Functions

The festive season is a busy time for socialising. Some tips for the silly season:

• It’s ok to say no – you don’t need to go to every function if you don’t want to!
• Don’t attend a function starving – have a healthy snack beforehand to avoid overeating
• Watch the alcohol intake: alcohol contributes a lot of calories without us realising. Make every second drink a non-alcoholic beverage and/or opt for lower calorie options. There are many alcohol-free substitutes for beer, wine, gin etc so you don’t have to miss out!

 

Christmas Day

Avoid feeling overly stuffed like the Christmas roast turkey by:

• Have something light for breakfast to ensure you are hungry but not ravenous for your Christmas lunch.
• Eating at someone else’s house? Bring your favourite salad or a plate of vegetable sticks and dip or a fruit platter.
• Eat the vegetables first on your plate – fibre and chewing helps you to feel satisfied so you may eat less.
• Plan for non-food activities throughout the day e.g. cards, board games, crafting, Christmas movie, video call with family/friends.
• Find ways to be physically active: backyard cricket, family walk, swim at the beach/creek, dance to some upbeat Christmas tunes.

 

Holidays & Travelling

Aim to stay somewhere with cooking facilities e.g. oven, stovetop or BBQ. Take food from home or head to the grocery store the day you arrive. This will reduce reliance on eating out and takeaway and save you money. Then you can spend the money you saved on fun activities! Some suggestions for meals when on holidays:

• Breakfast: low sugar muesli/muesli bars, high fibre cereals, overnight oats, low sugar yoghurt, fruit, grainy toast with nut paste.
• Lunch: tinned salmon with kale slaw, tuna & beans/rice/pasta, boiled eggs + steam fresh veg. Or try a platter with vegetable sticks, dip, nuts, cheese, grainy crackers, olives.
• Dinner: roast chicken + salad + high fibre wrap, oven baked fish and roast vegetables, BBQ fish/meat and veg (capsicum, zucchini, corn etc), homemade burgers with grainy bread, pizza from chilled section topped with added chopped vegetables.
• Snacks: fruit, nuts, muesli bars, yoghurt tubs/pouches, grainy crackers + pre-sliced cheese, roasted chickpea/fava beans.