Scrooges aren’t the only types who emerge during the holidays. Food pushers are everywhere—at the office; at family gatherings; even in the supermarket, offering free samples. But you don’t have to be at the mercy of their nagging (and often loving) spoonfuls. Here’s how to avoid their demands.

Plan your responses. Try something like “Thank you. This looks really good, but can I take some home for later?” and practice saying it, says Judith Beck, a psychologist and the author of The Beck Diet Solution (Oxmoor House, $25, www.amazon.com). You can then decide if you want to eat it.

Go back for seconds or thirds—but in teensy portions. Food pushers appreciate enthusiasm. So several teaspoon-size portions of your aunt’s corn pudding, instead of one huge helping, will please her and result in fewer calories consumed.

Don’t explain yourself. Never give excuses for saying no, especially that you’re dieting or watching your weight. “You’ll open yourself up to questions or even comments about how you don’t need to lose weight, even more so if the food pusher feels insecure about her weight,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian in New York City and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.