How to Stay Healthy Over the Holidays on a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet

Let’s face it: it’s easy enough to eat vegan over the holidays, now that there are so many prepared foods and we’ve learned how to recreate our family favorites without animal products. But if you’ve been working hard to switch to a whole food plant-based diet for health reasons, this can be a very challenging time.

It is so doable, though! It just takes a bit of forethought and preparation so you’re ready for any celebration that comes your way. While we’re used to letting it all go over the holiday season, you can stay strong and still be well fed and satisfied with holiday treats, and start the new year with your healthy habits already in place.

Prepare ahead

As with most things, preparation is key. Start saving whole food plant-based recipes you’d like to use through the season, and keep a running list so you know where to go when you need an idea quickly. Stock your pantry with the things you’ll use often: check your spices and replenish anything that’s low, and make sure your whole grain flours and baking ingredients are stocked up.

Plan your appetizers

When you’re expecting company, plan appetizers so you aren’t reaching for high fat, processed snacks like chips. Save some dip recipes, like hummus, baked spinach and artichoke dip, and white bean dips, and serve them with baked chips made from corn tortillas, toasted whole grain bread rounds, and seasonal vegetables. Cooked appetizers like stuffed mushrooms or buffalo cauliflower can also be made with clean ingredients. Need ideas? Browse our appetizers and dips.

Bring a dish to share

If you’re invited to a friend’s or family member’s home, bring a dish to share. You can’t always count on there being something at a party that you can eat, so this ensures there will be. These dishes are great conversation starters, too. People are often surprised at how delicious plant-based food can be, and it’s a natural way to talk about how you eat and why. Friends and family may be more open to the topic while they’re actually enjoying it.

Don’t skip dessert

You don’t have to miss out at dessert time or cookie swaps. There are plenty of whole food plant-based desserts and cookie recipes made with clean ingredients. If you have a favorite family recipe, think about how to adapt it:

• Unsweetened applesauce can replace oil, 1:1, in many baking recipes.
• Any plant milk can replace cow’s milk.
• For eggs, use an egg replacer or a flax egg: 1 egg = 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water. Stir and let it sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Two things to remember

1. If you veer off track, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back to eating well with your next meal. Once your body is used to clean whole food plant-based eating, you may notice how much worse you feel after other foods (bloating, sluggishness, low energy), and sometimes that’s all the motivation you need to stay the course.
2. Have fun with it! Try new recipes, experiment with new baking methods, enjoy the flavors of the season, and share the food and your story. If someone is inspired to look into this lifestyle, it might be the best gift you could give.

New to whole food plant-based eating? My Whole Food Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide walks you through the switch, step by step.

Jennifer Schmidt is a co-founder of One Bite Vegan and has followed a whole food plant-based diet for more than a decade. This article is general information, not medical advice.