Migraine Diet Recipes for Holidays (2024)

Prepping for Holidays with Migraine

Part of holiday related anxiety for people living with migraine disease is the social commitments and expectations involved with having people over. We’ve been trained to believe we must have a clean house, a multi-course meal, and the perfect, crisp napkins for everyone to be shown a great time. What we tend to forget is that these holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are truly about giving thanks and the recognizing the gift of being loved by friends and family.

Alison Roman recently had an article in the New York Times about how it’s not about “entertaining”, which has a connotation of us putting on a show for others. But it’s truly about enjoying one another’s company. And enjoying someone’s company sounds A LOT easier than entertaining.

If you’re dreading the plans you have and are hoping people cancel, I urge you to re-evaluate the way you are looking at this event. Perhaps these guests are someone who checked in on you while you were going through doctors appointments. Maybe at some point they sent you flowers to let you know they were thinking of you.

Finding little things to be grateful for can change your whole perspective. Suddenly these events become a little less of a chore, and more of a way to appreciate others for what they’ve meant to you during very difficult times.

Cooking with Migraine or Vestibular Disorders

Physically it can be difficult for us to spend hours in the kitchen so along with some migraine friendly meals, here are some tips of mine that I’ve implemented over the years of living with vestibular migraine.

• Remember that you’re not entertaining. So only make what you’re capable of without feeling overloaded. If that’s burgers or an easy chicken recipe, so be it. Again the idea is to shift the focus on being thankful and spending time with the ones you love the most…even that’s yourself!
• Ask for help. If you do have a significant number of people coming over, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Send people any of the recipes from this website and ask them to bring it! That way they can be sure you’re being accommodated and you’re saving them from hours scrolling on Pinterest. Here are some other migraine friendly holiday recipes outside of Dizzy Cook.
• Use a stool! I did this so often in the beginning of my chronic vestibular migraine days when it was tough to stand and cook. I also thought of all my movements in the kitchen as vestibular therapy. In my mind, it helped me to think of how these kinds of movements, like looking from one ingredient to the next, we're actually benefitting me in the long run.

Picking a Main Course

If you are looking for other migraine friendly meals, I would try:

• Grilling steaks or chicken, which frees up oven space and everyone loves way more. I use a sous vide to cook steaks for a crowd, and just throw it on the grill at the last minute. Cooks everything perfectly without any stress.
• A hearty pot roast or short ribs would be decadent.
• A whole roast chicken. Roast chicken is a beautiful dish, a lot more flavorful and juicy than turkey, and cooks in about 1 hour!
• Something different, like these Artichoke Chicken Puff Pastry or Chicken Wellington.
• For a vegetarian main dish, I highly recommend my Boursin Pasta recipe or Mozzarella Alfredo.

My favorite part of holiday cooking is the sides and the appetizers. Those are the real stars of the show. I’m also giving you a level of difficulty scale with each of these migraine diet recipes because I know what it's like to put a lot of energy into a recipe that doesn't work out - and I don't want you to waste any spoons!

Migraine Diet Side Dishes

Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Shallots (GF, DF, Vegan) - Level of difficulty 5.9

Did you know Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup is loaded with about 3 different names for MSG? Making you own sauce is actually easier than it seems, as is frying the crispy shallots. Still, there’s a few steps to this recipe and I can understand being intimidated by frying things.

My best advice is to get a splatter screen which prevents your house from smelling too much like fried food and protects you from any hot oil splats! The end results is creamy, crispy, and downright decadent, yet a lot healthier than your traditional recipe.

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes (GF, DF, Vegan Option) - Level of difficulty 3

These are super easy to make. All you’re doing is boiling some potatoes and adding spices. They’re pretty difficult to screw up. And I love that these are a great way to mix up a normally boring recipe. The smoky flavor balances the sweetness well and they compliment turkey or any kind of grilled meat.

Boursin Broccoli Rice Casserole (GF Option) - Level of difficulty 4.5

This is another fairly easy recipe to make. I rate it a little bit higher because there’s more steps, like cooking the rice before layering everything together. Still, the sauce is very easy to make. Dump everything in a baking dish and you’re good to go! Creamy yet healthy (hello, vegetables), this delicious side dish can easily be gluten free.

Cranberry Sauce without Orange Juice (GF, Vegan) - Level of difficulty 0.000001

Seriously so simple, you can do this one with your eyes closed. Dump everything into a pot and simmer until finished. Also homemade cranberry sauce is so much better than anything you can find in a can (and way more migraine-friendly).

Dripping Free Vegetarian Gravy (GF Option) - Level of difficulty 2

If you’re set on having your traditional turkey, I highly recommend this vegetarian mushroom gravy. You can edit out the mushrooms if you’re sensitive or make this totally vegan. It’s really customizable to your needs. As written it’s super delicious and you’ll literally be topping other random side dishes with it and claiming you’ve created a new invention that surely will win the next Top Chef. We’re ready for you Padma!

Stuffing Balls (GF, Egg-Free Option, Vegetarian) - Level of Difficulty 5

I love these stuffing balls because they're the perfect portion size while also maintaining great moisture and flavor. For this recipe I give you tips for gluten and egg free options.

Pear Arugula Salad (GF, Vegan) - Level of difficulty 1

Right now pears are in season and usually on sale! This salad is easy to whip up quickly and very delicious. Maple vinaigrette pairs wonderfully with sweet pears, pepitas, and peppery arugula.

