It’s May! And while we envision long springtime days filled with picnics and smiling children….that is often not our reality. May is busy, particularly this year. I’ve heard from many parents and teachers that they are not sure they are going to make it through to June! What with several sport seasons rolled into the last month or so, graduations and end of the year programs it is almost too much!
The stress level is high—you can see it on people’s faces, both adults and children. What can we do to de-stress? Before you reach for the double chocolate tub of ice cream think about this.
Our bodies can handle stress, sometimes it’s even good for us, but we need the right fuel to help power through the rough spots. Those high fat sugar laden comfort foods that we crave when stressed do more harm than good. But we are too busy to plan healthy meals—we are too stressed to care. What should we do?
What are some quick easy tips that will help us de-stress?
Power up with Protein!
- Add nuts to snacks
- Eggs for breakfast
- Add beans to soups
- Replace half the fat in recipes with bean puree. Try this recipe for muffins
Validate nutrition with Veggies!
- Use Cole slaw mix as filler for sandwiches, wraps and tacos
- Have a bowl of raw veggies in the fridge, ready for snacking (with a protein)
- Add leftover veggies to omelets or frittatas
Fruits are fantastic!
- Add pumpkin to overnight oats
- Dried fruit to popcorn—with nuts
- Canned fruit to cereal
- Add fresh or canned fruit to salads
- Slip a slice of apple or peach into grilled cheese!
Keep it simple---taking care of your body is not rocket science.
For more recipes go to https://eat-move-save.extension.illinois.edu/
Look for videos on youtube: “What’s Cooing with Mary Liz Wright”