The First Three Bites: Your Top Tip for Enjoying Holiday Treats Without Overdoing It

The holiday season is full of foods we only see once or twice a year—your aunt’s famous fudge, the decorated sugar cookies your coworker brings in, that special pie that smells like pure nostalgia. These foods can absolutely fit into a healthy lifestyle. But how we approach them can change everything. Here’s the mindset shift for holiday eating I’ve been teaching clients this month:

The first 2–3 bites are always the best.

And there’s a real, physiological reason why.

Food tastes its best when we’re at slight hunger—that comfortable “I could eat” feeling. This is the sweet spot where your senses are most awake and your taste experience is the richest.

But once we’re full—or even in a neutral place of not feeling hungry and not feeling full—something subtle happens:

Foods start to taste different. Not bad… just muted.

Even your favorite holiday treats lose some of their spark. The flavor simply doesn’t land the same way it does when you’ve got a touch of hunger. Sometimes people keep eating anyway, hoping the next bite will bring back that first bite’s magic. But our brain can’t recreate it. Meanwhile, the impact on your health continues to rise with every extra bite.

This is where mindful discernment becomes powerful.

A Simple Scenario You Can Try This Week

Imagine you’re at a holiday gathering and spot:

• a peppermint brownie

• a beautifully frosted cookie

• a slice of pecan pie

All foods you genuinely enjoy.

Here’s the experiment:

1. Check in with your body: Am I at slight hunger? If yes, this is prime time.

2. Choose the treat you truly want most.

3. Take the first bite slowly. Notice taste, texture, aroma.

4. Take a second and third bite with the same presence. Enjoy them fully.

5. Pause. Ask yourself:

   • Is more adding something?

   • Or would I just be chasing the experience I already had?

If the flavor is starting to fade — that’s your signal.

This is the moment you can say, “That was delicious,” set the treat aside, and then fill up on foods that truly support your body:

• roasted vegetables

• a hearty soup

• salad with protein

• fruit

• nuts

• lean meats or fish

This way, you get the joy of the treat and the nourishment that helps you feel steady, energized, and comfortable. No guilt. No restriction. Just awareness and choice.

The Best Part? Your January Will Feel Completely Different

When you savor the first few bites — the ones that actually deliver the pleasure — and gently stop there, you naturally eat less without feeling deprived.

Small choices like this create:

• fewer blood sugar swings

• less bloating

• more energy

• more confidence

• a calmer, more peaceful relationship with holiday food

And most importantly: You enjoy your favorite foods more — not less — because you’re actually tasting them at their best.

Want support applying this approach to your own eating patterns?

I work with clients on building food confidence, tuning into their body’s signals, and creating sustainable habits that actually stick—without dieting or guilt.

If you’re curious whether nutrition coaching is a good fit for you, you’re welcome to schedule a no-cost 15-minute discovery call. It’s simply a chance to talk, ask questions, and see if working together makes sense. [Book your free 15-minute call here]