The holiday season is right upon us and I, for one, cannot believe it's already gotten here! Though I really do love the holiday season, one thing I know that I struggle with during this time is the need to binge on all of the sweets that just happen to appear wherever I go. From Halloween candy to Thanksgiving and Christmas desserts, there's always something tempting me into eating unhealthy. And yes, that includes certain drinks, too.
Although a lot of people consider the holidays the one time of the year (outside of their birthdays) that they can just throw caution to the wind and indulge on what they want, this is actually the time of the year where it should be opposite. For me, since I love sweets, this is the time of year when I develop a cavity or two and for those with kids — or those who are kids at heart like me — you might be able to say the same. I've learned though, that there are plenty of ways to still have what you like and do it without taking in too many of the things that aren't that good for you.
So, if you're interested in seeing what my picks for the month are, check out my short list below or watch the clip from Your Carolina where I discussed them.
1. CELSIUS Energy Drinks (starts at $1.99)
I'm sure that when you think of "snacks," energy drinks don't usually fall into that category. But, they should. Energy drinks are packed full of sugar and other things that can be damaging to our bodies in the long run. And with the holiday season keeping many of us so busy, plenty of people are picking up energy drinks more often. If you have to pick one up though, choose one that's a bit healthier.
CELSIUS Energy Drinks are a good option for that. They don't cause a crash or the jitters and are clinically proven to enhance your metabolism and endurance. Likewise, they help to burn fat and calories and help build lean body muscle. Along with having seven essential vitamins, CELSIUS has zero sugar added, no artificial flavors, colorings or preservatives, is non-GMO, has no high fructose corn syrup, is vegan and Kosher, and so much more.
Sold at:
Amazon.com, Target, Dick's Sporting Goods and convenience stores.
2. Homemade Popcorn
If you're not a fan of homemade popcorn, you definitely should be! It's a known fact that popcorn has very few calories and when you air pop it at home, you can control what goes into it. Though homemade popcorn without any toppings is a great substitute for unhealthy snacks, if you want to dress it up a bit, there are plenty of toppings you can use. Personally, I like to use a chocolate drizzle created from melting down a bit of Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips (they only use three ingredients to make their chocolate chips!) because it still gives me a bit of sweetness to my savory snack. Another one of my favorites during the holiday season is to create a butter honey drizzle using two to three teaspoons of honey and butter melted and mixed together. Honey is great for this time of year to combat allergies and the combination just tastes so dang good!
3. Double Chocolate Breakfast Bread Pudding
A few years ago, I made this for Thanksgiving brunch with my family and it quickly became a staple in my life. Using only one of Premier Protein's chocolate shakes, you can have a full pan of tasty goodness that won't be as unhealthy as the other chocolate-based snacks you have on your list. Containing 30g of protein, only 160 calories, and just 1g of sugar, the shakes are perfect to keep you on target while living your healthy lifestyle. To create, just mix in two eggs, a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, and your shake. Break down six cups of bread (roughly six slices) in your lightly buttered pan and pour your mixture over the bread. After you throw in a few chocolate chips (I use the Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips like above!) and pop in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, you'll have a deliciously smelling and tasting snack or breakfast that you won't be able to get enough of.
I got this recipe from PremierProtein.com and if you're interested in seeing what else you can create using the shakes, they have so much to choose from!
What are your favorite healthy snack swap-outs for the holidays?
With Creative (and Snackful) Thoughts,
-Kp