Christine Palumbo

Speaker | Writer | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

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December 1, 2021

Surviving December Meal Madness

Image by Дарья Яковлева from Pixabay

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Or so the song goes. While this season elicits warm memories, it can be incredibly stressful, especially for moms, the holiday magicians.

We squeeze in time to deck the halls; shop for, wrap and ship gifts; write cards and letters; bake and exchange cookies; trips to see Santa; festive gatherings and open houses; and out-of-town travel – in addition to our normal, hectic schedules. And if our quest for the perfect holiday experience isn’t enough pressure, what about all the events at our children’s school? No wonder we’re relieved when the big day finally arrives!

Feeling overwhelmed is common, and we often make mistakes that impact nutrient intake. We may opt for quick and easy, but quick and easy can be higher in fat and calories. One of the biggest mistakes is feeling it’s inevitable families can’t eat well with such busy schedules.

Image by RitaE from Pixabay

Here are some stress-busting, healthy meal tips:

  • Plan ahead and simplify.  Take a look at the week’s schedule at some point (likely the weekend) and plan for some simple meals.  Dinners and snacks don’t have to be fancy to be nutritious and complete.
  • Make sure you have what you need on hand for some impromptu meals for nights you may have forgotten.
  • Pull out your slow cooker for those long days when you know you’re in a time crunch. Or create something delicious in your multi-purpose cooker.
  • When you are preparing meals, think of ways to stretch the main entrée item by doubling it and freezing the second portion.  If you’re making chicken breasts, cook twice as much and throw it into a salad the next day, or over rice with some vegetables and a sauce of your choice.   Ask a neighbor to do the same (make twice as much) and swap meals.
  • Stock the house with healthy quick items: fruits, vegetables and dip, dried fruits, and yogurt or cottage cheese for the times when you need something in a hurry.
  • If you need to grab something from a quick service restaurant, take it home and add a fruit and a vegetable to help round out the meal.  Offer milk or water and the meal can still be a sensible option for an evening that hasn’t gone as planned or has simply gotten away.
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Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, or Kwanza, plan ahead so you and your children don’t feel deprived. If you’re going to a party, keep the rest of the day’s food selections healthier. You might allow your child one or two small desserts per event (discuss this with them in advance).

 

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Welcome to my blog!


Christine M. Palumbo, MBA, RDN, FAND


You’ll find anything from seasonal nutrition advice to healthy eating for families to my take on the latest nutrition “buzz.” Feel free to comment or ask questions and I’ll do my best to respond. Please share this site with your friends and colleagues.

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Speaking Client List

Over 400 presentations, including several keynotes (partial list):

Corporate:

  • AAR Corporation
  • Abrasive Technologies
  • Ace Hardware Corporate Headquarters
  • Acres Enterprises
  • Advanced Urology Associates
  • Ambrosi Corp.
  • American Association of Endodontists
  • American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
  • American Board of Pediatric Dentists
  • American Hotel Register
  • American Service Insurance
  • Arlington Automotive Services
  • Aquion
  • Associated Agencies
  • Associated Integrated Supply Chain Solutions
  • Baker Tilly Virchow Krause
  • Barilla USA
  • Benet Academy
  • Berry Health Benefits Symposium
  • Blue Plate Catering
  • BP/ Amoco
  • Canopy Realtors
  • Carol Stream Fire Department
  • CBS Radio’s Spring into Shape Expo
  • Chapman and Cutler LLP
  • Chicago Dental Society
  • Chicago Dental Society-West Suburban Region
  • Chicago Heart Association
  • Club of Indian Women
  • Countryside Associates
  • Crown Media/Hallmark Channel
  • Discover Card Services
  • Dominick’s Finer Foods
  • DuPage County Police Chiefs’ Secretaries Association
  • Entertainment Cruises
  • EPKO
  • Family Festival of Surprises
  • Farm Foundation
  • Farmers Insurance Exchanges
  • Feeding America
  • Food Executive Women
  • Fox River Foods
  • Freedman Andelmo Lindberg
  • Girl Scouts of Fox Valley Council
  • Harbortown
  • Healthy Living Summit
  • Heartland Spa
  • Home Run Inn Pizza Corporate Headquarters
  • Horizon Publishing
  • HSBC Finance Corporation
  • Illinois Alliance for the Aging
  • Illinois Probation and Court Services Association
  • Ingredion
  • International Truck and Engine Corp.
  • INX International Ink
  • JPMC
  • Kellogg’s Marketing and Innovations Group
  • Lanco International
  • Land of Lincoln Soybean Association
  • Lawson Products
  • Lucent Technologies
  • Meeker-Magner Company
  • Mobil Oil
  • Moneris Solutions
  • Museum of Science & Industry
  • MultiPlan, Inc.
  • Naperville School District #203
  • Naperville Women’s Forum
  • National Association of REALTORS
  • National Lead Information Center
  • Navistar
  • NBC5 Health & Fitness Expo
  • NB Coatings
  • Near North Health Service Corporation
  • Nestle
  • Network Services Inc.
  • Norkol Converting
  • Northern Illinois University Graduate Colloquium
  • Northwestern University
  • Odontographic Society of Chicago
  • OptumHealth Care Solutions
  • OSG Tap & Die
  • Palos Community Hospital 30th Anniversary Keynote
  • Pangere Corporation
  • Parksite Inc.
  • Pekin Insurance
  • Perkins + Will
  • Radiological Society of North America
  • Rail Europe
  • Realtick
  • River Glen Church
  • Rippinger Financial Group
  • Rush-Copley Medical Center
  • Saint Catherine University Alumnae Association
  • School District U-46
  • SEKO
  • Sidley Brown Austin & Wood Law
  • Sigma Foods
  • Smithfield Foods
  • Southlake Auto Mall
  • Spartan Stores
  • Sunset Foods
  • Sysco/Continental-Keil Food Show
  • Taste of Colorado
  • TD Bank
  • The Nova Network
  • The Wooden Door Spa
  • Tishman Speyer
  • True Value Company
  • Ukrops Pharmacy Managers
  • Unilever Food Solutions
  • United Healthcare
  • USDA – FSIS
  • Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education & Support Network
  • U.S. Bank
  • U.S. Soy Symposium
  • Vitas Healthcare Corporation
  • WellCare
  • West Suburban Dental Hygienists Society
  • Wheaton College
  • YMCA of the USA
  • Zurich North America

