With holiday season soon upon us,
the time for hot beverages, sweet/salty/crunchy snacks and cuddling up with a
warm blanket in front of the TV has begun. The cold weather brings holiday
drinks such as eggnog, hot chocolate, lattes and mochas and the parties bring
sweet, salty and crunchy treats. It is important to be aware of these treats and
drinks as they can pack a bunch of calories into a day. Many people are not
aware of the amount of liquid
calories consumed at the holiday time, but when a 16 oz. eggnog latte from
Starbucks has 470 calories, it is something we need to start paying attention
to. There is a place for beverages such as these in your diet. However, they
should be consumed in smaller serving sizes and only occasionally. As well some
of the traditional treats can be consumed but there are great alternatives out
there to subdue the cravings for these snacks.
Try some of these alternative drinks this season when
planning a party.
1. Fruity tea soda instead of a soft drink or
flavored soda
- To make this steep two tea bags of your favourite herbal tea in 3 cups of boiling water (we used Tetley's Mint Mojito - pictured above). Chill. Add 1 cup sparkling mineral or soda water. You will have an instant fizzy drink with close to no sugar
2. Citrus water instead of fruit juice
- Mix a teaspoon of lemon or lime juice with 8 oz. of water to have a refreshing drink without the sugar and calories from fruit juice. Try using a water bowl instead of a punch bowl at the next party you host.
3. Herbal tea instead of eggnog, hot chocolate,
lattes and mochas.
- Consider picking up the holiday flavors of teas to have instead of having the sugar sweetened, high fat beverages. If you do go for the other beverages try a skinny version or get the drink with half the sweetness.
Try some of these healthy snacks to curb the salty, crunchy
or sweet cravings that come along with the holiday season:
- Cheesy Kale Chips - Tear kale leaves into large
pieces and arrange on a baking sheet. Spritz with olive oil and bake in a 350°F
oven until crisp. While still warm, sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan
cheese (check out our past post and Today I Ate a Rainbow's video).
- Five-spice pumpkin seeds - Toss salted pumpkin
seeds with sesame oil and Chinese five-spice powder; bake at 350°F until crisp.
-
Buffalo popcorn - Toss air-popped popcorn with
olive oil, chili powder, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (how to make your own microwave popcorn)
- Chickpea poppers - Drain and rinse canned
chickpeas, then dry them with a paper towel. Spritz with extra-virgin olive
oil, season with dried oregano and garlic powder, and roast at 400°F until crisp (read more).
-
Banana cream pie - Spread graham crackers with
vanilla fat-free Greek yogurt, then top with a handful of banana slices and a
sprinkle of ground flaxseed. (Read the label to make sure you stick to one
serving of graham crackers.)
- Grapefruit Brule - Transform a simple grapefruit into something decadent: Halve it; drizzle each half with a little dark honey (use concentrated sweets sparingly), and broil until bubbly.
...more examples of sweet,
salty, crunchy treats
Kaitlyn Kwasney, Dietetic Intern
for Stephanie Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
