Eating at Parties: How to Avoid Overdoing It

Quick Win

Celebrations with friends and family don’t have to derail your habits. Whether you’re at a sit-down dinner or a happy-hour gathering, try these steps to stay on track.

Try This Today

• Don’t arrive hungry (or hangry!). Eating a nutritious snack — like veggies and hummus or nuts and fruit — before the party will give you more self-control.
• Sip wisely. Drinking alcohol can lead to overeating. If you imbibe, drink slowly and alternate alcoholic beverages with water.
• Bring a healthy dish. If the party is a potluck, bring something delicious and nutritious. If there are not many healthy options, this can be your fallback.
• Sloooooow down. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to send fullness signals to your brain, so it’s easy to overeat when you gobble food down. Be intentional about eating slowly — chew each bite thoroughly, put your fork down between bites.
• Make conversation the “main course.” Focus on connecting with the people you’re with, not on the food.
• Fill up on veggies. Don’t skip the salad or crudités platter.
• Beware of buffets. Having a wide variety of foods within reach can encourage overeating. Be selective, and if there are a number of dishes you’d like to try, take a small amount of each.

Why

Research shows that our environment can have a strong effect on how much we eat. For instance, people tend to eat more when they’re with friends and family, according to a 2019 research review in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Having a wide variety of foods available also tends to increase portions, according to a 2021 review in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.