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and its affiliates:

  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Arkansas Dietetic Association
  • Dietitians in Business and Communications
  • California Dietetic Association
  • Central Illinois Dietetic Association
  • Dietitians of West Michigan
  • Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Hines VA Dietetic Internship
  • Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Indiana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Ingalls Hospital Dietetic Internship
  • Maryland Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Michigan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • New Mexico Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • New York Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Chicago Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • North Suburban Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Oklahoma Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • South Suburban Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Tennessee Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • West Suburban Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Corporate Consulting List

  • A Fresh Look
  • AHA Marketing
  • Bimbo Bakeries USA
  • California Raisin Marketing Board
  • California Walnut Commission
  • Cargill
  • Cyberdiet.com
  • Dairy Management Inc.
  • Eastside Cafe Pizza Manufacturers
  • Edelman
  • Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association
  • Food Marketing Support Services
  • Fox Metro Water Reclamation District
  • Fran’s Healthy Helpings
  • Golin Harris
  • Integer Group
  • Jokari Healthy Steps
  • Market Day
  • Marina Maher Communications
  • McDonald’s
  • Mongolian Barbecue Restaurant
  • Naperville YMCA
  • National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
  • National Cheese Institute
  • Northwestern Hospital
  • Old London Melba Toast
  • Popchips
  • Popcorn Institute
  • Publicis Dialogue
  • Quaker Oats Health Institute Speakers Network
  • Red Robin Restaurants
  • Sara Lee
  • Smithfield Foods, Inc.
  • Smuckers
  • Suntory Water Group/Hinckley Springs
  • SuperTarget
  • Tishman-Speyer
  • United Healthcare
  • United States Potato Board
  • Vegetarian Times magazine
  • Weber Shandwick
  • Weight Watchers
  • Welch’s

Spokesperson Client List

  • American Egg Board
  • American Plastics Council (Food Safety)
  • Bimbo Bakeries (Arnold/Oroweat/Brownberry)
  • Boca Foods
  • California Raisin Marketing Board
  • Campbell’s Select Harvest Soups
  • Dean Foods
  • Dominick’s (Safeway)
  • Driscoll’s
  • Florida Department of Citrus
  • Giovanni Rana
  • Kellogg’s
  • Kraft Cheese
  • Lifeway Foods
  • Louis Rich Fat Free Turkey
  • McCain Foods
  • Mead Johnson
  • Michigan Cherries
  • Milk Processor Education Program
  • National Turkey Federation
  • Nature Well natural beef
  • Popchips
  • Quaker Oats
  • Sargento Foods
  • SuperTarget
  • United States Soybean Board
  • Welch’s
  • Wrigley Healthcare
  • ZESPRI Kiwifruit
Speaking

Cutting-edge nutrition that’s easy to understand

Topics for Groups

•  Making Positive Changes That Stick: Five Steps to Moving Out of That Cycle You’re Stuck In
• Supermarket Smarts: Avoid Food Marketers’ Tricks and Traps
• Anti-Stress Eating
• Cut the Fad Out of Diets: Select the Best Plan for You
• Defensive Dining: How to Eat Out & Keep Your Waistline
• Foods You Think Are Healthy….That Really Aren’t
• Forever Young: What You Can (& Can’t) Do To Slow the Aging Process
• How to Energize Your Life
• Is Your Job Making You Fat/Diet Wreckers in Your Desk
• Meal Solutions for Busy People
• Power Foods for Heart Health
• The Healthy Refrigerator: Stock Yours to Guarantee Nutritious Eating
• Top Five Nutrition Myths for Kids
• Top Ten Nutrition Strategies for Better Health

Specifically for Health Professionals
• Becoming an Expert Communicator: Making Communications Concise, Clear and Compelling
• Image 2020: What You Need for Professional Success
• Making Connections: Relationship Building for Career Success
• Engaging Readers: Nutrition Writing that Shines
• Keeping Current: Make Today’s Nutrition and Food Trends Work for You
• If the Media Calls: Are You Ready?

Corporate Consuling
Christine consults with public relations firms, food companies, restaurants, and not-for-profits.

She is available for:
• Developing nutrition education materials
• Spokesperson
• Exhibiting at professional meetings
• Writing/Marketing/PR
• Partnering with you on special projects
• Ideation sessions

Past clients
Over 500 presentations including Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and many of its affiliates, AAR Corporation,  Ace Hardware Corporate Headquarters, American Association of Endodontists, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, American Board of Pediatric Dentists, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, Barilla USA, Berry Health Benefits Symposium, BP/ Amoco, Chicago Dental Society, Crown Media/Hallmark Channel, Discover Card Services, Entertainment Cruises, Feeding America, International Truck and Engine Corp., Kellogg’s Marketing and Innovations Group, Lucent Technologies, Mobil Oil, National Association of REALTORS, Navistar, Radiological Society of North America, Unilever Food Solutions, United Healthcare, U.S. Bank, Women’s Athletic Club of Chicago, YMCA of the USA, Zurich North America.
Full list available upon request.

Nutrient Analysis
Analyze recipes for nutrient values:
• Accurate
• Quick turnaround

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