Meal Planner Series: Friendsgiving Potluck

Friends gathered around a dinner table sharing food and wine

Friendsgiving is one of the best parts of the season: good company, a table full of dishes, and a lot of variety. It can also be one of the easiest places to lose track of your goals.

In this episode of The MetPro Method, host Crystal O’Keefe is joined by MetPro coach Amber Velasquez to talk about attending a Friendsgiving potluck, enjoying the food, and still staying on plan.

They cover what to bring, the spoonful trick for sampling everything, setting boundaries with family, healthier recipes from the MetPro site, what to do when the host assigns your dish, and why a small treat beats skipping it entirely.

Why the Holidays Are Where Most Weight Gain Happens

The stretch from November through New Year is when many people put on weight. Holding steady through the season is a real win, and a plan going in makes that much easier.

Crystal: Welcome to The MetPro Method podcast. I am your host, Crystal O’Keefe, and today I am joined by MetPro coach Amber Velasquez. We are going to be discussing attending a Friendsgiving potluck, how to navigate it, and how to still enjoy the food and stay on plan. Amber, I cannot wait to hear all of the tips. Thank you so much for being here today.

Amber: Thanks so much for having me, Crystal. I know the holidays are really tough to navigate, so hopefully this helps some of you plan ahead and know what you can take. The holidays are where the majority of Americans put on their weight. If we can prevent some of that and at least maintain weight, then we are good to go.

Crystal: That is a win. Just this time of year is a win.

Amber: Hopefully here at MetPro we can help you not put that weight on.

Crystal: I personally would love that. There are a lot of treats out there this time of year, and they are family baked. People you love are creating food for you, so it is difficult to say no. Let us start with the basics. What exactly is a potluck? Most people probably know, but not everybody.

Amber: A potluck is a meal or a party where each guest contributes. You can bring a side dish or a dessert. Usually the host has the main entree, and when everyone makes something from home and brings it together, you get a lot of variety. They are usually a lot of fun.

Crystal: The variety is awesome, and it takes the pressure off the host. In theory, there should be something for everyone, whether you are gluten free, vegan, or have other dietary restrictions.

What to Bring to a Potluck When You Have Health Goals

If you are not sure what else will be on the table, bring a dish you know fits your plan. Bringing both a side and a dessert you can eat guarantees you have options all night.

Crystal: As a person trying to stay committed to their health goals, what guidelines should we consider when we think about the food we bring to a potluck?

Amber: First, make sure it is something that would be good for you to eat. If you are not sure what else will be available, prepare and take a safer food. If you are watching your carbs, take a low carb dish. If you are gluten free or dairy free, take something you know you can have, so you do not get there and not be able to eat anything. Plan ahead. Maybe take a dessert and a side dish that you know are safe for you.

Amber: And if you know other people there have allergies, definitely let them know. That can be pretty serious at events, like if there are nuts or dairy inside. Make something that is safe for you, and let the other guests know as well.

“If you are not sure what else is going to be available, prepare and take something that you know is a safer food.”
Coach Amber

The Spoonful Trick for Sampling Everything

You do not have to choose between tasting everything and staying on track. A small spoonful of each dish lets you try it all without filling the plate.

Crystal: How do we balance tradition, family, and friends with health and food? I feel like that is really difficult.

Amber: I would definitely agree. When you are surrounded by friends and family, it becomes a social gathering. You eat and drink, and sometimes you are less mindful than you would be at home. For me, one of the most important things at these gatherings is the family time, so you have to put your priorities into perspective. If you have a big goal to maintain or lose weight during the holidays, do not let that gathering slow you down. It is all about spending time with family and friends, and you can still meet your goals.

Amber: One of my favorite things to do is the spoonful tip. I am a big foodie and I love tasting everything, including all the desserts. So I take one of the smaller plastic spoons and get a spoonful of everything on my plate. That way I am not overindulging, but I get to sample each thing. Some of my family members even started picking up on that, and now they do it at our family gatherings.

“I take a plastic spoon, one of the smaller ones, and I just get a spoonful of everything to put on my plate.”
Coach Amber

Setting Boundaries When Family Cooks for You

Saying no to food someone made for you can feel personal. Telling them what you are working toward usually turns that tension into support, and sometimes it inspires them too.

Crystal: What would you do if it were reversed? What if they said, Amber, why are you eating so little food?

Amber: It does bring some guilt, especially when your family is cooking. A lot of work goes into preparing those meals. So I would set some boundaries. You are doing this for your own health. Let them know, hey, this is important to me, I am not eating as much because I have goals to reach. Some people do not talk about it, and then their family questions their eating decisions. If you do talk about it, you might actually influence your family to make better decisions as well. It can be a win.

Healthier Holiday Recipes to Bring

Classic holiday sides and desserts are often loaded with sugar. MetPro versions keep the flavor while cutting much of it out.

Crystal: Do you have any specific recipe ideas people listening could use?

Amber: There are some really great recipes on the MetPro website. I usually take a side dish and a dessert, so there is one of each I can have. Anything with sweet potatoes or pumpkin, especially around November. For dessert, I always like to make the pumpkin banana bars. They are super simple with good ingredients. They use whole fruit like bananas and pureed pumpkin, so they are not loaded with sugar but still have that sweetness. As a side, I love to make sweet potato casserole.

