A grocery list can go a long way in reducing holiday stress

The holiday season has officially started.  I realized it when I found myself frantically looking for an old family recipe that I only make once a year.  The kids have come to expect certain dishes, really special treats that are made only during the holidays.

And it is not just food for the family. Are your kids bringing home notes from school reminding you of class celebrations, PTA functions and other activities planned in which you must bring a special dish?   How about work potlucks?  There will be a lot of celebrations and all of them involving food.

Holiday time also means extra grocery shopping.  Maneuvering through over 7000 grocery items, crowded aisles and long lines can seem like a daunting task.  But with a little bit of planning, you can keep your grocery time efficient and focused on just the items you really need.

Start with these easy steps:

1. Create a list of the foods you need to make for your own holiday meal, baked gifts and dishes for events that you or your children are attending.
2. Then check your cupboards for ingredients that you already have
3. Create your grocery list of items that you will buy

• Get all the ingredients you need at one time and avoid frequent trips for forgotten items.
• Buy just the items you need, stick to your list
• Look at your list and see if your list is balanced
• Do you have foods from all the food groups?  A balanced holiday meal filled with fruits, vegetables and whole grains is a healthy holiday meal!

• Kids can help you make the list (great little writing exercise)
• Kids can help you shop by crossing off items on the list as you gather them

Holiday Grocery Shopping List -Print PDF Organize your grocery list by food groups to make sure you have a healthy balanced holiday meal from all the food groups!

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