For another salad that's easy and delicious, I also recommend my apple fennel salad.

Roasted Vegetable Salad (GF, Vegan) - Level of difficulty 3

This salad requires you to roast some vegetables before tossing together, but it can be done 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge for a quick assembly. For those of you who hate brussels sprouts, feel free to edit them out.

Bang Bang Brussels Sprouts (GF, Vegan) - Level of difficulty 1

A great twist on classic roasted brussels sprouts, these come with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Makes a great appetizer or side dish.

Roasted Mashed Cauliflower - (GF, Vegetarian) - Level of difficulty 2

A delicious and low carb side dish, savory roasted cauliflower is combined with garlic and creamy ricotta cheese for a flavorful side dish that pairs well with so many things including grilled vegetables, beef, or turkey.

Creamed Spinach from Frozen Spinach - (GF, Vegetarian) - Level of difficulty 4

A delicious side dish that's so easy to make ahead, I love that the recipe uses frozen spinach, which helps cut down on effort and fridge space. This is a great one to prep a day or two before and bake the day you need it!

Boursin Mashed Potatoes - (GF, Vegetarian) - Level of difficulty 2

This mashed potato recipe seems decadent with Boursin cheese, but it's actually a little bit lighter than other recipes by using broth instead of heavy cream. Creamy and flavorful, this is one of my favorite easy recipes with all the flavor built into the creamy cheese!

Pumpkin Cheesecake (GF Option) - Level of difficulty 7

This pumpkin cheesecake is one of my favorite recipes on the site, however, I don’t make it often because it is more time consuming. You have to bake the pepita oatmeal crust, then bake the filling, then make a homemade whipped cream.

I will admit that it’s still one of the easiest cheesecakes I’ve ever made because it doesn’t require a water bath and any cracking will be nicely covered by the whipped cream. I urge you to give it a try if you’re feeling ambitious as the oat crust is quite amazing.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies - Level of difficulty 8

These cookies aren’t exactly hard to make, but do require a little more time since you’re also making the cream cheese topping. The effort is definitely rewarded with a light pumpkin cookie that’s not too sweet, and a decadent cream cheese filling. We’ve made these for a few tailgates and they’re always a hit.

Allergy Friendly Frozen Pumpkin Pie Bites (GF, DF/Vegan) - Level of difficulty 5

If you have family members that seem to have all the food allergies in the world, this is the recipe for you. A seed crust is topped with a creamy pumpkin pie filling and then the bites are frozen. The only downside is you cannot leave them out too long or they’ll soften/melt too much to be able to eat.

Snickerdoodle Blondies and Gluten Free Snickerdoodles (Gluten Free, Vegetarian) - Level of difficulty 4

A really amazing white chocolate blondie recipe that's covered in a snickerdoodle topping. Sweet, delicious, and satisfying, these will keep well for a few days if you make them ahead. If you're not a huge fan of snickerdoodle flavors, my plain white chocolate brownies are amazing.

French Apple Cake (Gluten Free, Vegetarian) - Level of difficulty 4

This delicious French Apple Cake is so easy to make in a single cake pan but looks beautiful. It's a great one for meal prepping the day before and can be topped with powdered sugar for a snowy look or cinnamon sugar for fall flavors.

White Chocolate Cheesecake - Level of difficulty 9

This white chocolate cheesecake is more of a traditional recipe, which uses a water bath. Simple and elegant, melted white chocolate is used for the cheesecake filling. The crust is made with a pepita oat crumble crust that resembles an oatmeal cookie. I love to top it with cranberries for a Christmas cheesecake.

Migraine Friendly Appetizers

Here are just a few migraine diet appetizers that I love for the holidays, but if you want a broader selection you can visit all my appetizers.

Creamy Crab Dip (Gluten Free Option) - Level of Difficulty 2

To DIE FOR!!! This is one of my favorite dips of all time. Lucious crab is mixed with cream cheese, green onion, and spices to create a warm and melty crab dip that even your non-migraine diet friends and family will love. You can make this one ahead of time and keep in the fridge till you’re ready to bake.

Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms - Level of Difficulty 1

With just 2 ingredients, this is one of the easiest appetizers or side dishes you can make. It also takes about 5 minutes to put together and 15 minutes to bake, so very fast and easy.

Spinach Artichoke Dip - (Gluten free, Vegetarian)

This dip doesn't use any aged cheese, making it a migraine-friendly version of the classic recipe. Creamy artichokes and spinach are combined with fresh cheeses and spices for a really simple recipe that's great when made ahead.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip - GF, Vegetarian - Level of Difficulty 1

Use leftover cranberry sauce (or double it!) to make this festive dip that's best served with wheat crackers or crostini.

Endive Appetizer - Gluten free, Dairy free option - Level of Difficulty .0005

This super simple appetizer is a healthy option that's light and refreshing. If strawberries aren't in season, I give you options for edits within the post.

Butternut Squash Crostini - Gluten free, Dairy free option - Level of difficulty 3

These are so delicious and also simple to make ahead. I will make the butternut squash topping that combines squash and melted shallots into the best sweet and savory crostini topping.

If you have turkey or cranberry sauce leftovers, here are some fun migraine diet recipes that use them! Just replace the chicken in the creamy chicken taquitos with turkey.

I hope this gives you some good ideas of migraine friendly meals to start with. And if you dislike them all, feel free to browse the recipe index or the Dizzy Cook Pinterest to find more migraine diet Thanksgiving recipes you may enjoy.