When the festive season rolls around, here in Australia thoughts inevitably turn to sunny days, time with family and friends, and delicious long lunches and dinners. As we get to the pointy end of the year, our calendars can quickly get filled with back-to-back parties and end-of-year celebrations, late nights and one too many holiday treats.
All of which can take a toll on our bodies and minds, especially if our regular health and wellness practices take a backseat.
But this doesn't have to mean it's downhill all the way. With a few tweaks to festive planning, it is not only possible to integrate healthy Christmas food onto your table, but actually easy. And you can do it without missing out on any of the fun.
We ask two nutrition and wellness experts for their tips for their top tips on how to eat healthy at Christmas.
Healthy Christmas dishes start with variety and colour
“Diversity is one of the best things you can do for your body,” says Bridget Foliaki-Davis, the chef and nutritionist behind . In fact, she starts planning her Christmas meals with vegetables and salads, building the rest of the menu around them.
Cropped shot of a unrecognisable woman serving a bowl of healthy greens at Christmas lunch Credit: LumiNola/Getty Images
“I like to use different colours, so I’ll have something red, like red capsicum and tomatoes, something green like cucumber, and I try and have as many different colours as possible,” she says. “I also like to use dips because I think it's a great way for people to enjoy vegetables.”
Take inspiration from global cuisines for healthy Christmas food
Many families have holiday staples that must be on the table, and we’d never dare suggest messing with your dad’s or your tita’s . But there’s so much we can borrow from around the world to add worlds of new flavour to our dishes, while making them nourishing and satisfying. Think of bright and fresh , warming spices, fragrant herbs, spicy chillies, and fermented food like and to add depth without relying only on salt or rich sauces.
Smoked baba ganoush with grilled vegetables. Credit: Fun'Q with Spencer Watts
Christmas classics made lighter
Many Australian Christmas traditions come from Europe, but our warm weather is perfect for lighter dishes and seasonal produce.
Prawns are an Aussie favourite, but don’t overlook other options. “Seafood has to be one of the best ways to look after our body, our gut, and our taste buds,” says Foliaki-Davis. “It’s simple to prepare and doesn’t require a lot of cooking time,” she adds, recommending barbecued salmon as a delicious, low-stress option.
Foliaki-Davis offers this healthy holiday recipe tip for Christmas: When making roasted potatoes: boil them first, then let them cool before roasting them in duck or goose fat. The cooling down process transforms the starches into resistant starch, — and also makes for extra crispy potatoes. This will also work well for a potato salad.
In desserts, hero seasonal produce - a fruit platter filled with in-season mangoes, cherries and other stone fruits makes for a light, refreshing end to the meal, while packing in nutrients.
A healthy Christmas beyond food
, and there are plenty of festive alternatives to alcoholic drinks.
“If you're hosting an event, it's important to offer some non-alcoholic drinks. Of course, people can drink [alcohol] too; it's the season for it. But offering some other options like kombucha, which is good for gut health, sparkling water or mocktails is great. It can be as simple as adding some mint, berries, or cucumber to make flavoured water,” says Rouf.
Cold infused water with colorful fruits and various herbs Credit: Ivan Bajic/Getty Images
And while feasting is a highlight of the holidays, both Rouf and Foliaki-Davis recommend adding a focus on other activities you can do together as a family or group, as well. “Don’t put all the focus on the food. Do other activities that require movement rather than just sitting at a dinner table or on the couch”, Rouf suggests.
Foliaki-Davis loves going for a walk after a big meal: “Grab everyone and go for a brisk walk to the beach or through the bush or wherever you might be. You'll help to reduce your blood sugar down quite dramatically just by going for a 20-minute walk after a meal.”
Do other activities that require movement rather than just sitting at a dinner table or on the couch.
Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your health is to minimise stress, instead taking a balanced approach to healthy Christmas eating.
Foliaki-Davis also encourages flexibility: “If you go overboard for one day, or even for one week, it doesn't mean that you've completely ruined the last eleven and a half months. It's about being realistic, and also about not missing out,” she says. “So really relax into it and know that there is always an opportunity, the next day or the next week, where you can get back into doing all the things that you were doing prior to the holiday season.”
Find more healthy Christmas food ideas here:
5 healthy food swaps to help you celebrate the season
Rouf adds that unless you have an allergy or medical reason, no food needs to be off-limit. “Give yourself permission to eat all foods. And listen to your body, asking yourself, ‘What does my body need from me?’”
By including variety, using summer produce, and taking cues from global flavours, you can create a flavourful holiday spread that leaves everyone feeling good.
