If December makes you feel frazzled then you’re not alone. Somehow it creeps up on us every year and we just never learn to start holiday preparations earlier. Maybe if Thanksgiving was in October, it would help jog the memory…maybe not.
Well, December is here and so its time to tap into all survival techniques until New Year’s Day has come and gone.
Keeping meals really simple in December is a great way to feel less frazzled and to put an emphasis on good nutrition all at once. Try the meals and shopping list below as your starter survival plan. And, please comment with other options for keeping it simple in the family kitchen!
Breakfast: Low fat granola + plain nonfat yogurt + cut up banana
Lunch: Tuna salad (made w/ light mayo or mustard) + whole wheat crackers + Clementine orange
Dinner: Chicken stir fry made w/frozen veggie mixture + rice + pineapple chunks
Quick Shopping List (arranged by layout of store): Banana, Clementine orange, pineapple, skinless chicken thighs, canned tuna, light mayo-mustard, whole wheat crackers, low fat granola, plain nonfat yogurt, frozen stir fry veggies
Cindy,
You’re right! December is such a crazy time. I like your meal suggestions, but they are pretty light for my appetite. What do you recommend for simple snacks?
Thanks,
Lindsay
You’re right, Lindsay, power snacks are needed, too! String cheese, dried apricots, almonds, yogurt, natural popcorn, high fiber cereal w/ nonfat milk…they all work.
Cindy:
Any ideas for jazzing up tuna salad? I just got the best tuna salad from Whole Foods (which I hope to try at home). It was made with tuna, mayo, dill, lemon juice, dried cranberries, and chopped apples. My 12-year old loved it and took it to school two days running!
Sorry for the delay, Liz. I think the simpler the better — always. Can of tuna + dried cranberries + light mayo (or try nonfat yogurt instead, delicious)will work with a 12-year-old. If he/she likes crunch, too, then adding a little chopped celery or apple is also worth the time spent. Healthy Cheers to the New Year!