How to Navigate Holiday Eating During Menopause (Without Dieting)
The holidays bring a flurry of cozy decorations, comfort foods, and visits from friends and family you don’t see often. For women navigating menopause, these seasonal changes—combined with unpredictable schedules, travel, body talk, and financial stress—can intensify food stress and make it harder to honor your body’s signals. This guide will help you practice intuitive eating during the holidays, recognize your body’s cues, build supportive habits, and enjoy the season without restriction, guilt, or diet rules.
Balanced Holiday Eating - (Without Restriction)
Balance doesn’t mean “perfect.”
The holiday celebrations are often filled with food. It can be joyful, but also overwhelming. The pressure to “be good”, control food, or manage our body image can quickly build. During menopause, hunger cues can be inconsistent and energy needs often vary. Balanced eating is less about controlling portions and more about pairing foods that help maintain your energy. Include a variety of protein, carbs, fat, and satisfaction to fill your tank.
Let’s Try This!
DROP FOOD LABELS- Labeling food as good or bad oversimplifies and adds guilt to eating. Lean into how the food makes you feel. Do you have more lasting energy with the apple AND walnuts? Does your stomach feel ok if you have the cookie with dinner rather than alone?
ADD IN- Adding protein (like eggs, dairy, nuts, chicken, tofu) to meals you’re already eating. You will feel more satietated and less likely to need quick energy in between meals.
DON’T FORGET- Carbohydrates are not the enemy. Include carbs regularly to reduce crashes that worsen hot flashes and irritability.
EAT REGULARLY- Avoid restricting to enjoy a holiday food later. This saving up approach can impact your energy, mood and how you approach those favorite holiday foods later. Aim to check in with your hunger every 3-4 hours.
Fueling on the go
Travel Eating Tips
STAY ON A SCHEDULE -Check in with your hunger and aim to eat around every 3–4 hours. This may not look like a full meal but fueling with a snack can prevent coming to the table too hungry.
CONSISTENCY - People often feel gut discomfort on trips from too many meals outside of their normal eating habits. Aim to include many of your familiar home favorites while adding in some add ins.
BE PREPARED- Pack some snacks! Try out salted almonds (help with dizziness), crackers, jerky, dried fruit, electrolyte packets. As you leave the hotel breakfast, grab a piece of fresh fruit and a pack of peanut butter.
Setting Boundaries on Body Talk
Boundaries are Protective
Gathering for social events may be ther first time you have seen friends or family in some time. The concern for body talk can become so loud it interferes with enjoying the event. Quiet some of the anxieties around body talk with a plan ahead of gatherings.
SET THE STAGE- Discuss with family or friends ahead of the social event what your concerns are.
GIVE THEM A HAND- Decide on a discreet hand signal to cue a family member that the body talk is getting uncomfortable.
DIRECT MESSAGE- Have a more direct message ready to go should you need it. “I appreciate your comment, but I’m not interested in body talk.”
DISCREET ROUTE- Remove yourself from the converstation or steer the conversation away from body or food talk.
Had Too Much of a Favorite Food?
Regret is different than Guilt
The holiday cookies were delicious and you are left feeling terrible. Your stomach is uncomfortable and you disappointed in yourself. How can we reframe this in real time? Holding guilt around the eating will not serve you. In fact, it can often lead to more taste eating! (The “What the Hell” Effect). Put your non-judgmental, investigator hat on and think through the event and then LET IT GO.
Investigate- What led up to the events? Where you physically hungry, seeking comfort or was the food delicious? Great! You have some valuable information for your next event.
Understand- Your body knows what to do with this fullness. This fullness will pass. This was one meal.
Regret is Different than Guilt- ‘I have identified what may work better for me next time. Holding onto guilt doesn’t serve me.’
Looking for ways to slow down?
Bottom Line
Menopause changes how hunger, energy, and emotions show up—especially during the holidays. Giving yourself permission to eat, rest, and care for your body is one of the most powerful ways to reduce stress and reclaim your holiday experience. Stress and shame around food are far more harmful than a few festive meals.
Kristen Bunich ma rd ldn
Kristen is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor passionate about building client’s relationships with food and their bodies. She sees clients in person and online in North and South Carolina and is credentialed with most BCBS plans and Aetna.
Book a FREE Discovery Call Today!