Last night I got home, opened the fridge and to my dismay saw a whole lot of food items that just did not mesh well together - or so I thought. I did not want to run to the store again since the fridge was full already, so I decided to put my creative thinking cap on and start convenience cooking.

Meal planning is a very important element of healthy eating. But it's also one of the elements that many people struggle with. In my time as a dietitian at The Resort, I've seen many guests succeed at creating a healthy lifestyle once they return home. What the majority of these guests have in common is their determination to make meal planning a regular part of their lives.

Last year about this time, I declared my love for pumpkin in this post: Pumpkin. I also followed it up with another great recipe: Pumpkin Hummus. As soon as September 1st hit, I started craving it again!

Today I got to talking to some of the guests at the resort about how the holiday season is well on it's way just around the corner and what does that mean? It's holiday party central! How does one manage to host an appetizing party yet still have time to socialize and not have to worry about going overboard with calories? Here are some low maintenance appetizer, main course, dessert and beverage ideas to hopefully keep the stress level and calorie count down. Happy hostessing!

One of the nutritional concepts that we teach at The Resort and that I find is the most practical and realistic for people to follow is the plate method for meal planning. With the plate method, we try and make 1/2 of our plate vegetables and/or fruits, 1/4 of our plate lean protein and 1/4 of our plate a whole grain. I like this method because it can be a good visualization for people, and it also advocates eating a combination of healthy carbohydrates with good, lean proteins.