If you’re going to a holiday party, a celebration, or a birthday party, what would you eat?

Or the better question: what would I eat if I went with you? What would I stay away from, and what would I try to focus on eating?

I’m going to give you the top 5 things that you can eat at a holiday party, without having to wake up feeling guilty the next morning.

Pre-Planning

This isn’t one of the 5 foods, but it is what you should do before you even go to the party. Pre-planning will help you feel much better about yourself the next day. 

One part of this is drinking a lot of fluids beforehand to fill you up and keep you hydrated.

If you eat salty foods and drink alcohol, staying hydrated will ensure that you’ll feel good the next day.

I would also suggest getting in electrolytes in the morning of the party, and maybe some greens as well.

Fasting

The next thing I like to do to prepare is fasting. 

If I know there’s going to be a party or a big celebration, I fast the night before, and I fast that morning.

Cutting down calorie intake early in the day will help you enjoy the holiday meal later in the day.

Exercise

Another thing I do for pre-planning is getting some exercise in.

That way, you can indulge a little bit knowing you’ve put yourself in a calorie deficit earlier.

Try to get a workout in, and also to eat beforehand. 

I know it sounds weird, but if you’re going to a gathering and you don’t know what they’re going to have, eating before it is a good idea.

It’s especially good if you have an allergy to something, or if you’re trying hard to lose weight and meet your goals.

If you eat a healthy meal before you go, it’s not going to be all about food. It’s going to be about socializing and having a good time at the party. 

Meat

Meat is the first of the five foods that I focus on at parties. I can’t control whether or not it’s grass-fed meat, but it’s still ideal.

I’m looking for meat because it has lower carbohydrates and is going to fill me up without excess sugar.

I would try to focus on turkey, ham, or steak. 

I might go with meatballs, but I’d ideally try to ditch the sauce.

If there’s deli meat, you want to go for that, and remove the bread if the deli meat is in sandwiches. 

A charcuterie board is an excellent option as well. They are a little fatty, but they’re way better than loading up on carbs.

Nuts

Nuts are another good option to focus on. If you’re going to eat nuts, just make sure they’re raw. 

They can be salted, but dry-roasted nuts are better because you get the nutrient content. Avoid any sugar-coated nuts.

Raw cashews are a great source of zinc, which will boost your immune system.

Almonds are chock full of magnesium, which helps out your digestive system.

Soup

I might focus on soup, especially if it’s got a good chicken or bone broth with it. 

That will provide nutrients, fill you up, and help you stay away from carbohydrates.

Chili or vegetable soup are also a good option, because you’re still getting your veggies in and cutting out carbs and sugars, which are the biggest things to avoid.

Veggie Tray

Vegetables are great, but the potential problem with veggie trays is the dip. 

Hopefully they have hummus, and if not, maybe some kind of healthier dressing.

You can eat vegetables plain as well, and you’ll get in a lot of nutrients and fiber.

They might also have a relish tray that has some olives, pickles, radishes, carrots, cucumbers, and broccoli.

I’m going to go after that early, because the more I eat of that, the less carbs and dessert I’m going to have.

Pick One Thing

This isn’t a specific food, but finally, pick the one thing that you want to enjoy at the party, and just focus on that one thing. 

If it’s the dessert, pick one dessert and eat that.

If it’s the appetizer, pick one and eat that. 

You don’t have to do this, but you can just have a guilt-free moment where you can enjoy a special, less-healthy food.

It’s okay to be human, especially if you did a workout earlier in the day with some fasting.

Summary

Now, if you feel like you can’t hold back and want to indulge in everything, that could be one of the warning signs that you are addicted to sugar.

If you want to know what these warning signs are, I have a video that covers all of them here.

And if you want a healthy candy bar to help you kick this, you can check out my own Livingood Daily Bars here.