Ohhhh, the holiday season—an exciting time filled with joy, celebrations, connections with loved ones and.... unpredictability.
Schedules are off.
You’re traveling.
Kids are out of school.
You’re sleeping in and staying up late.
This doesn’t just affect your energy levels or your need to coordinate travel dates.
👉The holiday season affects your relationship with food and your body too.
The unpredictable schedules, travel, and constant stream of holiday gatherings can feel overwhelming, making it easy to lose touch with your intuitive eating practices.
But, I promise, it's possible to navigate this season with confidence and stay connected to your body and values, even during all the holiday chaos.
Think Ahead
During the holiday season, it's safe to say you can expect the unexpected.
Expect unpredictable mealtimes
Expect unpredictable food options
Expect unpredictable schedules
One of the best ways you can approach this holiday season with confidence is to prepare for and plan what is in your control.
When I say “planning,” I don’t mean rigidly controlling your food intake or obsessing over what you’re going to eat. Instead, think of planning as a way to anticipate challenges and prepare yourself in a way that feels supportive and kind.
Planning can help you navigate the holidays with more ease, allowing you to focus on what truly matters—enjoying the season, connecting with loved ones, and savoring (not stressing about) delicious food!
👇 If you’re looking for structured support, I’ve created a free guide that walks you through common holiday scenarios with actionable steps to help you feel prepared and grounded.
Full of actionable tips, download this FREE workbook today!
Practical Tips for Navigating Intuitive Eating During the Holidays
1. Bring snacks
One of the simplest yet most effective strategies is to pack some snacks; being prepared with snacks can eliminate food anxiety.
Hunger might strike when:
You don’t particularly enjoy your dear Aunt Sally’s jello or tuna casserole.
None of your family eats breakfast
Everyone else eats dinner at 8 pm, but you’re used to eating at 5.
I recently went to a fancy dinner where the portion sizes were smaller than the dollar signs.
THANKFULLY I had a granola bar waiting for me in the hotel room.
Not only do snacks cure hunger, but having snacks with you can prevent that panicky “I need to eat something right now” feeling and helps avoid slipping into a scarcity mindset around food.
If you're traveling, I highly encourage you to pack a snack bag in your suitcase. Bring foods of different sizes and nutritional content. Some that are more filling, some that are more nutrient-dense.
Knowing that you have your own stash of food when you get hungry or when you don't like the food being served gives you options rather than feeling stuck.
2. Get information in advance
Another way to feel more at ease during the holidays is to gather some information beforehand.
If you’re visiting family or attending a holiday party, it’s perfectly okay to ask about the food situation ahead of time. Knowing what’s available can help you plan and make decisions that align with your needs.
Every household has its own set of norms.
Questions to consider asking hosts and/or yourself:
What’s on the menu?
Will there be options that fit my dietary needs?
Is there a set mealtime, or will food be available throughout the event?
DO THEY PROVIDE COFFEE!!
Do you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions that warrant special care?
Chances are, when you’re traveling for the holidays, whoever you visit isn’t going to send out a mass text to everyone about all the food they keep in stock; it's your job to be proactive in getting your needs met.
I visited one of my friends and she sent me a text beforehand “Head’s up, none of us drink coffee. So bring your own if you want some!”
Whew, thankfully she took the initiative on that one because I hadn't thought to ask. I made a plan to bring my own AND I made a mental note that this is a great question to ask future hosts before traveling because your girl NEEDS her coffee.
Arming yourself with knowledge can make a big difference. You’ll feel more in control and less anxious about what’s to come.
3. Check in with your body
One of the most powerful tools you have during the holidays is your connection with your body.
Just because you're traveling or at a holiday party doesn't mean you lose access to your body cues. They might be harder to notice while in a crowded room, on an airplane, or when you're out of your routine, but they're still there.
Before the holiday season kicks into high gear, try incorporating some mindfulness practices into your routine. This could be as simple as taking a few moments each day to close your eyes, breathe deeply, and check in with your body. How are you feeling? What does your body need right now?
Practicing interoceptive awareness—being in tune with your body’s signals—can help you navigate holiday eating with confidence and ease.
Okay, but what about once you're actually AT the party or surrounded by family?
Try to take a minute before walking into the host's house or before entering the dining room for dinner to assess your hunger level.
Knowing your hunger level before entering a highly stimulating environment will help guide you in knowing whether you need to make a beeline for the snack table when you arrive or not.
And if you notice you're not hungry, but still find yourself at the snack table anyways, that could be a sign that you're using food to cope with an emotion (perhaps social anxiety, loneliness, feeling awkward or uncomfortable, etc).
There's no shame in using food to soothe your emotions. But it's worth noting whether you're actually hungry or whether you're eating for another reason. Nonjudgmental awareness is key!
Once you're at the holiday party/family visit, it's important to continue to check in with your body throughout your time there.
How are you doing emotionally? Are you tired or anxious? Have you eaten and how is the food sitting in your body? Do you need more of anything?
If you need a quiet spot to gather your thoughts or recenter yourself, I personally love bathrooms! Or you could go for a walk or step outside.
Staying connected to your body doesn't have to fly out the window just because your routine is shaken up during the holiday season. We carry our bodies with us wherever we go. You can check-in and communicate with it any time!
4. Find a new focus
In the previous tip, I suggested you be present with your body. And now I'm suggesting that you distract your mind.
This is especially helpful if your mind tends to get hooked on specific thoughts.
Maybe you spot the dessert table and can't stop thinking about it.
Or maybe a family member comments on your weight and you keep replaying the conversation over and over in your head.
Or maybe you're spinning out in your own insecurity, bathing in self-criticism.
If you notice yourself getting swept up in thoughts, fears, or insecurities, try to find a healthy distraction.
Is there a family member in a room away from the food you could hang out with?
Could you go on a walk and call a friend to check in and wish them a happy holiday?
Maybe there’s a football game on in the living room and you can join the party there. Or people sitting by a fire.
Suggest people sit down and play a game together.
Most often there are opportunities to engage in activity or conversation. If there's not, you can initiate it!
If you're choosing to distract yourself from food, make sure you’re not leading from a place of deprivation or restriction. If you are hungry or genuinely in the mood for a certain food, please eat it.
But if you're stuck in obsessive thoughts, then I'd encourage you to refocus your attention so you can re-center and then make a conscious choice about whether to eat or not.
5. Tap into your heart
Returning to your values is a helpful tool to bring you back home to yourself; remember what really matters to you.
If it would serve you to write these down, do it.
Make a list of your values that have nothing to do with your appearance, your popularity, your size, your food choices.
Make a list of what you want to focus on this holiday season other than your weight and calorie consumption.
Make a list of affirmations that encourage you and remind you who you are so you can refer back to these if you get thrown off.
At the end of the day, the food you eat is meant to bring nourishment and pleasure to your life. LET IT.
This isn't a time for restriction, calorie counting, or guilt. (There's actually no time for that, by the way)
This is a time to feel connected to yourself, your family, friends, and loved ones.
If you hear people around you discussing diets, calories, or shaming foods... walk away, hug a friend, smile because you're alive, offer gratitude for what you have, and MOVE ON.
To help you think through different scenarios and put thought into ACTION, I've created this free guide for you! Print the worksheets out and answer the questions so you're ready to face any emotion or situation that comes your way this holiday season!