The holidays are uponus. This should be a festive time of year filled with family, friends, and memory-making moments; however, two things can be true at the same time with anxiety, stress, and guilt creeping into the festivities too.  

Planning can be a game changer, shifting momentum away from the guilt and into the heart-filling festivities that the holiday season is intended to be. With a few tips and tricks, we are here to help you swap your guilt for a game plan this holiday season and beyond.

Strategy #1: Holiday Pre-Game Tips

Celebrations often involve or center around food, so this tip may seem counterproductive. However, consider this: how is your current strategy (or lack thereof) working for you? If it’s not, try something new—you may be pleasantly surprised!

1. Do not go to a party hungry. Focus on nourishing your body with regularly scheduled meals before you head to the party, prioritizing protein, veggies, and fat. Need something quick? Try plain Greek yogurt topped with berries and pumpkin seeds, or cottage cheese and veggies of your choosing, to satisfy physical hunger and help you make more sound decisions in the moment.

2. Offer to bring a dish that aligns with your current lifestyle and health goals, so you know there will be at least one go-to option.

3. Preview all food options before filling your plate. Create a game plan that supports your goals. Aim to fill half your plate with veggies, then pick your protein source, saving a quarter of the plate for 1–2 of your favorite dishes.

4. Socialize away from the food. Out of sight, out of mind — or at least an arm’s length away — to reduce mindless hand-to-mouth eating when food is too easily accessible.

Strategy #2: Holiday Meal Plan Strategies

Are you the host? Are you stressed or anxious about menu planning and ensuring you have enough food? Try the Guestimator, a dinner party calculator that estimates how much food you need to keep your guests full and happy.

Strategy #3: The Lingering House Guest (Leftovers)

Leftovers are like a house guest who won’t take the hint: you don’t quite know what to do with them, getting rid of them isn’t always easy, and the longer they stick around, the more stressful it feels. Excess groceries bought with the best intentions (then forgotten and spoiled), unfinished second helpings, and containers of leftovers multiplying in the fridge, sound familiar?

You’re not alone: more than 37% of food brought into U.S. homes is wasted each year. The good news is that two of the biggest drivers — over-buying and under-using — are things we can change from the comfort of our own kitchens. Here are two starting tips to help:

Individually (health + habits):
Think “OWYN”: Only What You Need. Buy based on how many servings you realistically plan to eat, or cut recipes in half if leftovers tend to pile up. This helps manage portions, curb overeating, and reduces the temptation to keep picking at “just one more bite” from the fridge.

Environmentally (waste + impact):
Food waste makes up about 25% of landfill content. When food breaks down buried underground, it generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Instead of tossing apple cores and carrot tops, consider home composting, it can enrich your garden and shrink your footprint one food scrap at a time.

As in any sport, even the best game plan might work perfectly, or it might need a small adjustment next time. But you won’t know what works until you try it.