If you’re planning a traditional holiday dinner, chances are ham is on the menu. I love a good Christmas dinner. But I am here to say something out loud that most grocery stores don’t want you to think about: Most store-bought ham glaze packets are full of ingredients your child’s gut and skin don’t need.
I’m talking about things such as:
- Dextrose
- high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavorings, preservatives, and chemical additives
These ingredients make a ham glaze shelf-stable and overly sweet but also inflammatory. For kids with eczema, those ingredients can quietly nudge the immune system toward eczema flare-ups. And for parents who are already working hard to calm skin from the inside out, that’s the last thing we want showing up at the dinner table.
Here’s the good news:
Wellness doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t need to skip ham. You just need to glaze it with real ingredients instead of mystery powder and that’s why I’m sharing my simple healthy and eczema-friendly honey-baked ham recipe you can make at home. It has the same holiday taste, without all the harmful extras.
TL;DR:
- Why avoid store-bought ham glazes: They’re loaded with corn syrup, artificial flavors, dyes, and preservatives that can trigger eczema flares.
- My favorite pairing with ham: Lots of leafy greens and high–plant point sides to support gut health and calmer skin.
- Simple, kid-approved, eczema-friendly: This homemade glaze uses real ingredients and keeps the holiday flavor without the inflammation.
- Recipe: Scroll down to get the clean honey-baked ham recipe and download the printable version.
Ready for some hot cocoa after enjoying this honey baked ham??
Check out my healthy and natural hot cocoa recipe HERE!
Why I Still Serve Ham (and How to keep it Eczema-friendly)
Once or twice a year, I’ll grab a ham from Sprouts because it typically has the shortest ingredient list I’ve found. Is it perfect? No. Most hams still contain celery powder or other natural preservatives. But I’m not aiming for perfection, I’m aiming for better choices most of the time.
Here’s my secret for keeping ham more skin-friendly:
Pair ham with leaky green vegetables
Why? Because those greens are packed with plant compounds, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants that help support detox pathways and the gut microbiome. Think of it like balancing the meal in a way your child’s body can handle better.
In my house, we eat green leafy veggies daily and not because I’m a superhero but because I know what they do for gut health and eczema recovery.
Plant Points Matter Even on Holidays
If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ve heard me talk about plant points. It’s one of the simplest ways to build gut resilience in kids with eczema. A “plant point” is any unique plant food your child eats in a week such as veggies, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, and even spices all count. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s variety. More plants = more diverse gut bacteria = calmer immune responses and happier skin.
Holiday meals often lean heavy on meat, sugar, and starch. That’s fine – but we don’t want plant diversity to disappear for two weeks straight. Plant points remind us to add rather than restrict.
The more plants in your child’s diet:
- the stronger their gut health foundation
- the calmer the immune system tends to be
- the more stable their skin becomes
- and the less likely they are to have an eczema flare after a good stretch of healing
Check out another delicious recipe rich in plant points here to enjoy during this colder season with your family here!
So when you serve this ham, aim to stack plant points around it. Great eczema-friendly pairings:
- sautéed kale or spinach
- roasted Brussels sprouts
- green beans with garlic
- a big rainbow salad
- steamed broccoli with olive oil
- Even herbs and spices count. A little parsley or rosemary on the side? Plant points.
Eczema-Friendly Honey-Baked Ham Recipe
This recipe keeps the flavor classic, warm, and holiday-worthy and uses ingredients you can actually pronounce.
Ingredients:
- 8 lb bone-in spiral-sliced half ham
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 pinch of allspice
Instructions:
- Trim ham if needed, then place it in the slow cooker.
- Combine melted butter and honey, then massage over ham, getting in between the slices a little.
- Cover and cook on LOW 4–5 hours.
- At the end of cooking time, preheat the broiler to HIGH and line a roasting pan with heavy-duty foil.
- Combine sugar, seasoned salt, onion powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, paprika, and allspice in a small bowl. Pat half of the sugar mixture over the top of the ham.
- Broil for several minutes until bubbly and caramelized; remove from the oven.
- In a small saucepan, add remaining sugar mixture. Add 3 Tbsp water or ham juices from the slow cooker. (A mix of ham juice + a splash of bourbon is a fun adult alternative.) Stir and bring to a boil for about a minute. Remove from heat.
- Brush or pour glaze over ham, then broil again for 1–2 minutes (watch closely so it doesn’t burn).
- Let the ham rest for 5–10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
👉 Click Here to Download the Honey-Baked Ham Recipe
Why This Glaze Is Better for Eczema Kids
Let’s be clear: this glaze still has sugar because it’s honey-baked ham, not a kale smoothie. But here’s the difference: You’re using real sugar and real spices, not industrial sweeteners and chemical fillers.
That matters for eczema because:
- artificial sweeteners and syrups can feed inflammatory gut bacteria
- additives can stress the gut lining
- gut irritation leads to immune overreaction
- immune overreaction shows up on the skin
This cleaner version lets your family enjoy the tradition without stacking unnecessary triggers onto an already sensitive system.
Want More Eczema-Friendly Holiday Recipes?
If you’re looking for more meals that nourish your child’s skin from the inside out, make sure you’ve signed up for our eczema-friendly recipe updates and guides. 👉 Join our email list and never miss a favorite.
Check out our meal guides below:
- Eczema-Friendly Breakfast Guide: Delicious and nourishing breakfast ideas to start your day right.
- Eczema-Friendly Lunch Guide: Simple, balanced meals perfect for lunchboxes or at-home meals.
- Eczema-Friendly Dinner Guide: dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be healing.
About Dr. Ana-Maria Temple, MD
Dr. Ana-Maria Temple is a board-certified pediatrician, bestselling author of Healthy Kids in an Unhealthy World, and an internationally recognized expert in holistic eczema treatment for children and adults. A mother of three and a physician who practices what she preaches, Dr. Temple has helped thousands of families heal eczema by addressing the root causes: gut health, nutrition, lifestyle, and immune balance.
Her signature program, the Eczema Transformation Program, guides families step-by-step to rebuild gut health, calm inflammation, and achieve lasting skin transformation. If you’re ready to finally understand why eczema happens and how to truly heal it, start by watching her free eczema training and discover a clear path toward better skin and better health for your whole family.
Wellness doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right tools and support, healing becomes possible.
👉 Start your journey today with Dr. Temple’s free eczema training
👉 Explore the Eczema Transformation Program here
