If you are planning on traveling to a relative’s house and staying with them during the holidays, you might find some challenges when it comes to Thanksgiving and foods you eat throughout the vacation. These tips are going to help you navigate this new situation.
Be Open and Honest
When you are staying with family that doesn’t follow the whole food lifestyle, it is a good idea to let them know ahead of time what your food restrictions are. This can help prevent them from planning an elaborate meal for you that includes most foods you can’t even eat.
Be open and honest, explaining why you follow this lifestyle and what you can and can’t eat. Explain that you don’t mind eating out for meals so that you can get what you want or that you will help prepare meals your own family can have while following this diet.
Choose the Restaurant
While you can usually get something from any restaurant, it helps to choose the restaurant when eating out with family. This lets you look up the menu online first so you know what the options are. Choose a steak and seafood restaurant, or a restaurant with a gluten-free menu.
The gluten-free menu is good to start because there are already not a lot of grains that are going to be used in the dishes.
Cook Your Own Meals
Treat your hosts to a meal you have cooked yourself to say thank you for putting you up during the holidays, and so that you can control what you eat for at least this one meal. There are plenty of meals that non whole food people will enjoy thoroughly, but that don’t include any components you can’t eat.
You can always bring along some rolls and other food items that your hosts can eat, but that you just skip. However, make sure the main part of the meal, including the meat and veggies, is whole foods friendly so you don’t feel like you are missing out.
Bring Along Some Whole Food Snacks
Snacks are good to bring with you that don’t need to be prepared so that in between meals, you aren’t tempted to try to the cookies or other treats they have provided during the holiday season.
Bring snacks you can keep with your own personal belongings if you prefer, such as bags of chopped veggies that don’t need refrigeration, nuts and seeds, or whole food approved all-in-one nutrition bars.
