December is a trap.

Ok, not really. I love everything about the colors, the cozy, and the festive cheer, but sometimes it can feel daunting when you have to wrangle cookie-crazed toddlers into bows and braids for every holiday party under the sun, the list of presents to buy (and wrap and hide) keeps getting longer, there are a million people to feed, and the social pressure to be holly jolly all the time is intense.

(Keep scrolling to snag a surprise gift that will make the season a little ho ho happier!)

Everyone on the internet acts like this month is magical and effortless, but in reality, we’re all running on fireplace fumes, eating advent calendar chocolate for breakfast, and seriously considering whether Trader Joe’s Jingle Jangle counts as a balanced meal if you add a side salad (I mean, they say to “eat colorfully,” and that is, sooo…).

At the end of the day (and the year) something’s gotta give, so here's what I figured out after three Decembers of trying to “do it all.”

You don't need ABC Family’s 25 Days of Different Dinner Ideas (that you will inevitably end up shoveling into your mouth while heading to your third chorus or flute or school play performance of the week). You need three really solid meals you can rotate through and mix up without anyone complaining.

This is your permission slip to be strategic instead of stressed. 

Signed. Sealed. DELIVERED.

TLDR:

⏱️ Time: 30 minutes max per dinner (often less)

💰 Money: Same three meals cost $40-60/week for a family of four

🎯 Difficulty: If you can boil water and turn on an oven, you're qualified

✨ Saves: Decision fatigue, grocery store wandering, the mental load of meal planning

🍷 A Pre-Holiday Present from Pepper! 🍷

At the end of a long day of holiday hullaballoo, there’s nothing that feels quite as cozy (and well earned) as a glass of your favorite wine. SO, this year we’re partnering with Naked Wines, a direct-to-consumer wine service that funds independent winemakers and delivers their small-batch bottles straight to your door at teasingly low prices.

Get $100 off 12 bottles + 1 free sparkling gift bottle with the code BUBBLES12 when you use this link!

I have been a member for the past 5 years and have found so many of my favorite bottles through their wildly simple (and honestly, fun to use) selection framework!

The Three-Meal December Rotation

Meal 1: Sheet Pan Everything

The formula: Protein + vegetables + high heat = dinner

1. Pick your protein (chicken thighs, sausage, salmon, tofu, etc.)

2. Pick your vegetables (whatever's on sale or already in your fridge)

3. Toss everything with olive oil and whatever seasonings sound good

4. Spread on a sheet pan (I just upgraded my sad burnt ones to these Great Jones ones that come with baking mats!)

5. Roast at 425°F for 25-30 minutes

Minimal cleanup. Impossible to mess up.

Recipe Ideas on Pepper:

🥩 Steak Sheet Pan Dinner

🍗 Teriyaki Chicken Sheet Pan Meal

🌮 Sheet Pan Fajitas (everyone in my family is obsessed with these!)

If your household is like mine and you have to account for picky eater modifications, here’s what I do:

• Keep some vegetables separate so kids can pick what they want

• Roasting makes vegetables sweeter and less bitter

• Serve with a dipping sauce (ranch, ketchup, honey mustard, etc.)

Meal 2: Pasta with Anything

The formula: Pasta + jarred sauce or butter + protein + frozen vegetables = dinner

1. Boil pasta

2. While it's cooking, heat up jarred marinara or make a quick butter sauce

3. Add rotisserie chicken, ground beef, or canned tuna

4. Dump in frozen peas, spinach, or broccoli during the last two minutes of pasta cooking

Recipe Ideas on Pepper:

🍝 Radiatore Alla Vodka

🧄 One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta

🥬 Chicken and Spinach Pasta

For picky eaters, keep some pasta plain with just butter, blend the sauce so the veggies aren’t detectable, serve the protein on the side for kids who "don't like things mixed together," and when in doubt, cheese makes everything more acceptable.

Meal 3: Slow Cooker Something or the Other

The formula: Throw things in the slow cooker in the morning, come home to dinner

1. Put ingredients in a pot in the morning (or the night before)

2. Leave

3. Come back to dinner magically made and the whole house smelling so good

Recipe Ideas on Pepper:

🍲 Slow Cooker Pot Roast

🧆 Slow Cooker Mississippi Meatballs

🥪 Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Check out our newsletter on all things slow cooking here!

How to Scale Up When Your Mother-in-Law Texts "We'll Just Stop By Around Dinner Time"

Somehow it’s always on the busiest, moooost chaotic of “why is there bolognese on the ceiling and who put the apron on the dog again” days that your in laws “happen” to be “in the neighborhood.” But family is family, so dinner for 4 becomes dinner for 6 (or 8, because who knows who else might “pop by to say hi!”).

This is where the three-meal rotation saves you. Here are a few ways to elevate the formula for Actual Guests.

Sheet Pan Upgrade:

• Use chicken thighs instead of sausage

• Add whole garlic cloves to the pan and let them roast and confit so they’re sweet and spreadable (and look fancy)

• Throw lemon slices on top for the last 10 minutes

• Sprinkle fresh herbs if you have them

• Drizzle with honey (or hot honey!) or balsamic glaze (I really want to try this Kosterina Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar)

Those are the world’s simplest swaps and additions, but now suddenly it's "herb-roasted chicken with caramelized vegetables" instead of "Stuff to Eat," and that’s a win!

Pasta Upgrade:

• Toast some bread. Rub it with a cut garlic clove. Drizzle with olive oil. Broil for 3 minutes. Now you have a side of garlic bread!

• Set out a bowl of extra parmesan. A small dish of red pepper flakes. And a bowl of torn fresh basil.

• Make two different kinds instead of just doubling the original! Pasta is simple enough and the leftovers will get eaten!

Slow Cooker (Taco) Upgrade:

This is secretly the easiest option for unexpected guests because tacos are designed to feed a crowd.

• Shred the chicken and put it in a serving bowl.

• Set out all the toppings (avocado, lime, corn, salsa, sour cream, black beans, cheese, etc.) in small bowls.

• Warm the tortillas wrapped in foil in the oven for 10 minutes.

• Call it a taco BAR!

The December Grocery List (screenshot this!)

Proteins (pick 2-3 per week):

• Chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on are cheaper and taste better)

• Italian sausage

• Ground beef (80/20 for flavor or 90/10 if you prefer less grease)

• Rotisserie chicken (another topic of a whole newsletter!)

• Chuck roast (I was today years old when I learned that it’s not *chunk roast…)

• Salmon

Vegetables (fresh or frozen):

• Bell peppers

• Onions

• Broccoli

• Peas

• Spinach

• Potatoes

• Cherry tomatoes

Pantry Staples:

• Pastas

• Jarred sauce

• Olive oil

• Canned beans

• Canned diced tomatoes

• Chicken or beef broth

• Taco seasoning packets

• Italian seasoning

• Garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, etc.

Cheese, Dairy, & Bread:

• Butter (salted, always)

• Parmesan (the real stuff in a wedge lasts longer and tastes better)

• Heavy cream

• Milk

• Eggs

• Tortillas

• Sandwich bread