Ask the Dietitian: What Are Some Fun Holiday Snacks for People with Psoriatic Arthritis? 

Dietitian Laura Krebs-Holm shares a roundup of her favorite PsA-friendly holiday recipes.

It’s that time of year again when life can feel like one big holiday gathering. And while it can be a lot to manage the stress and meals when you’re living with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), you don’t have to let the frenzy — or the foods — make your PsA flare.

There are plenty of foods you can enjoy at this time of year that are packed with anti-inflammatory benefits.

Foods that fight inflammation can help you feel better and may help manage your PsA symptoms. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats have all been shown to tamp down inflammation in the body.

If you’re headed to a gathering, you don’t have to deprive yourself. I’ve pulled together a list of some of my favorite PsA-friendly snacks you can enjoy instead.

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Spiced nuts

Nuts make a great snack all year round. They’re loaded with fiber, minerals, and healthy fats.

This spiced nuts recipe dials up the anti-inflammatory benefits with spices like turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon —without a load of added sugar.

Recipe: Easy & Healthy Spiced Nuts by An Oregon Cottage

Avocado hummus with red and green veggies

Hummus is a healthy staple that features protein, fiber, and healthy fat. This recipe has the added benefit of avocado, which adds even more fiber and healthy fat. Plus, it’s Grinch green!

For a festive spin, use it as a dip for red and green vegetables, like bell pepper, radish slices, sugar snap peas, and cucumber.

Recipe: Extra Creamy Avocado Hummus by The Mediterranean Dish

Roasted chickpeas and popcorn

If you’re craving something salty, this snack is perfect for every day or a gathering. Chickpeas are full of minerals, protein, and fiber, and research shows eating them may help stave off heart disease and certain types of cancer.

In this recipe, the legumes are roasted in the oven until crispy and crunchy, then tossed with your favorite spices. Throw these together with popcorn that’s popped in olive oil, then seasoned with salt and whatever other flavors your heart desires.

Recipe: Crispy Roasted Chickpeas by Love & Lemons

Cranberry date bites

Cranberries are a festive fruit and are full of vitamins and powerful antioxidants.

In this recipe, dried cranberries are pulsed with dates and walnuts, which add minerals, healthy fats, fiber, and protein. If you need a sweet pick-me-up, these energy balls are perfect.

Recipe: Cranberry Walnut Energy Bars by Running in a Skirt

Pecan granola bars

This recipe makes the perfect sweet-but-satisfying snack, or even a breakfast on the go. And you don’t even have to turn on the oven! Seasonal pecans are mixed with hearty oatmeal, nut butter, cinnamon, and maple syrup.

Oatmeal is such a healthy whole grain, full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. One particular antioxidant is oat avenanthramide C, which, in a 2020 study on mice, was linked to lowering blood pressure.

Recipe: Pecan Granola Bars by Cookie and Kate

Almond Joy rice cake bark

Candy bark is an easy, sweet recipe during the holidays, but it’s often melted chocolate filled with more candy, nuts, or other ingredients.

To satisfy a sweet tooth, this snack will give you all the taste of an Almond Joy candy bar while being much more filling and satisfying. Rice cakes are broken into a mixture of dark chocolate and almond butter, which features protein and healthy fat, plus vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.

Dark chocolate is full of anti-inflammatory properties, including polyphenols and catechins. Numerous studies in vitro and in animal models have found that flavonoids have the potential to inhibit the onset and development of inflammatory diseases.

Recipe: Almond Joy Rice Cake Bark by 1,001 Culinary Adventures

The takeaway

We often think of the holidays as a season of sweets, fats, alcohol, and other unhealthy treats. These types of foods may cause an increase in your symptoms or potentially trigger a flare in your PsA.

Be mindful of enjoying these foods sparingly, and incorporate healthy and festive anti-inflammatory foods more frequently throughout the season.