What’s Most Important About Holiday Meals?
MEALS SHOULD:
- be fun
- be delicious
- nourish your body & soul
- not be focused on nutrition content (keep conversation away from how “healthy” or “not healthy” the food is. Just eat and enjoy!!)
Here’s the truth:
YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO OVEREAT SOMETIMES!
- Our bodies are made to go through feast as well as famine.
- We should feast (“eat too much”) sometimes. Holidays being the perfect example!
- There will be times that we eat smaller meals. Like when you’re sick, or just not that hungry.
Lower the stress around holiday meals by preparing things ahead of time!
Why Use Make Ahead Recipes?
- Remove stress so you can enjoy your time
- Have things ready and share the oven with the turkey
- Get help from others
- Decrease dishes on the big day!
Here are Julie’s favorite holiday recipes that you can make (or at least prep) ahead of time!
Breakfast:
- Coffee cake (prep dry ingredients the night before) – I use my grandmother’s recipe!
- Baked French toast (prep the whole thing the day before) – https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/15057/overnight-blueberry-french-toast/
Appetizers:
- Spinach Dip – Make 1-2 days ahead, keep in fridge. – https://cancerdietitian.com/2016/12/holiday-recipe-healthified-spinach-dip.html
- Italian Soup (Minestrone) – Make ahead and keep in fridge, or freeze – https://myeverydaytable.com/easy-minestrone-soup/
- Curried winter squash soup – Make ahead and keep in fridge, or freeze – https://cancerdietitian.com/2011/10/chef-jeffs-winter-squash-recipes-as-promised.html
- Garden Veggie Soup – Make ahead and keep in fridge, or freeze
- Pumpkin Butter – Make 1-2 days ahead, keep in fridge – https://cancerdietitian.com/2020/11/pumpkin-butter-recipe.html
Meat:
- Buy already cooked ham or turkey and reheat in oven.
- Cook your turkey in an instant pot (10# turkey in 8 qt instant pot) – https://cancerdietitian.com/2019/11/holiday-recipes-instant-pot-turkey-breast.html
- Cook turkey breast in a crockpot – https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/slow-cooker-turkey-breast/
Sides:
- ●Mashed Potato/ Potato Casserole – make 1 day ahead – https://cancerdietitian.com/2019/11/holiday-recipes-aunt-donnas-garlic-mashed-potatoes.html
- Cauliflower Version: https://cancerdietitian.com/2021/05/creamy-garlic-mashed-cauliflower.html
- Whipped sweet potatoes – make 1 day ahead
- Kale Salad –make 1 day ahead https://cancerdietitian.com/2015/11/cancer-dietitian-kale-salad-recipe-video.html
- Cranberries – can make ahead for fridge or freezer https://cancerdietitian.com/2016/12/3834.html
- Broccoli & Rice Casserole – can make ahead for fridge or freezer.
- Stuffing – Dad’s Stuffing can be made a day ahead and reheated in oven with mashed potatoes. https://cancerdietitian.com/2010/11/tasty-and-good-for-you-holiday-recipes-from-your-cancer-dietitian.html
- Mac & Cheese – https://cancerdietitian.com/2021/05/carrot-mac-and-cheese.html
- Roasted Veggies – prep ahead, roast the day of. https://cancerdietitian.com/2019/05/recipes-from-yesterdays-cooking-class-2.html
Desserts:
- NO BAKE Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie – make 1 day ahead https://cancerdietitian.com/2021/04/chocolate-peanut-butter-pie-tofu.html
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie – prep the day before, bake during dinner https://cancerdietitian.com/2017/12/vegan-pumpkin-pie-yes-delicious.html
- Holiday Cookies – can make them 1 week ahead and store in the freezer. Or make the dough ahead and bring out to cook the day of
What Would Julie Do?
For whatever reason, people always like to know from dietitian’s – “but what do you eat?” I am happy to share with you my plans. I am not one that loves to be in the kitchen on holidays (and neither is my husband, or children!) I love to sit around and read, and have fancy drinks and talk with family and friends, and take naps! So here is my plan for maximizing enjoyment on holidays:
Breakfast: Overnight French Toast (prepped night before)
Appetizers: Spinach dip, Soup, Pumpkin Dip (all made 2 days ahead)
Drinks: Hot Cider in crockpot
Meat: Ham, Turkey in crockpot
Sides: Kale Salad, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Veggies, Cranberries, Stuffing (all made 1 day ahead, veggies prepped for roasting)
Desserts: Chocolate PB Pie (made 1 day ahead), cookies (made 1 week ahead and stored in freezer)
WATCH THE WEBINAR RECORDING!
I presented this information in webinar form last week for Triage Cancer. Check out the recording here!
Don’t forget!
MEALS SHOULD:
- be fun
- be delicious
- nourish your body & soul
- not be focused on nutrition content (keep conversation away from how “healthy” or “not healthy” the food is. Just eat and enjoy!!)
Happy Holidays!!
-Julie
