The holidays are a time of celebration with family and friends. Festivities usually involve serving food for those who gather for the event. When we endeavor to stay on the path to a healthier life, we serve healthy treats and enjoy them in moderation.

Personal Story

Christmas has always been a celebration for me, both when I was growing up and as an adult with children and grandchildren. We celebrated Jesus’ birth with singing Christmas carols and enjoying special treats. As a woman interested in having a healthier life, I try to capture recipes that are healthy, fantastic foods that nourish my body and taste great.

Healthy Treats

It is good to keep a list of healthy treats that you, your family, and your friends enjoy. Create a notebook or computer file with ideas and recipes that you can try. After you make a treat, keep the recipe if you love it and toss it if you don’t. There are so many recipes to choose from that you need not suffer through a repeat item that no one likes. Here’s a list of healthy treat ideas to get you started:

Salty Treats

• serving of baked tortilla chips and salsa
• popcorn
• whole-grain crackers with cheese
• serving of tortilla chips and humus

Sweet Treats

• fresh fruit is naturally sweet
• fresh fruit with a tablespoon melted chocolate chips for dipping
• baked apples or peaches
• homemade baked goods made with stevia or another natural sweetener
• candy made with dark chocolate, nuts, or dried fruit
• single serving of frozen yogurt or ice cream

Enjoy in Moderation

Salty and sweet treats can be good for you. When well-chosen, they help provide needed calories, healthy fats, and needed nutrients. The key is to eat them in moderation. Here are some tips on how to do that:

• purchase individually wrapped servings of sweet and salty treats, so the portion size is measured for you
• buy economy sized packages of tortilla chips or cookies and divide them, putting each serving in an individual baggie
• go out for special treats instead of bringing them into your home
• only bring “main stream” treats into your home on special occasions and seek to limit the variety
• plan to run out of every “main stream” treat before the event is over, but have plenty of healthier options left over to enjoy

Action

Take some time to make a healthy treat list, search for recipes, make a list, shop, and prepare healthy treats for the holidays. Keep the list and add to it when you run across something you love.

Celebrate Christmas with a special treat this year!

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. What do you think? Please leave a comment.

Resources:

https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/sweets-treats-healthy-diet#3