by Ashley Harris of diaVerge
When I think about the holidays, I think of family, friends… and food.
Food plays such a huge role in holiday celebrations; we simply cannot ignore it.
We NEED a plan!
When we put ourselves in the position to rely solely upon willpower to avoid high carb foods, we set ourselves up for failure or bitterness.
Keto pumpkin pie by Gnomgnom.com
If, by some display of super-human strength, you can refrain from eating the foods you know will cause you issues, you will spend the entire day agonizing over the fact that you "can't" have any of the "good stuff."
(Ask me how I know this!)
The holiday season should not be spent lamenting all of the foods you can't have! Trust me! You will enjoy yourself so much more if you make a plan that you actually look forward to and KNOW you can follow through with.
I want to help you make that plan that empowers you to feel 100% confident that you CAN make it through the holidays without putting things into your body that you know will make you feel miserable. A plan that will allow you to enjoy your time with the people that you love without feeling resentful about the foods you are missing out on!
Staying 100% low carb during the holidays IS possible...but not without a plan!
Talk to your host or hostess
Select what you can make to substitute for some of the high carb foods. This might consist of:
Stuffing
Gravy
Bread/rolls
Dessert
Look for low carb recipes as replacements for those high-carb items. See some of our favorite recipes listed below.
Other great low carb items are charcuterie (deli meat) and/or crudité (raw veggie) platters and these can often be purchased ready-made.
Prepare (or purchase) the low carb items that will help you have success
Go into your holiday celebration feeling empowered, knowing that your blood sugar levels will NOT cause you stress!
In my family, we share the work of preparing holiday meals. We’re fortunate to have an AMAZING extended family that is very conscientious of how my daughter and I choose to eat, and many times they consider this when preparing their food.
I don't make this entire menu myself to bring to every holiday gathering. Who would have the time for that? What I do is prepare two or three foods that will be safe for my daughter and me. That way, we have a solid plan in place. If a lovely family member shows up with a dish that is safe for us to eat, then that is just a bonus.
Keto Stuffing by AlldayIdreamaboutfood.com
Our MENU suggestions:
Turkey
Keto Spicy Sausage and Cheddar Stuffing (or Low Carb Pork & Vegetable Stuffing)
Green Beans
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Healthy Low-Carb Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce
Now tell me who could look at a menu like that and turn up their nose!
By making a few simple substitutions, many of the foods we are used to eating can be made low-carb friendly.
Keto Bread Rolls by kirbiecravings.com
Making a plan and preparing a few foods ourselves ensures that our favorite foods will be safe for us to eat during holiday gatherings. We don't have to feel like we’re missing out, and we also don't have to sacrifice our blood sugar control.
We can "have our cake and eat it too"... as long as the cake is low carb!
Leave a comment below with a link to your favorite low carb Thanksgiving/holiday recipe.
We’d love to hear from you!
What are the two key elements of optimal diabetes management, and how can we ensure 'luck' is on our side? The answer is simple, but not easy.