Julia is an adult with PKU who has been on the low-protein diet all her life. In 2020, Julia gave birth to a sweet little girl named Margaret Joan, who also has PKU. Julia is an active PKU and home cook with a very active Instagram page @OrganicPKU.
When I grew up on a low-protein diet, my mom always made sure I had a special meal at Christmas. Looking back on it now, I realize how much effort it must have taken, and I am very grateful to her for everything she did. Nowadays we organize the Christmas celebrations. As with any low-protein meal, it takes some planning and a lot of passion to execute. Preparing extra low-protein options can be somewhat complicated, but my family has found a good rhythm to meet all desires.
Below I share my tips and tricks for creating a festive meal for the whole family.
1) Plan ahead
Discuss what the menu will look like a month before dinner. Ask for help from a friend, partner, parents or your child. It is very helpful if they can tell you what they like so that you can tailor the dishes.
We write a menu with both low-protein and traditional options. Sometimes the traditional dish inspires us to prepare a low-protein variant. Provide a starter, main course and dessert, so that you are well prepared for the dinner! The more tasty low-protein options available throughout the day, the easier it is to stick to a diet.
Recipes:
- Creamy parsnip soup with hazelnut oil and parsnip chips (15 minutes, 2 people, medium)
- Risotto with wild mushrooms (25 minutes, 2 people, medium)
- Gingerbread cookies (25 minutes, 1 person, easy)
2) Good preparation
Order all the necessary low-protein foods at least a month in advance, so that you can be sure that you receive all low-protein products on time. We recommend ordering about six weeks in advance.
I've found that preparing the menu last minute can be tricky. That's why I often make the low-protein dishes one or even two weeks in advance and store them in the freezer. If something goes wrong, you still have plenty of time to recreate it.
3) Serve in an organised low-protein way
This seems simple, but I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten to serve or eat my low-protein dishes amidst the chaos of hosting.
Remove all low-protein foods from the freezer 1-2 days in advance. If you are a host, space may be limited. In this situation, I keep the food in a relative's freezer until the date of the event.
Have a low-protein checklist on the day and delegate tasks to a family member. This is a simple and easy way for a partner or grandparent to contribute.
Remember that the holidays are all about spending time with your family and friends. Hopefully, you're as lucky as I am, and your family is there to help and support you. Don't be shy to ask for help. If you're a guest, you can also use these tips to help your host. Before the holidays, share tips on how to make a traditional dish low in protein or help find customisable dishes.
