As you prepare to celebrate this festive season, Mother Earth cries out to you for help. Parts of the world blaze like infernos due to unchecked climate change. Scientists find plastic in the bellies of various marine animals. At the same time, rates of various diseases, like Type 2 diabetes, continue to climb. Fast food and waste-laden Western lifestyles are, in part, fueling these problems. 

If you want to get into the spirit, but you also want to protect the health of your friends and the planet, you have options. You can throw a healthy and eco-friendly holiday party your guests will rave about well into 2020. Here’s how. 

1. Planning the Menu

How can you serve a healthy holiday menu? It all begins with following solid nutritional guidelines. You want to serve a meal that will provide health benefits — but one that also tastes delightful. You can make more nourishing versions of comfort flavors. 

For example, you can dress up asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Alternately, though, you can prepare a vegan version of the classic dish that uses tofu and turmeric [1]. Turmeric has natural anti-inflammatory properties, as well as other medicinal properties, not to mention giving meals a lovely Indian flavor. Tofu adds protein without all the extra calories full-fat dairy products contain. 

Keep in mind, too, that many guests have dietary restrictions — plan your menu with these in mind. People who have celiac disease, for example, can become very ill from foods containing gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye [2]. You don’t want your guests to go hungry, so include allergy-friendly dishes as part of the primary menu, not as an afterthought. 

Exercise caution with alcohol as well. Make sure to serve non-alcoholic versions of festive beverages so that those who remain sober for any reason don’t feel left out. The cumulative effect of peer pressure combined with holiday stress can make festivities less fun for those who abstain for any personal reason [3]. If everyone has a pretty beverage in hand, no one will know any different! The overall message? Know your guests well, and try to cater to them as much as possible to spread that holiday cheer. 

2.Healthier and Crowd-Friendly Versions of Holiday Favorites 

How can you make your holiday favorites kinder and healthier?  It’s easy! Try these recipes for inspiration. 

Appetizers

• Roasted butternut squash falafel bites: You can’t get much more seasonal than butternut squash, and your guests will revel in the freshness of this savory side dish [4]. You can adjust the cayenne pepper to taste to make this as spicy as you like. The tahini adds protein without injuring any animals or contributing to rainforest deforestation.
• Rolled toasted mushroom appetizers: Mushrooms play a starring role in many seasonal comfort food dishes, and this recipe fits the bill — and the palm of your hand [5]. Your guests can nosh on these comfortably while they mingle with the folks who recently arrived. 

Side Dishes 

• Butternut pecan sweet potato casserole: Whether you’re celebrating gratitude or surviving another year, sweet potatoes grace many favorite holiday traditions — and this recipe doesn’t disappoint. Your choice of either avocado or coconut oil bathes your arteries in heart-healthy fats [6]. This side adds a pleasant sweetness, but it contains no added sugar. 
• Maple and vinegar braised parsnips: Parsnips look like white carrots, but they have a nuttier taste rather than sweet [7]. As such, they add the perfect balance flavor to your holiday table — plus they’re in season, so they’re chock-full of nutrients. 

Desserts

• Vegan lamingtons: A lamington is a type of Australian brownie, but you don’t have to venture down under to taste the deliciousness. This recipe creates little blonde bars all dressed up in their holiday whites — coconut flakes [8]! The coconut and almond in these delights make this a somewhat healthy dessert — but if you don’t tell the kids, they’ll never guess. 
• Pumpkin pie ice cream: I scream, you scream! Who needs dairy when you can make a healthier treat with this recipe — no dairy farms or methane emissions necessary? You can use a gluten-free graham cracker crust to further delight guests with food sensitivities. 

The Great Main Dish Debate

Do you need to serve a turkey or roast for your holiday party? Absolutely not! You can delight guests with a lentil loaf wrapped in puff pastry — their hearts will thank them [9]!

If you do choose to serve meat, opt for poultry over beef or pork. Yes, all animal agriculture creates some pollution, but raising poultry takes less space and produces lower levels of runoff. Look for turkeys and chickens bearing the certified humane label — this designation ensures the bird could flap its wings and exhibit other natural behaviors during its life [10]. 

Other Ways to Make the Celebration More Sustainable

You’ve made your meal healthy. However, there’s more to a sustainable holiday celebration than serving vegan and organic delights. Consider the following additional hints as you plan your feast. 

• Make a plan to divvy up leftovers: You don’t want the plastic you wrap leftovers in to end up in the ocean. Instead, opt for containers made out of repurposed Mason jars or silicon to protect guests from BPA and safeguard the planet, too [11].
• Create a soaking station to save water: If you rinse each plate before placing it in the dishwasher, you send a lot of water down the drain. Instead, make a soaking station out of a large trash can or barrel. Sticky food bits will soak off with no elbow grease necessary, and you can even choose to use the leftover water for your outdoor garden if you’d like.
• Give away eco-friendly party favors: If you decide to hand out party favors, why not make them eco-friendly? You could get each guest a metal straw and silverware set wrapped in a pretty bow, for example. They can keep these in their purse or briefcase to reduce plastic waste.
• Turn your thermostat down a notch: All those bodies will keep your pad plenty warm. Additionally, if you run the oven, it will heat the kitchen. Take advantage of this free thermal energy to turn your thermostat down a few notches. 
• Use cloth napkins instead of paper: You will look enviably bougie with elegant cloth napkins adorning your table. You’ll also make the Lorax smile by saving trees. 

Make Your Holiday Celebrations Healthy and Eco-Friendly 

Who said the holidays need to celebrate wasteful consumerism and unhealthy habits? Make your festivities eco-friendly and healthy by following just a few simple tips. The holidays are really about spending time with those you care about, so your beloved guests are sure to enjoy your party that’s teeming with ingenuity!

The post How to Throw a Healthy and Eco-Friendly Holiday Party Your Guests Will Love appeared first on The Hearty Soul.