Victoria Lindsay, Author at Savvy Tokyo

A Tokyo Dietitian’s Guide To Festive Feasting

Victoria Lindsay — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 23:00:00 +0000

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year), this time of year is filled with holiday celebrations—and all the festive foods that go with it. In this Tokyo dietitian’s guide to festive feasting, I want to address a concern I hear every November and December from many of the patients who visit my office: how to balance meals in a way that allows them to enjoy their favorite holiday fare while still maintaining their health.

I completely understand their struggle, which is why I’m happy to share what I’ve learned through my work as a dietitian over the years. And before you start to worry that this will be another nutrition article suggesting you swap cauliflower into all your holiday recipes or warning about the dangers of sugar, let me reassure you that this is not that article.

Read on for tips on how to include balance and joy as you savor the season with these holiday eating dos and don’ts.

Healthy Holiday Eating Dos

Get Comfortable Living In The ‘Grey’

Although many patients will tell me that they are an “all or nothing” kind of person and want to jump right in on a strict meal plan complete with lists of “good” and “bad” foods, the truth is that those types of diets or meal plans aren’t sustainable over long periods of time.

When I think of the patients who were most successful in making long-term dietary changes, they all shunned such rigid, “black and white” thinking and became adept at living in the space between severe restriction and complete abandonment of their nutritional goals. They didn’t live in fear of sweets and treats and were able to enjoy foods that were less nutrient dense—like dessert or alcohol—while still prioritizing ones that were.

This might look like having pizza with a large salad on the side or enjoying a lovely holiday lunch at a fancy restaurant, but planning a dinner filled with lots of vegetables, lean protein and whole grains that also taste delicious once back at home.

These types of patients never had to worry about “falling off the wagon” because they never got on it in the first place. They were patient with their progress and understood that the health or nutrition outcomes they wanted were only possible with time, consistency and making peace with food and eating.

Understand That Any One Meal, Snack Or Dessert Won’t Make Or Break Your Health

Whenever a patient comes in panicking about an upcoming holiday meal or an outing like a bonenkai (end-of-year party), I find it’s often helpful to look at the bigger picture. Assuming you eat three meals a day, one meal is only 0.09% of your total food intake for the year.

So just like eating one salad won’t magically make all your health problems disappear, neither will enjoying one holiday meal. What you do consistently matters the most.

Offer To Bring Fruit Or Vegetable Dishes To Holiday Gatherings

While I think you should enjoy your favorite holiday foods regardless of whether they’re nutritious or not (more on that later), you’d be surprised how appreciative people are if you bring a fruit or vegetable-filled side dish to a holiday party.

In the excitement over more decadent holiday dishes, fruits and vegetables often get overlooked. Yet in my experience, people are always happy to have them as part of their meal, and in many cases, it’s one of the first dishes to run out!

This time of year has amazing seasonal produce, such as mikan (orange), daikon, yuzu or komatsuna (Japanese spinach) that can be incorporated into dishes or salads that are sure to be a hit.

Appreciate Other Aspects Of The Holidays That Don’t Involve Food

Even though festive meals are a big part of the holidays, don’t let food and food anxiety overshadow the many other wonderful parts of the holiday season. From enjoying the holiday illuminations to visiting the shrine for hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year), the holidays aren’t just about eating—they are also about joy, connection and celebration.

Healthy Holiday Eating Don’ts

Don’t Skip Meals Before Holiday Gatherings Or Parties

“Saving up” calories before a big holiday meal or event almost always guarantees a binge. Plan to eat regular, nourishing meals instead.

Don’t Feel You Need To Make “Healthy” Versions Of Your Favorite Holiday Food

There is nothing wrong with modifying a favorite holiday recipe to incorporate more nutrient-dense foods or to accommodate a dietary requirement, such as a dairy or gluten allergy. However, don’t feel like you must do that if what you really want is to enjoy the holiday meal or food as it is.

Research has shown that people who deprived themselves of their favorite foods—such as chocolate—not only experienced more cravings for the restricted food but also ended up eating more than those who didn’t restrict those foods in the first place.

So if what you really want is a piece of Christmas cake, don’t feel like you have to settle for some fruit or a sugar-free dessert instead—have the cake and enjoy it guilt-free!

Don’t Punish Yourself If You Overindulge In Food Or Drinks During The Holidays

Avoid the temptation to restrict your food intake in response to overeating at a holiday event. Doing so only puts you in a binge and restrict cycle, since severe dietary restriction often results in overeating later due to feelings of deprivation and shame.

While it is okay to listen to your body and eat less food if you aren’t hungry at your next meal, punishing yourself by barely eating is counterproductive.

