AIP Thanksgiving - How to Survive!

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Tips to survive – and enjoy – an AIP Thanksgiving: like avoiding temptation, traveling, how to eat over friends' and family's' houses, having company, and even some AIP Thanksgiving recipes to make!

One of the hardest times to be on a restrictive diet is during the holidays.

First, way too many temptations get in front of your face, and your willpower is definitely tested over and over and over again.

Secondly, you are put into many, sometimes often awkward and difficult, situations that test your relationships and ability to navigate social situations.

And last but not least, what the heck do you make?!?

I will answer all of these and more in this post because I have been through it MANY a time my friend.

Watch this to find out what to (and definitely what NOT to) do for the Holidays while on a healing diet

https://youtu.be/9D7o9BSlzTI

DON'T go to a holiday dinner without knowing these! (https://youtu.be/9D7o9BSlzTI)

Avoiding Temptation During the Holidays

The first situation I want to address is avoiding temptation while on the AIP Diet during the holidays like Thanksgiving.

My first piece of advice when navigating ANY difficult situation, whether it's a holiday or a wedding, birthday, special event or whatever, is to know exactly WHY you're doing AIP.

In order to make this easier for you, I've created a quick worksheet you can download, print, and fill out. Keep this handy throughout the holidays. Just click on the image to download it.

My next piece of advice about avoiding temptation during something like an AIP Thanksgiving is to make sure you're prepared with lots of snacks – or easy snack ideas and even some desserts so you don't feel the need to go astray.

Some ideas for this are:

See some AIP Thanksgiving dessert ideas below.

AIP Thanksgiving Travel

Travel is another often difficult area while on AIP, but it's really no different at Thanksgiving vs the rest of the year. Just maybe a bit more crowded and stressful.

I've got an entire post and video devoted to AIP travel tips – so read that if you have to leave home this holiday.

My biggest tip with this though is again – SNACKS!

Seriously though, snacks when facing any sort of temptation, travel, conference, or uncertain situation will always help. Nothing is worse than feeling that sensation of your blood sugar dropping, the irritation and lightheadedness setting in, and hunger.

Snacks will keep you from making bad choices and give you that leeway to make it to your next full meal without peril.

Plus, you never know when you're traveling if you'll hit any delays. Whether that's via plane or car (traffic anyone?). So keeping some really filling and delicious snack options with you will help a ton.

Eating Over Friends' and Family's Houses

Awkward situations can really put a damper on your holiday when eating an AIP diet over friends' or family's houses for Thanksgiving, so it's best to do a little planning ahead to try to avoid these situations.

If possible, when making plans, see if your friends or family can come to YOUR place to eat, because then you can control everything. No worry about cross-contamination or eating non-AIP ingredients.

A Crucial Conversation

If that's not an option though, the first thing to do is call your host/hostess and have a conversation letting them know that you're on a special diet. It's best to make sure you let them know you are doing this for YOU to feel better. Sometimes people feel like you're judging the way they eat, so by totally owning it (and not making any comments about the way they eat or that anything they may eat is “unhealthy”), things will go smoother.

Ask if it's ok for you to either make (if you're away from home) or bring over some dishes – either just for yourself or to share. What you offer and bring may depend on how many other people will be there and how a dish would fit in.

For example, if you plan on bringing mashed butternut squash and brussels sprouts, it may be perfect for Thanksgiving and is something you can make quite a bit of.

And if the meal is a party for 50 people, your host/hostess may be appreciative if you just bring your entire meal so they don't have to think about any of your restrictions.

If They Want to Make Something For You

Sometimes you'll get lucky and your host/hostess will want to make a dish for you that will fit within your dietary constraints.

If this is the case, it's easiest to send over some recipes that wouldn't be difficult to make and that don't include weird, Paleo-only ingredients like coconut aminos or tigernuts that most people don't have in their pantry.

