Eating with others may benefit both body and mind. A 2026 Science Advances study found that adults' blood sugar rose less and recovered faster after the same carbohydrate meal when they ate with a close companion rather than alone. A 2026 Scientific Reports study using Gallup data from 142 countries linked sharing meals with greater well-being, on par with income. Registered dietitian Rebecca Lindberg suggests pausing before the holidays to decide how you want to feel, keeping traditions that still fit, and letting go of perfection so there's more room for connection.