Written by Jessica Shelburne
Between November and February, there are a handful of holidays that are accompanied by delicious foods and drinks. Unfortunately, these sweet treats come at a cost to our health, as many of them are the opposite of nutritional. The best way to still enjoy the holidays and all the flavorful foods is to eat mindfully and swap out sugary foods for salubrious foods.
Years ago, fruit was a popular gift to give and receive during Christmastime. Although this is now an outdated practice, good health never goes out of style, and many fruits are in season during winter. Citrus fruits such as clementines, tangerines, and oranges are all harvested in the winter months, making them the perfect snack to enjoy this time of year.
For an easy, tasty treat, cut the fruit into slices, dip one end into chocolate, and then lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Lay the slices out onto a sheet pan and place in the refrigerator until the chocolate stiffens. The sweet, sour and salty components create a mouth-watering combination of flavors, without being heavy on saturated fats or carbs.
Frozen yogurt bark is a nutritional remix of Christmas dessert bark which is typically made with chocolate, candies, and other additions that add to this sweet, crunchy delight. Frozen yogurt bark is largely the same, though comprised of healthier alternatives. It is not difficult to make and only requires a bit of culinary creativity.
First, pour a thick layer of any flavor yogurt onto a sheet pan. Next, evenly distribute your choice of toppings! This could include berries, almonds, chia seeds, coconut flakes, chocolate chips, granola – basically anything that pairs well with yogurt. Once the toppings are laid, place the pan in a freezer until the yogurt becomes hardened. Finally, break the big layer of yogurt into pieces and keep frozen between snacking. Frozen yogurt bark is a great snack for the holidays because it is light and loaded with bits of healthy goodies.
If you’re not a fan of making food yourself, there is an array of healthy holiday snacks available in stores.:
Halo Top ice cream offers a gingerbread house flavor during the holiday that is only 360 calories per pint.
Califa farms makes vegan eggnog with almond milk that is only 50 calories per serving.
Snack brands such as Clif Bar, Lärabar, and Rxbar produce limited edition holiday flavors that are low in added sugars and high in fiber, protein, and other nutrients. K
Keeping these health-friendly items in stock reduces the amount of junk consumed during mindless snacking.
