Navigating the Holidays with Dietary Restrictions

A big part of holiday gatherings and celebrations revolves around food.  Family recipes, seasonal specialties, and holiday dishes that only come around once a year.  This can be challenging for individuals navigating dietary restrictions, as it can mean missing out or having to try new recipes to ensure there is something safe (and delicious) to enjoy.   Whether you’re hosting or taking a dish as a guest to share, there can be pressure to make options others might enjoy.  And product alternatives can be expensive!  Thankfully, you’re not alone.  We’re here to help with a list of highly regarded product swaps and tried-and-true recipes for classic holiday dishes, plus other inspiration to add to your table.

Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions

When preparing multi-ingredient dishes (such as soups, casseroles, and baked goods), finding product alternatives that align with dietary needs and preferences can be especially helpful.  Dozens of options are on the market, but not all are created equal.  We’ve compiled a list of tried-and-true swaps to get you started, depending on the restriction(s) you may be navigating.

• Gluten-free all-purpose flour: King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill brands offer blends that work well as a 1-to-1 swap for all-purpose flour in traditional recipes.
• Grain-free flour: Otto’s Naturals offers cassava flour as a grain-free substitute
• Certified gluten-free oats: GF Harvest, One-Degree Organics, Bob’s Red Mill, Nature’s Path
• Baking Mixes: Pamela’s (gluten-free) and Simple Mills (grain-free)
• Allergen-friendly chocolate chips and baking add-ins: Enjoy Life
• Plant-based/dairy-free butter (for baking): Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or Country Crock Plant Butter (both brands offer stick products that are gluten-free and dairy-free, but certain other items within their product lines may contain soy).
• Dairy-free cheese: Check out this list that breaks down the best brands and products by type.  They also highlight the base ingredients used, as well as any potential allergens (such as tree nuts and/or soy).  For quick reference:

• • • Best cheddar: Chao Creamy Original
    • Best mozzarella: Miyoko’s
    • Best shredded: Follow Your Heart
    • Best cream cheese: Kite Hill

Gluten-free (GF) and Dairy-free (DF) Holiday and Seasonal Recipes

Recipes are the next essential area to have approved alternatives to the classics.  Whether you’re looking for the closest one-to-one swap or something that is a bit more nutritious, we have ideas to get you started!  Some of these recipes are perfect as is, and others have been tested with the suggested ingredient substitutions or omissions to ensure they are just as delicious.

Appetizers and Sauces

• Blueberry Cranberry Sauce
• Cranberry, Ginger, and Orange Chutney
• Cranberry Orange Relish
• Homemade Spinach Dip: Without a packet/mix, swap regular Greek yogurt or sour cream for a DF alternative; verify that Worcestershire sauce is GF.

Soups and Salads

• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Vegan Potato Cauliflower Soup
• Garlicky Green Bean Salad: Omit cheese for DF
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cranberries and Apple: Omit cheese for DF
• Sweet and Savory Baby Kale Salad: Omit cheese for DF

Sides: Starches and Non-starchy Veggies

• Gluten-Free Classic Stuffing
• Cauliflower Stuffing: Use vegan butter for DF
• Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Pecans
• Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole: Consider reducing brown sugar in sweet potatoes to ½ cup; use GF flour if making butter pecan topping.
• Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole: Includes links to recipes for GF cream of mushroom soup, GF crispy fried onions, and GF breadcrumbs.
• Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries
• Easy Brazilian Cheese Muffins: These muffins are gluten- and grain-free; substitute vegan cheese shreds and plant-based milk for DF; they will not brown as much as rolls made with dairy but still taste great!

Desserts and Sweets

• Pecan Brittle Shortbread Bars
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
• Gluten-Free Apple Pie Bars (substitute vegan butter for DF)
• Apple Pie Crumble Bars (use GF oats and oat flour)
• Flourless Gingerbread Oat Muffins (use GF oats)
• Vegan Eggnog

For More Recipe Inspiration:

• The Loopy Whisk: Allergy-friendly recipes (gluten-free, dairy-free, and/or egg-free options).
• Unbound Wellness: Gluten-free and allergy-friendly.
• The Real Food Dietitians: Not an entirely allergy-friendly site, but the recipe drop-down menu can be searched by diet type and includes options that are gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free via the “Notes” sections at the bottom of recipes.

Partnering with a Registered Dietitian

While ideas and inspiration can be useful, they don’t replace the value of customization when you work with a knowledgeable professional to optimize your health.  Our dietitians are skilled at supporting individuals navigating dietary restrictions and would love to partner with you in any season or stage of life.  If this could benefit you, contact us to get started!