Instead, simple is best here, like roasted diced sweet potatoes with salt and cinnamon.

And make sure to thank them profusely 🙂

If You Accidentally Get Served and Eat Non-compliant Food:

If your host/hostess accidentally serves you something that isn't AIP-compliant, it's best not to get angry with them. It unfortunately happens (I had this happen to me with butter on a Thanksgiving turkey), but getting mad won't help anything.

Instead, smile, be gracious, and perhaps not even mention it – they'd probably feel TERRIBLE if they knew. The whole point of having you over was to spend time with you and provide for you, and if they knew that they messed that up – well just put yourself in their shoes. You'd probably feel really bad too, right? It's not their job to remember all of your dietary restrictions, so be gentle.

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Keep some activated charcoal with you though in case this does happen – it will help rid your body of the toxins quicker and hopefully make any ramifications not nearly as bad.

Having Company Over for Your AIP Thanksgiving

Having people over your house is the best way to go if you can swing it because then you can control everything.

However, if you do have the fortune of having everyone come to your place, it's best to serve a meal that doesn't cry AIP! So no liver pate, carob powder, or strange recipe you've never made before, etc.

Instead, serve something that's more universal.

Obviously Thanksgiving choices are things like roast turkey, roasted Brussels sprouts, mashed sweet potatoes, etc. AIP versions of these can be quite tasty and there's not much you have to change anyway.

You might choose to serve something that is naturally AIP, like these Ginger Baked Pears for example.

You also can make and serve things to round out the meal that you can't eat as well, like a green bean casserole, mashed white potatoes, and the like. These will give your guests more options.

This also goes for if someone has a sentimental attachment to a dish you can't eat – you can always make it for them but you don't have to eat it.

Watch out for Cross-Contamination

Do watch out for cross-contamination if you make non-compliant dishes for others though.

For instance, if someone requests a white flour bread stuffing, use a disposable aluminum baking pan to cook it in so you don't need to worry about your own pan. If that's not an option, really make sure you wash your pans/dishes really well afterward.

See also: The Ultimate Guide to the AIP Diet – everything you need to know to be successful

AIP Thanksgiving Recipes

Now for the fun part! No need to ask “What Can I eat for Thanksgiving on AIP?”. I've got the answers for you down below.

These tasty AIP Thanksgiving recipes will give you some ideas on making this holiday enjoyable.

AIP Thanksgiving Appetizers

Toasted Coconut Chips by Thriving On Paleo

Cinnamon Apples by Thriving On Paleo

Creamy Artichoke Dip from Meatified

Bacon-Wrapped Butternut Squash Bites by A Squirrel in the Kitchen

AIP Sour Cream by Real World AIP (dip veggies into it!)

AIP Thanksgiving Sides

AIP Air-fryer Brussels Sprouts by Bon AIPpetit

Roasted Brussels Sprouts by Thriving On Paleo

Sweet Potato Puree with Coconut Orange and Ginger by And Here We Are (omit the black pepper)

Sauteed Persimmons by BonAIPpetit

Cranberry and Orange Relish (with variation to make it probiotic!) by And Here We Are

Winter Veggies in Spiced Coconut Milk by Phoenix Helix

Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto by Thriving On Paleo

Roasted Broccoli by Thriving On Paleo

Homemade Gravy (pan drippings from the turkey, 1/2 cup white wine, a bit of chicken stock if needed, and 1 tbs of arrowroot flour – all whisked and then cooked together in a sauce pan until thick)

Sweet Potato Casserole (4-5 roasted mashed sweet potatoes with about a tbsp of coconut oil, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Mace, 1 tsp salt and placed in a large casserole dish) with Urban Poser’s Homemade Marshmallows on top

Apple-Cranberry Holiday Stuffing from Autoimmune Wellness

“Corn-bread” Stuffing by Unbound Wellness

AIP Thanksgiving Stuffing by Real World AIP

Paleo & AIP Butter by Real World AIP