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Nutrition.gov
U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Healthy Holidays

Ensure the holidays are stress free this year by reviewing these healthy holiday resources. Read how to stay on track with health goals, plan budget-friendly meals, accommodate guest’s dietary restrictions and maintain safe food handling.

Thrifty Holiday Menus

Hanukkah

Manorah in the foreground, with family around table in background

Celebrate Hanukkah with this collection of thrifty recipes including applesauce loaf cake, red lentil latkes, and beef pot roast.

Find Hanukkah Recipes

Christmas

Table set for Christmas meal with Christmas tree in background

Celebrate the Christmas season without breaking the bank with this holiday menu, including holiday classics such as cranberry ham, Dutch green beans, and maple sweet potatoes.  

View the Christmas Menu

Kwanzaa

Table set for Kwanzaa celebration with family of 3 behind table.

This Kwanzaa menu offers hearty flavors while staying heart-healthy and nutritious with recipes such as peanutty stew, blue corn pan bread, and mock sweet potato pie.  

Discover the Kwanzaa Cookbook

Holiday Meal Planning

Holiday meal planning can be overwhelming. Find resources to ensure it’s stress free by sticking to a budget. 

Healthy, Thrifty Holiday Menus
USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP-Ed Connection 
Browse sample menus for celebrating holidays throughout the year, including Cinco de Mayo, the 4th of July, and Halloween.

Holiday food on a budget
University of Minnesota Extension
Cooking for family and friends during the holidays doesn't have to be stressful or expensive. Use these suggestions to cook up  the best holiday meals yet.

Tips for Low-Cost Holiday Meals
Nebraska Extension
Save money on holiday meals with these budget friendly tips.

Including Vegetarians into Holiday Meals 
Oklahoma State University Extension
What if the guest list for the holiday y meal includes someone who is vegetarian? Use these tips to plan the perfect meal for everyone’s food preferences. 

Healthy Holiday Diet

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Holiday meal preview

For many people holidays and large gatherings can cause a sense of anxiety around eating. Learn how to navigate a holiday meal while feeling confident with this article on ‘How to Enjoy a Holiday Dinner Without Guilt.'

Food Safety

Holidays are for sharing everything except food-borne illnesses. Use these resources to keep everyone safe this holiday season. 

Food Safety for Holiday Leftovers 
HHS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
​​​Keep food poisoning out of holiday leftovers with these food safety tips.

Food Safety for Buffets and Parties 
HHS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
Follow these steps to keep  guests from getting sick with food poisoning.

Safe Food Storage
USDA, Nutrition.gov 
Follow these tips for safely storing food in the freezer, refrigerator, and pantry to prevent foodborne germs from growing on holiday leftovers.