Celebrating the Holidays, Organic Style

As I write this, I'm sitting on an airplane watching the Food Channel experts preparing the “ultimate-easy” Holiday Feast. It's easy only because they're demonstrating how to make most of the feast a day ahead. It's ultimate because it's absolutely over-the-top. My mouth is watering while I drink my sparkling water! As I think about this feast, I'm aware that many more of the wonderful ingredients used in a holiday meal are available as USDA certified organic than just one year ago - right after I started my own organic journey.

I'm so appreciative of the organic, healthy, nutritious foods now available. And as we anticipate gathering with family for our traditional holiday feasts I'm thankful that I won't have to skip some of my all-time favorites, just because we can't find the organic ingredients. I'm also aware that some of our old favorites might benefit by changing to more nutritious alternatives.

Here are our plans for the holiday season:

• For our immediate family, we will have a 100% organic feast. Our menu may not be, strictly speaking, traditional, but it will include our favorite foods -- fresh. seasonal, local fruits and vegetables, and warm drinks like fresh-pressed spiced apple cider.
• We celebrate the holidays with both our extended families. Cheryl's family has a potluck dinner. For that gathering, we'll bring along several organic dishes so I can have a complete meal without requesting that anyone else change their normal recipes. There are some great cooks in that family, and it's hard to miss out on some of the dishes that I used to enjoy, but it's also important to me not to inconvenience others because of my 100% commitment to organic.
• My own extended family has more traditional holiday meals. Our menu will include turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings. We will bring a couple of organic dishes to these meals, but several of the members of my family contribute organic dishes and my wonderful mother works very hard at preparing food that everyone can enjoy. They are also very tuned into eating organic, so it's not a big switch for them.
• During the season we will undoubtedly participate in several holiday parties. If parties are being held in restaurants, we might not be able to provide our own organic options. But over the last year we've found that more and more restaurants are offering some organic options. By calling ahead we can find out in advance if there will be anything I can enjoy at the party. If not, it's important for me to eat before going to the party so that I don't spend the party hungry and eyeing the foods I can't have.
• When the parties are at friends' homes, we'll bring along a few of our special holiday treats to share with everyone. What better way to celebrate than by sharing great organic, nutritious, foods with family and friends!

Here are a few holiday ideas:

• A tray of cheese and crackers. I love Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Doctor Kracker Organic Four Seed crackers. Or if your tastes run to milder cheeses, try Monterey Jack and Late July Crackers.
• A bowl of organic mixed nuts. I love Orchard Valley Organic Nuts.
• Crisp fresh apples and caramel sauce. We take along a cutting board and an apple-slicer so guests can slice their own apples and dip them at the peak of freshness. My favorites are Fuji Apples and Santa Cruz Organic Carmel Sauce.
• Horizon Organic Cream Cheese with organic dried cranberries stirred in, and Nature's Path Organic Lemon Poppy cookies (these are really a cross between a cookie and a cracker and the taste mixes very well with the cream cheese.)
• A big bowl of unpeeled Organic Satsuma Oranges and bowl of Santa Cruz Organic Chocolate dipping sauce. These are very easy to peel, so instead of peeling them in advance, we take along a bowl for the peels and let the party-goers peel their own.
• A fondue pot, cheese fondue, and LaBrea Bakery Organic Wheat French Bread or Rudi's Sourdough Bread cubes. For extra flavor (and nutrition) add fresh winter vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and sweet fruits like apples - all organic, of course.
• Horizon Organic Cream Cheese and Organic Crystallized Ginger and Nature's Path Organic Ginger Spice Cookies.

Alan Greene, MD, FAAP