and high fat meats such as sausage.
• Use whole grains for stuffing and add vegetables, lean proteins and nuts or seeds.
• White meat turkey without the skin, seafood (except salt cod), or vegetarian options which don’t have saturated fats added are good options.
• Watch out for processed grains like white rice and white bread in stuffing or elsewhere.
• Try to make ½ the plate non-starchy vegetables, ¼ of your plate starches (no matter how many) and ¼ proteins.
• Avoid going back for seconds.
• Limit Sugars.
  • If you must eat sweets, eat as small an amount as you can imagine and mindfully enjoy your couple of bites.
• Limit or avoid butter and red meat, but if you must, try to use the grass fed (for their entire lives) types.

Remember the real reasons for the holiday instead of focusing on food. Figure out ways to have fun other than just with food and alcohol. Focus on family and friends or on spiritual thoughts like helping others, gratitude, peace, and love.