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This weekend happens to be the 4th of July weekend and how do we make it a Healthy 4th of July? There will be millions of parties group events planned for the weekend. We all have different cultures and probably have varying traditions, but I would bet that all of them have one similar theme, food and drinks. Most holiday plans require a meal plan, but do we have to cater to each individuals needs? For the person that is working hard at eating a well planned healthy lifestyle, the holiday parties can create some major anxiety. How can we make this fun for everyone and not create unneeded stress?
One thing that is important is to know your guests and what their food needs are. I am a diabetic and have other family members that are diabetic, so plan part of the meal to fit in this plan. I also have a some family members that have some allergy issues with some foods. Again, pick foods that fit in their plan and still will work for everyone. Then you can throw in the special eaters like vegetarian or vegan, create a meal that works for them. It can be a daunting task for the host to deal with all of this. So how do we do this?
One of the best plans that works, in my planning, is including the guests. Let each guest, with their individual needs, bring a dish that works for them and that others will try. Make it fun for others to try new things. The best way to learn healthy food choices is to encourage healthy meals so that everyone gets to explore.
Another thing we do is to eliminate the allergy items. Leave the problem foods out, often times you won't even know. Nuts for example, leave them out of the recipe, this is another thing we just have to have some trial and error meals. Share this with other guests that may be planning some food.
Have the main item be something that everyone can eat. Think about the American hotdog or burger. You should be able to make this work for everyone. Make sure you don't season with something that others may be allergic to. Have a non-meat alternative like a bean burger. There are so many options in food we should be able to find something that works for everyone.
Then just have fun. Don't measure the success of the party around the food, enjoy the fun activities, the visiting or what ever non-stress related activity you and your family or friend like to do. Make it all about enjoying the time together. I hope you all have a healthy 4th of July!
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