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In the previous post, I provided suggestions on how to order safely in a restaurant or deal with an informal potluck party. Here, we’ll cover more scenarios that you may encounter during the holiday season.
If it is a sit-down multi-course party at someone’s home:
- If the host is unaware of your dietary requirements, inform them in advance and let them know you will be bringing your own food.
- If you are comfortable with cooking, consider getting the menu in advance if you wish to create your own AIP versions as closely as possible.
- Think of it as a component of batch cooking. Make the dishes ahead of time, perhaps a dish a day if you prefer, leaving stuff like salad for the day itself (though you can usually make the dressing in advance). Then freeze or refrigerate the rest and you have meals for a couple of days!
- Transportation suggestion: In Asia (especially in India), stainless-steel multi-tiered tiffin carriers are very popular for packing foods to-go. This tiffin carrier would be perfect for a multi-course meal! I like using vacuum food jars for soups or stews (they are great for chilly outdoor walks too).
- Go early to heat up your dish(es) and plate your foods, if necessary.
- Bring your own bottle of sparkling water (e.g. La Croix) or kombucha, and a sachet of your preferred herbal tea bag.
- Be gracious and smile (don’t forget a nice little gift for the host)!
Suggested recipes
- Starter: A pretty and colourful Festive Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette from A Squirrel in the Kitchen or perhaps an easily reheated soup like this Creamy Mushroom Soup with Bacon and Fried Sage from Autoimmune Paleo, accompanied by The Paleo Mom’s AIP Dinner Rolls!
- Main: (Chicken) My Roast Chicken Drumsticks with Blueberry marinade are pretty easy to prepare, otherwise this AIP Paleo Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter’s Chicken) from Comfort Bites is really flavoursome.
- (Pork) Apple-stuffed Bacon-wrapped Pork Tenderloin from The Bacon Mum or Mushroom “Risotto”-stuffed Pork Chops from Paleo Cajun Lady.
- (Fish) Slow-roasted Salmon with Herbed Yogurt by Sweet Treats or Pan-fried Halibut with Prosciutto and Green Olive Mash by Healing Family Eats.
- (Lamb) A perfect single serving, these Lamb Shanks with Ginger and Figs by Gutsy by Nature look comforting and yet impressive! Likewise, these Roasted Lamb Saddle Steaks with Butternut Squash and Red Onions by Comfort Bites look elegant but are pretty easy to create.
- (Beef) Tuck into a belly-warming Rich Beef Stew with Pomegranates from Healing Family Eats or tender Braised Beef Cheeks from Joanna Frankham.
- Sides: This Sweet ‘n’ Tart Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Raisins from Joanna Frankham is not only AIP-friendly but budget-friendly, too! There’s also this easy yet lively-tasting Tuscan Roasted Cauliflower from Beyond the Bite, or perhaps this warming Maple-Cranberry Brussels Sprouts from Autoimmune Paleo. Don’t Eat the Spatula has a simple Wilted Kale with Shallots recipe, and my Kale & Blueberry Puree is pretty portable too!
- Dessert: Totally AIP-compliant Christmas Mince Pies from Joanna Frankham. Really, really gorgeous. Jewel-hued Turkish Delights from Eat Heal Thrive would make a lovely accompaniment to some herbal tea at the end of the meal.
For more dessert ideas, do check out Laura’s (from Sweet Treats) new e-book, AIP and Paleo Holiday Sweet Treats! Her Cranberry Cake with Orange Honey Sauce is so pretty!
If you are travelling to another town/ city for the party:
- You can either find a place to stay with cooking facilities to prepare the meals or if you are staying with family, negotiate cooking AIP-compliant meals there.
- Plan and print out your menu and recipes in advance, or load your digital AIP cookbooks in your smartphone or tablet for easy, lightweight reference.
- Depending on the distance or circumstances (whether you’re driving or flying), you can pack along provisions, ingredients, or prepared and frozen meals. According to the Transportation Security Administration, you can pack frozen perishables in your carry on or checked baggage in dry ice.
- If you are driving, you can pack food in a pluggable cooler box.
- For more travel tips, Autoimmune Paleo has a comprehensive article on travelling on the AIP.
The not-so-pleasant part: if you’ve been exposed to accidental cross-contamination (what you can do):
- Drink apple cider vinegar water. I like taking this warm as it calms my stomach. A splash of apple cider vinegar in a mug full of warm water helps a lot.
- Activated charcoal, followed by a mug of warm water
- Probiotics or ferments (such as water kefir, kombucha)
- Loads of warm water
- Rest, sleep more
- Light stretching/ movement or yoga. I like this set of yoga poses for aiding digestion
- Mineral salt bath with a few drops of pure essential oils
- Follow up with bone broth the next morning, or for the next few days. If you don’t like bone broth, make soup!
- Positive thinking, don’t beat yourself over it and move on from there. Don’t count the days or think that you have to restart AIP all over again.
I hope these tips will help you and here’s wishing you Happy Holidays!