When it comes to the holiday season, it can be difficult for students to stay nutritious. There are different ways to keep a nutritious meal plan intact while on vacation, while still enjoying and participating in the big meals of the season.

Kelci Murphy, the Nutrition Coordinator for WKU, explained some tips that she thinks are most helpful when it comes to nutrition during the holiday season.

“I think some of the basic tips that I really like to give to people on vacation are specifically about vacation food,” Murphy said. “We are thinking about all the food that is not available at other times of the year, and that could cause people to skip meals because they know they could eat a lot during that holiday dinner. In fact, we discourage people from skipping meals as it could cause you to be overly hungry or overeat. Just eating your normal meals or light snacks could help with nutrition these days. “

She also explained more specific ways to eat healthy while on vacation, although it may seem like there aren’t a lot of options.

“I would also say that a tip would be to go for a smaller plate,” Murphy said. “Using the small salad or dessert plate for your actual meal can be helpful, as it’s easy to overfill your plate when using a larger plate, so using a smaller plate might help control portion sizes. I would also say don’t forget your fruits and veg, and if those things are available, fill half your plate with them.

Aside from students who just want to continue eating healthy, the holiday season can also be difficult for those with dietary restrictions. Murphy spoke about possible ways for these students to participate in vacation meals that may not have food they can eat readily available.

“I think if these students have dietary restrictions it would be more important to plan ahead,” Murphy said. “Maybe making a meal ahead of time that meets these dietary restrictions and bringing it to the dinner you’re going to would help. Just planning ahead, making a meal at home is a good tip for this, as well as talking to the person they might be eating with to get an idea of ​​what might be available to see if they might. have to bring something else to eat or eat in advance. “

The overall goal of a nutritious diet is to continually build a balanced plate for each meal. This idea extends to the holiday season as well, but no one should feel stuck forcing themselves to just have that balanced plate – enjoying family meals during the season is just as important as your diet.

“I would say that all year round the goal is to build a balanced plate, and we always try to keep that balance during the holiday season, but everyone has to allow themselves some flexibility with that,” said Murphy. “Eating for joy when it comes to eating is something we also want to encourage. It’s nice to have these indulgences, especially during the holidays, and you can do it while still keeping that plate balanced.

Journalist Alexandria Anderson can be reached at [email protected].