By Irene Hayton

Christmas will be here before we know it and it can be a very busy time for many of us. With the hectic schedule of the holiday season, it can be difficult to find the time and energy to cook nutritious meals. It often seems easier to just grab some fast food or take-out and this can derail our best efforts to follow a healthy diet. Eating a lot of processed and/or fried foods may deplete our immune systems at the time of year when colds and flu viruses are more prevalent.

An easy way to help decrease or even eliminate the chances of turning into the local fast food drive-thru is to start stocking up your freezer now for those days when you’re just too busy to cook. Whenever you make soups, stews, or casseroles, make a double (or even triple) batch and put the extras in the freezer. Spaghetti sauce, chili, and lasagna are other dishes that freeze well. Take whatever you’re planning to have for dinner out of the freezer to thaw in the fridge the night before, then all you have to do is cook it up and add some fresh steamed vegetables as a side dish to create a stress-free meal. This is a good thing to do all year round so that you’re prepared for those times when you aren’t able to prepare something nutritious for lunch or dinner.

Eating Alive II contains many healthy recipes (including this month’s recipe for Turkey Chili) that are suitable for stocking your freezer for the upcoming holiday season.