Welcome to the December food guide newsletter!

This month we feature: healthy seasonal gatherings

In this issue

Recipe of the month
Hosting healthy gatherings
Festive drinks
Healthy eating recommendation of the month
Translated food guide snapshot of the month
Next month

Recipe of the month

Hosting a gathering? Warm things up with this hearty moose stew ! Share a bowl with your guests. One of the joys of sharing meals is choosing healthy dishes that celebrate culture. Another way to celebrate culture is to share food traditions with future generations. This could include talking about recipes, meal time memories, or preparing dishes with foods that you have grown, harvested, fished, or hunted.

Hosting healthy gatherings

Food is often central to gatherings and celebrations. If you’re hosting, there’s a lot to keep in mind! Here are some tips:

Organize and plan ahead. Decide what you’d like to make a few weeks in advance. This can help you gather ingredients when they are on sale.
Use healthy ingredients. Prepare meals with vegetables, fruits, whole grain foods, and protein foods, including plant-based protein options. Check out the food guide kitchen for inspiration.
Make it a potluck! Ask guests to bring a traditional family recipe. Inviting guests to contribute to the meal is a way to share and celebrate culture and food traditions.
Include activities and games. Think beyond food to celebrate. Plan to play some board games or bundle up for ice skating or snowshoeing.

Learn more about healthy eating for holidays and events.

Festive drinks

Make drink choices that support your health this holiday season. Many drinks served at celebrations and events can have a lot of sodium, sugars, or saturated fat—this applies to both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Here are some fun and festive drink ideas without excess sodium, sugars, or saturated fat:

warm tea steeped with mulling spices
chai, prepared with unsweetened lower fat milk or fortified plant-based beverage
water or carbonated water infused with fruit or herbs, such as:
- apple slices and a cinnamon stick
- cranberries and a sprig of rosemary
- pear slices and a drop of vanilla extract

Do-it-yourself (DIY) mulling spices

Mulling spices are a cozy spice blend used to add flavour to warm drinks. Make a jar of DIY mulling spices to enjoy during the season or give as a thoughtful gift! Recipes vary; use any combination of different spices or fruits you have on hand, try:

nutmeg, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks
dehydrated orange zest, ground allspice, and cinnamon sticks
nutmeg, peppercorns, ground allspice, and dehydrated orange zest

Mulled tea

250 mL (1 cup) tea of choice (herbal, green, black, orange pekoe, etc.)
5 mL (1 tsp) mulling spices

Boil water, and make your favourite tea, using your preferred method.
Then steep your tea with mulling spices. Stir in 5 mL (1 tsp) of mulling spices per 250 mL (1 cup) of tea. The longer you let the spices steep, the stronger the flavour will be. You can leave the mulling spices in your tea or strain to remove them before drinking.

Healthy eating recommendation of the month

Cultures and food traditions can be a part of healthy eating. Learn more about this healthy eating recommendation.

Translated food guide snapshot of the month

Canada’s food guide is a suite of online resources made to meet different needs. It includes the food guide snapshot, available online in many languages .