While this year looks different for us all, there are traditions we all love that we can still enjoy. For my family, we will slow down quite a bit and I am looking forward to the slower pace this year. The holidays can elicit mixed emotions, especially juggling a pandemic, Crohn’s, Colitis, and possibly a dietary therapy. It’s important to prepare for the holidays so that you or your kids can feel comfortable and included when food is involved in the festivities. Generally, a little preparation can go a long way and the good news is that many traditional recipes can be easily tweaked to turn them into a dish that you CAN tolerate. 

Read on to discover tried and true tips, including helpful holiday hacks from parents and advocates who are practically pros.  

Why is it important to make the holidays more inclusive for different diets?

The holidays can be a challenging time of year for those who are impacted by the “traditional” holiday foods. Many traditional dishes often include ingredients that are not ideal for healing digestive tracts. Some ingredients can even be life-threatening to those with food allergies. Many dishes are very heavy, include creams/gravies and canned products with food additives. 

One organization that aims to help make the holidays more inclusive is the Food Allergy Research and Education organization, a group that originally partnered with small groups of local community activists to start what has now become the nationally and globally celebrated Teal Pumpkin Project. This project encourages the community to offer more non-food treat items for Halloween so that trick-or-treating can be a safer activity for all, including and especially those with food allergies.  

It is normal for children to struggle during holiday gatherings and celebrations when their diet is different from that of the group, especially if this is pointed out by a family member or peer. They may experience emotions like sadness or anger, missing their favorite traditions from the past. It is crucial to acknowledge these very real and valid feelings as a parent and coach your child through these times. Find supportive friends to be around and identify non-food traditions that spark joy! Read on for some fun ideas.

Holiday Hacks from Parents & Advocates

When it comes to navigating the holidays while managing special diets or dietary therapies, the greatest experts are families who have learned from experience. The following tips and tricks from parents and advocates in my network can help you find a healthy balance between dietary therapy, food, and festivities during the holidays.

Recipe Swaps & Sharing Stories

Remember, you are not alone! There are many with you who have either walked this path before or are learning to walk it with you. Swap tried and true recipes with friends and family to make the holidays more enjoyable, and take teachable moments to help kids and adults alike understand the struggles and sweet moments experienced while juggling diet and a chronic disease. Remember, that an a-typical way of cooking can often generate new favorite meals to share and a new way to think of cooking and baking. Food in its most basic form is delicious. Your friends and family will want YOUR recipe!

Gifting & Gathering

Give the gift of information. Another great idea for gifting or gatherings is to give dear friends and family a copy of your favorite diet therapy resources or books. This can help them to approach the information on their own terms rather than feeling conflicted about making diet the focus of conversation. It can also be a great ice breaker later on to ask about! 

Games! Games are a great way to take the focus off of food. Plan a fun group game that your family and friends will enjoy. It can involve a fun non-food gift exchange or prize at the end. Kids always love games.

Wear comfortable clothes. Gatherings can be anxiety provoking in themselves. Make sure you dress for comfort. Expandable waist lines, loose fitting clothes can all help you feel more comfortable. They can also be stylish!

Create new traditions. Ideas such as crafting together, decorating, movie watching and taste testing new recipes are some of my family’s favorite holiday traditions.

Find ways to decrease stress. As stress plays into IBD management, it is important to include these on a daily basis. Walks outside (even in the cold invigorating air) or any type of movement significantly impact our mental health. Relaxation techniques and other strategies noted to minimize symptoms can be found in our guide to “soothing a flare” download on the homepage.

Ensure good sleep hygiene. It may be tempting to have late night movie binges, but drastic changes to your schedule and/or not getting enough sleep can also promote unwanted GI symptoms. Try your best to stick to a regular bedtime routine. The fun can resume in the morning!

Snacks & Stocking Stuffers

It can be hard to know what to offer someone on dietary therapy during the holidays as a treat. Look no further than this list for a couple ideas of what to gift or offer guests who are on the specific carbohydrate diet and check out our tried and true recipes, such as the following:

• Cinnamon “Squares” Recipe. 
• Mini Pumpkin Pie Tart Recipe
• SCD Honey Caramel and Modified SCD Fudge Recipes
• Stuffed Butternut Squash

Resources and Other Ideas

Communication and preparation are two key factors in planning for the holidays. The following three steps are helpful in navigating the holiday season on dietary therapy.

It is normal and expected to have mixed feelings surrounding food and the holidays. It is good to acknowledge these feelings and discuss them with your child if they are struggling. They may need help putting words to their emotions.

Holiday Hacks Help Make the Season Bright

Though these steps may seem simple, small shifts can go a long way in making you or your child feel more at home during the holidays. Return to this page often for a reference, and also remember it can be exciting to blend old traditions with new adjustments and adventures. Who knows — maybe trying something new will be the start to a new favorite tradition! Most importantly, the holidays can feel more inclusive and festive when you or your child’s basic needs are being met, and that includes food. It’s also helpful to reach out to others that are having the same experience as you. Support groups, Facebook friends, and other members of a dietary therapy community can become a lifeline of good ideas and can help you to feel inspired. Keep in mind that the more “holiday hacks” you become aware of, the more habits you can incorporate into having a happy holiday season where each and every family member or guest can have a great time.

Contributing Writer: Annika Weeks, NDTR

Related Posts

• Cinnamon “Squares” Recipe. 
• Mini Pumpkin Pie Tart Recipe
• SCD Honey Caramel and Modified SCD Fudge Recipes
• Stuffed Butternut Squash
• Homepage (Soothing a Flare download available for FREE!)
• What is dietary therapy?