In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, striking a balance between eating and celebrating can be challenging. Yet with the tips above and an extra serving of fruit and vegetables (sorry for the shameless fruit and veg plug but I am a dietitian after all!), you can start the new year healthy, happy and well nourished.

Republished for 2025.

5 Healthy Restaurants in Azabudai Hills

Victoria Lindsay — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 23:00:00 +0000

Nestled in the heart of Toranomon in Tokyo’s Minato ward, the recently opened Azabudai Hills complex is one of the most exciting places to visit in Tokyo right now. Alongside various restaurants, cafes, shops and art galleries, the brand new TeamLab Borderless digital art museum will open in Azabudai Hills too.

If you were lucky enough to secure tickets to TeamLab Borderless or want to visit to take in the breathtaking architecture, which includes the tallest building in Japan, one thing is for certain: you’ll need some food to fuel your adventure. When it comes to food, Azabudai Hills does not disappoint, especially when it comes to eateries that cater to visitors who are more health-conscious or have dietary restrictions, such as those who are vegan or gluten-free.

Below are a few of our favorite eateries and restaurants in Azabudai Hills that are both crave-worthy and healthy. Don’t forget to bookmark these while you plan your outing to Toramomon!

1. Alchemy

For plant-based meals surrounded by chic decor, look no further than Alchemy. Originally from Bali, the Tokyo location of this vegan restaurant has a sizeable menu that includes everything from vegetable-focused entrees to dairy-free desserts. It has more seating than some of the other cafes in the Azabudai Hills complex, so it may be less of a wait to get in if lines are long during peak mealtimes.

We recommend: The create-your-own salad or bowl bar. You can choose your greens, grains and toppings just the way you like it.
Location: Azabudai Hills Tower Plaza on Floor 4

2. Tokyo Juice

If walking around the massive Azabudai Hills complex is making you thirsty, Tokyo Juice has you covered. As the name suggests, this cafe is a perfect pit stop for fresh and pre-bottled juices or nutrient-packed smoothies that are so good, you’ll forget they’re good for you too. They also have a food menu and are open early for those needing something for breakfast.

We recommend: The smoothie bowls, such as the acai bowl, for a healthy breakfast or lunch.
Location: Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower on Floor 1

3. 8ablish

Interested in a plant-based meal on the terrace? Stroll on over to 8ablish, a vegan restaurant with a great outdoor seating area where you can relax and enjoy the architecture of the complex. In addition to their lunch and dinner menu, those looking for gluten and dairy-free goodies should pick up one of their vegan, wheat-free muffins for a snack.

We recommend: The Buddha bowl entrée with soup. It’s chock full of fresh vegetables for those wanting a lighter lunch.
Location: Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza A on Floor 2

4. Shodai Bio Nature

I understand it might seem strange to add a dessert and confectionary shop to a healthy restaurant list but hear me out: this is no ordinary sweets shop. At Shodai Bio Nature chocolates, cookies, cakes, ice cream and other sweet treats are made with organic, vegan and gluten-free ingredients. These delicious desserts are great for those with dietary restrictions or allergies as products are clearly marked with labels indicating their ingredients and which diets they might be suitable for.

We recommend: That chocolate lovers, try their signature petal chocolate. Each petal of chocolate is perfectly portioned and full of delicious flavors like white chocolate jasmine, strawberry rose or mint. If you’re vegan, try one of their vegan chocolate bars in creative flavors such as white chocolate with cornflakes.
Location: Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza B on Floor B1

5. Nakamura Tokichi Azabudai

While coffee can be part of a healthy diet, it may not be a good fit for some due to excess sugar in their preferred specialty lattes or a sensitivity to the caffeine it contains. For those looking for a coffee substitute that is more in line with their health goals, I often recommend switching to tea such as matcha.

Matcha, which is made from finely ground green tea leaves, is especially rich in compounds called catechins. Catechins have been shown to have a powerful antioxidant effect and can protect against cellular damage. One of the most potent catechins in matcha is called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG. Research has shown that the EGCG in matcha is linked to many health benefits ranging from cancer prevention, weight loss support and increased cognitive performance.

If you’re interested in giving matcha a try, then swing by Nakamura Tokichi for all things green tea. The Azabudai outpost of this Uji-based matcha shop focuses on uji matcha and hojicha (roasted green tea). It contains both a shop where you can purchase tea and tea-containing sweets—like Uji matcha chocolate—as well as a small café that serves tea drinks.

We recommend: Their matcha with milk—for a latte-type drink. Also, their hojicha tea is delicious and is available hot or iced.
Location: Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza B on Floor B1

Which of these healthy restaurants in Azabudai Hills do you want to try first?