Christmas is full of magic, love, laughter- and maybe one too many sweets, am I right? ;) With all the parties and stocking stuffers and holiday treats it’s easy to feel like you need more hearty meals and protein- but who wants to spend the day slaving away in the kitchen when family is over? I know some people do fancy ham dinners on Christmas night- but I’m all about simple. Quick, easy, and packed with protein is the name of the game, and that’s exactly what I’ve got for you here- a list of meals that are easy to prepare or can easily be reheated and are packed with protein to help balance all the carbs you’ll be consuming through the holidays! Whether it’s for Christmas night itself, or you just need some meals to get you through the New Year, these meals are great to have on hand!

• Cold cuts with mini buns/french steak rolls. Something about a sandwich filled with meat, cheese, tomato and lettuce just HITS THE SPOT when you’re full of sugar. It’s also so easy to lay out a spread and let people help themselves or build their own little sandwiches.


• Sliders. A similar idea- but instead of cold cuts, shake it up with sloppy joe meat, or bake the cold cuts and cheese and drizzle with a little honey mustard and poppyseeds for a warm and simple meal!


• Baked quesadillas. These would be super easy to prepare and you could easily tailor it to individual tastes- chicken or beef, peppers, onions, bacon, etc.


• Make a big pot of soup. Soup is hearty, comforting, warm, and it reheats so well! You can easily make a huge batch of soup and just reheat it when needed throughout the week.


• Biscuits and gravy. Packed with protein and so comforting and warm! This is another meal that reheats so easily, and if you buy premade biscuits it can be super simple to throw together whenever you need! This also freezes really well, so you can make a huge batch and save some for later!


• Sheet pan fajitas. Another meal packed with protein and nutrition! Sheet pan fajitas are not only super tasty, but also reheat very well. Make a couple big batches, and then people can just heat up the fajita mixture and throw it on a tortilla when they’re hungry! They also work great on nachos or in quesadillas.


• Sloppy Joes. With a can of Manwich, this is practically the easiest meal you can make! Make a huge batch to reheat, or just keep it simple with one meal (and don’t forget to sing the Sloppy Joe song ;) ).


• Taco meat. If nothing else, preparing a ton of ground beef/turkey with taco seasoning can be a great way to prepare. Taco meat can easily be thrown in a tortilla for a taco, topped on chips for nachos, thrown in a bowl with lettuce for taco salad, or used for quesadillas.

What meals keep you alive through the holidays? I’d love to hear your traditions and ideas! Share with us in the comments below!

    Camille Hoffmann
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2014
    Email the author! camille@dvo.com