Quick and Easy Food Around Christmas Time

In this festive season, it's really difficult to remember to eat the right things whilst all the chaos goes on around us. I crave quick and easy meals that can be put together quickly and things that won't interrupt the wrapping rituals with fussy over complicated preparations. I'm also trying not to overdo the sweets and chocolate because I'm trying to protect my weight loss so far and there are so many things that could tip me over the edge. For instance, one mince pie costs me upwards of 11 Syns which considering I am encouraged to have 15 or under a day, could really set me up for disappointment after the christmas period is over.

So when I got the Birds Eye Food Saviours flyer, below, I knew the foods fitted in with my need to keep it real whilst also having emergency food covered in case people popped in over Christmas (which they invariably do and then stay longer than any one thought and you end up having to feed them!).

I've got a real thing about pea's at the moment and try to eat them with every meal (and have done since I was pregnant with Bubba). Also as I'm following the Slimming World plan, I try and have vegetables with every meal (1/3 of the plate should be super free vegetables) so the Steamfresh vegetables from Birds Eye are right up my street. It's also great if you have more people round for dinner as well because it's quicker to make seeing as all the prep has been done for you.

We especially liked the Mediterranean veg in a herb butter. It added a bit of va va voom to our pork and at only 1.5 Syns on Slimming World it was a winner for me.

I'm also keen on the Fish chargrills which take all the hassle out of an evening meal and are something I'm planning on serving the girls when they come to dinner in the new year. As we will all be watching what we eat again, they are pretty light on the syn value for me.

My girl loves the mashtags and seeing as it's not only us adults that need feeding, these are great with some grilled chicken (& veg that she'll chase around her plate but I'll keep trying) before we go off out to visit family. It's also something I'm going to put a bowl of on the buffet table when family come over between family and new year.

It helps me to fill up on all these sorts of foods before going out to a party where I can be susceptible to grazing like a woman possessed at any snacky bits laid on by a host. I need to eat and know what's gone in before any alcohol is consumed (as otherwise it makes me feel immune to weight gain if I snack of one hundred stodgy sausage rolls after a few glasses of wine). Here's hoping my weight gain is minimal and my enjoyment levels are high this year.

We were kindly sent vouchers to try some of the foods that Birds Eye offer.