We all know the holidays aren’t easy between being busy (or not, it’s COVID), overeating, and eating all the indulgent things plus extra carbs and sugar that tend to be around more than usual and during the other times of the year. The good news is that there are plenty of everyday opportunities to avoid overeating and curbing our holiday appetite and here are some snacks that can help you do this.
- Keep pre-portioned mixed nuts on you that you can season with herbs and spices to fit every occasion. One of my favorite things to make a big batch of nuts with pistachio, cashew, almond, and macadamia nuts and warm it up with pumpkin spice, maple syrup, and pepitas so that when someone is offering cookies, you will have a great substitute that will satisfy and keep you from overdoing it.
2. Egg bites are a perfect way to keep yourself from getting too hungry and going for all the holiday pastries kept in the office’s break room. Take a muffin tin and whisk 1 egg per muffin hole in the pan, mix it with herbs, goat cheese, and/or bacon, pour evenly into the muffin pan, and bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. You can mix it up by switching up the ingredients, using eggwhites, and/or adding spinach or kale.
3. Make a smoothie. Americans don’t always get their daily fruits, veggies, and fiber, which means that they aren’t consuming enough vitamins and minerals to satisfy their bodies and curb cravings for convenient processed snacks. My favorite smoothies are 1 Cup mixed berries, 1 banana, 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt or kefir, and a little bit of honey to taste. Add some greens for more benefits. The most common green is spinach. To make any smoothie creamier, add avocado or peanut butter.
4. Cut open an avocado, scoop it onto a plate, season it with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Trader Joe’s Everything Seasoning. It’s one of those snacks when I need something salty and knows it will give me enough fuel to get through to the next meal.
5. Baked sweet potatoes. This is a treat to curb some sweet cravings because sweet potatoes are already sweet enough. I pop a sweet potato in the microwave for 5-7 minutes and season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne. If it still is not enough sweetness, add a little bit of real maple syrup and use grass-fed butter instead of olive oil.
6. Last but not least, I have to say it, just a piece of fruit can be a great way satisfy hunger or sweetness and most fruits are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber to help you be your best while living a crazy or not so crazy life.
Your body may not be the easiest thing to change, but it’s a mixture of routine and how we eat during our routine that we can make a difference in our body. The more you know, the more you will be able to change so that you can have more energy for everything else in life.