6 Ways to Eat More Vegetables During the Holidays
- Becky Tamez
- Dec 16, 2020
- 4 min read
The holidays are the worse for eating.
You know what I'm saying.
There is all the good tasting stuff and none of the good healthy stuff.
Everyone passes out after eating and then say "Well, I'm going on a diet after this!"
It doesn't have to be that way.
As fun and exciting as this sounds...
You can eat more veggies and be more healthier for the holidays!!
My family changed to a whole foods, plant based diet a few months ago, so Thanksgiving was a little nerve racking for me.
How was I going to handle what all comes with a Thanksgiving feast??
TMI here but...was I going to be running to the bathroom every 5 minutes because my stomach wasn't used to the stuff any more? And worse...were my kids going to be doing the same??
We went to my aunt's house, which we normally do, and her daughter and son in law were there and they are ALSO plant based and have been for years.
So this Thanksgiving there were 7 people who are plant based at the feast!!!
What is going to happen here!!
I will tell you...
To my surprise, it was THE HEALTHIEST Thanksgiving I have EVER HAD!!
It was amazing and soooo delicious!!
It got me thinking that others holiday events can be the same way and for you too!!
We don't have to keep with the whole "let's eat crap for the holidays" mentality....
We can change it!!
My cousin and her husband thanked me when they left (as a farmer I kind of have a lot of vegetables lying around so when they told me to bring vegetables...I DID!). They said they normally bring there own food for Thanksgiving (can you imagine??? Having to bring your own plate to a Thanksgiving feast??)
And this time...they didn't have to open their food at all!!! They got to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with no worries!!
So here's how it's done...how you too can have a healthier holiday season
And these ideas were not initiated by me...this was all my aunt's doing!! Kuddos to her for sure!
1. Host it yourself!!
I know...you probably don't like cooking for your immediate family much less a gathering of people. But, you make the main dish and have them bring a side. You tell them to bring vegetables. That's what my aunt did! She had the turkey and told us (and everyone else!) to bring the vegetables!
2. If you're invited to a holiday gathering, offer to bring a side of vegetables.
You don't have to tell them that it's going to be vegetables, just that you're going to bring a side and then show up with vegetables. People will eat what's there. If you bring the crap, they'll eat the crap. If you bring the good, they'll eat the good!
3. Get farm fresh vegetables
I don't have to tell you that they're way healthier anyways, but they're fun. If you tell all your guests you got these vegetables from the farm, they are going to think that that is super cool and you are super awesome! See?? Instant hit of the party! Plus...you can get great recipes for those vegetables from your farmer...because guess what they're eating during the holidays??
4. Get a little creative with the vegetables.
I made Broccoli Greens Au Gratin for Thanksgiving. It was amazing...totally dairy free so people we're really weirded out by that but it was fun, new, and something they had never tried before. And guess what...THEY LOVED IT! So try something new and fun with your veggies that maybe YOU haven't even done before! (I hadn't made the Broccoli Greens Au Gratin before...it was a total experiment! AND it worked! Whew!!)
5. Eat all the vegetables sides first before the meat.
Your plate should be 95% vegetable sides and 5% meat. And you should eat all the vegetables first! You're plate is full of all these fun veggie sides that you or your family have made and I bet they're delicious! Then you'll fill up a bit before scarfing down the meat that you won't want as much of that which then means not so sleepy!!
6. Eat as much vegetables as you want!!
Vegetables are naturally low fat, low calorie and you're body knows exactly how to digest them and turn them into the energy it needs. You can eat AS MUCH AS YOU WANT of vegetables with no side effects!!! Now...what you put on them is another story...so try to go for dairy free recipes and ask your guests to do the same. When you start slathering things up with butter and oils, you're just adding fats to them and you don't want that. And it really isn't necessary. Roast your veggies plain with only some Everything Bagel Seasoning or sauté them with vegetable broth instead of oil or butter. They turn out wonderful and you really get to see the true flavor of the vegetables without all that excess.
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