For many people, the foods and meals surrounding the holidays are part of what makes the holidays special. Holiday traditions are often built upon foods such as eating pumpkin pie, sipping peppermint hot chocolate, waking up to warm cinnamon rolls, and baking countless Christmas cookies with family and friends.
For people with ARFID, these traditions can lead to anxiety and negative feelings toward the holidays. Below, I have listed some tips for having less anxious holiday meals. These tips are for both those with ARFID and their loved ones.
How to have less anxious holiday meals:
Include foods that are considered safe or preferred.
Do not push or force exposure work during holiday meals.
Focus on conversation and time spent with friends and family.
Avoid judgment regarding what and how much food was eaten.
Go into the meal without expectations.
Always use coping tools as needed.
These are tips that I’ll be using with my ARFID loved one as well as the rest of my family. Happy holidays.