Lessons learned from holiday eating

Wow - I can hardly believe that it has been (or perhaps more?) a month since my last blog post. I had planned writing through the Christmas holidays and New Year's, but I always seem to forget how busy it is at this time of year and how much time it takes to get ready. I was exhausted (still am) and I needed to take a break.

Phew.

Happy belated 2013! Anyone else going through baked good withdrawal like I am?

Despite best intentions, holiday eating did not go exactly as planned. I forgot and/or severely underestimated the sheer amount of food that accompanies Christmas/New Year's and all the days before, after and in between. The meals, the gifts of food, food from school, food from colleagues, food from dinner guests, food from neighbors, food from Santa. Food, food, everywhere food!

And busy. Shopping, wrapping, cleaning, Christmas cards, cooking and preparing took so much time and energy. 

Fortunately, I had the week before Christmas off from work, so I assumed there was time to make my healthy lunches and snacks each day. In reality, I was too busy and too tired and too hungry to wash lettuce, assemble salads and other food preparations that I should have done on the weekend. So I ate whatever food was readily available, be it a sandwich, Kraft dinner and um, frozen cookie dough.

In any case, what happened happened; I have no regrets, but there are a few post-holiday lessons learned:

1. When the neighbors bring a big tin of European chocolate cookies to the house, talk to hubby about not opening said box.
2. If I melt the salad spinner while cooking Kraft Dinner for the little bear again, just go buy a new one. Interestingly, salad spinners are considered a seasonal product and are not widely available (let alone on sale) in stores.
3. It was a relief to decide to not bake Christmas goodies; I didn't miss it, even though baking is one of my favorite holiday traditions.
4. It worked well to exclude cheese as an appetizer.
5. Frozen cookie dough is handy, but when I unexpectedly end up with a bunch of boxes of frozen cookie dough from big bear's school; keep said boxes restricted to the downstairs freezer.
6. Whether I'm at work or at home, prepare lunch and snacks so healthy choices are readily available.

Thankfully, I'm back at the pool and my taste buds and are getting back to normal. Life is getting back to normal. I can spin lettuce. It's all good.

What about you? Did you learn anything about your holiday eating? Did you decide to challenge any Christmas traditions?