Amber: As most of you know, sweet potato casserole is usually loaded with brown sugar, marshmallows, and caramel. The recipe on the MetPro website cuts out a lot of that sugar and still tastes really good. There are other great ones on there too that use butternut squash, sweet potato, and pumpkin.

Find them here: Pumpkin Banana Bars, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash.

Stuffed acorn squash halves filled with vegetables

How to Make a Recipe Fit Your Current Plan

Crystal: When people look through the recipes, they see this many carbs and this much protein. How can they make sure it is part of the plan their coach has them on right now?

Amber: That is a great question, because we have many phases and progressions, and it depends on each client. That is a great time to talk with your coach about how a recipe fits your plan. If it does not fit exactly, your coach will have great ideas on how to make it fit, or other suggestions for something you could take. Reach out to your coach with any questions, and they will be more than happy to help.

When the Host Tells You What to Bring

An assigned dish is a chance to adapt a recipe. Simple ingredient swaps can add protein and cut sugar without anyone at the table noticing.

Crystal: What if the host says, bring X, Y, Z? Now what?

Amber: I would reach out to my coach and ask if they have any ideas. Our coaches are full of knowledge. If there is not a MetPro recipe they can recommend, they can help you find a good source for a dish based on what your host asked you to bring.

Crystal: Have you ever been put on the spot like that? If so, how did you make it fit?

Amber: I have. The host asked me to bring biscuits, homemade if I could. I had never made homemade biscuits, and at that time I was watching my carbs because I had other plans coming up where I knew I would indulge a little. So I did my research, worked with another coach, and we came up with a biscuit recipe using whole wheat flour instead of traditional all purpose flour. They had a bit more protein and not as much sugar, and they were a hit at the party.

Crystal: So you could indulge a little without going overboard. You could have half a biscuit and still have the apple pie or the pumpkin pie.

Amber: Right. Your coach will have tips for swapping ingredients to make things more macro friendly than the traditional recipes. For instance, if a recipe calls for whole milk or heavy whipping cream, you might substitute almond milk, which is a free food at MetPro.

“If one recipe calls for whole milk or heavy whipping cream, you may substitute it for almond milk, which is a free food for MetPro.”
Coach Amber

Using the Same Approach at Thanksgiving Dinner

Arriving hungry is when most overeating happens. Eat a MetPro meal before you go, then use the spoonful trick and keep portions small on the dishes you only see once a year.

Crystal: What about a more traditional Thanksgiving meal or a different holiday gathering? Can people use these same ideas?

Amber: For sure. Eat one of your MetPro meals before you go. That way you are not starving when you get there, because that is usually when you overindulge, especially with a holiday meal that only comes around a couple of times a year. When you get there, try the spoonful trick or have a little of each thing. If there is something you really like, maybe have two spoonfuls, but limit your portion size. That is the biggest key around the holidays. We all tend to overdo it, so just be mindful. I am guilty of it myself.

Crystal: Oh, the stuffing. I do not need fancy stuffing. I am a stovetop stuffing girl, and I could eat an entire box by myself.

Amber: I am the same way with anything pumpkin. I really have to keep in the back of my head: just a small piece.

Why a Small Treat Beats Skipping It Entirely

Completely avoiding a food you really want often leads to overeating something else later. A few bites satisfy the craving and keep your relationship with food healthy.

Crystal: I actually used that just last night. My daughter’s girlfriend made her cupcakes for her birthday, and there they were in our fridge, staring up at me. I took a little slice, enough for a couple of bites. I enjoyed it and felt good about it. In the past I could easily have grabbed a whole one.

Amber: That is so important, because so many people try to just avoid things. You do not have to. If you really want something and you avoid it, the chances of overindulging on something else are about 10 times greater. A little nibble satisfies the craving, and you do not feel guilty.

Crystal: When you deprive yourself of something you really want, you can end up resentful about eating healthier. It can sabotage your future efforts. You do not need to go overboard, but you also cannot never enjoy anything.

Amber: Exactly. I always talk to my clients about balance, and it may look different for each person, so work with your coach on that. Our goal is to get you to a good place with food where you enjoy eating better. It is not only about dropping a couple of pounds. We want to help you live a better lifestyle for the rest of your life.

“If you just have a little nibble, it satisfies that craving, and then you do not feel guilty.”
Coach Amber

Final Tips for Your Friendsgiving Gathering

Eat before you go, fill up on vegetables, enjoy the people, and set your boundaries ahead of time.

Crystal: Did we miss anything? What else should people remember for their Friendsgiving gatherings?

Amber: Eat before you go, or at least have a snack, even if it is not a full meal. Fill up on veggies. When you fill your plate, you can have as many veggies as you want. I do not put a limit on them, and they help keep you from overeating other things because they play such a small role in the calories you are having. And of course, spending time with your family is the most important part. Enjoy that moment and do not feel guilty, but keep your goals in mind. If you have goals you are working toward, set the boundaries. I would say that is key.