It’s the most wonderful time of the year to share with the three Fs: friends, family and, of course, food. Don’t sacrifice any hard work at the gym for decadent holiday treats; opt for healthy alternatives instead. After you’ve decorated the tree and perfected your wish list, relax with a favorite holiday movie and one of these healthy Christmas snacks.
1. Grinch Fruit Kabob
Not only is this a cute and simple snack, it’s also good for you! Fruits are full of nutrients that are under-consumed, such as potassium, fiber and vitamin C.
Recipe from MOMables
Ingredients:
- Mini marshmallows
- Strawberries, tops sliced off
- Banana, peeled and sliced
- Green grapes
- Toothpicks
Instructions:
- Wash and cut your fruit.
- On each toothpick, assemble your kabob as follows: one mini marshmallow, one strawberry, one banana slice and one green grape.
2. Cinnamon Apple Chips
With no added sugar, these cinnamon apple chips combine our favorite fruit with a little sprinkle of holiday flavor. An apple a day, as they say!
Recipe from Trial and Eater
Ingredients:
- Two apples
- Cinnamon
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Thinly slice the apples, removing any seeds.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Bake for one hour. Flip the apples. Bake for another hour.
- Let apple chips cool, and eat!
3. Pita Trees
A festive take on a classic snack, these guacamole pita trees are sure to be a popular appetizer at any holiday party. Not only that, the avocado in guacamole is rich in vitamin K, an essential vitamin for blood clotting.
Recipe from Charlotte Parent Magazine
Ingredients:
- Whole-wheat pita pockets cut in triangles
- Guacamole
- Diced tomatoes
- Pretzel sticks
Instructions:
- Spread guacamole on pita triangles.
- Sprinkle diced tomatoes on top.
- Stick pretzel sticks into pitas.
4. Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Though chocolate and peanut butter may not sound healthy, these peanut butter balls replace a primarily sugar-and-butter-filled recipe with a more natural one! It keeps the healthy fats and protein found in peanut butter while replacing refined sugar with dates.
Recipe from DAMY Health
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of dry roasted peanuts
- 1 cup of pitted dates
- 3 scoops of protein powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut (optional)
- 1/4 cup ground flax
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 2-3 70-percent dark chocolate bars
- Bamboo skewers (optional)
- Crushed candy canes (optional)
- Unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
Instructions:
- Place dark chocolate in a double boiler and let melt until completely smooth.
- Add dry roasted peanuts to your food processor and blend until it is peanut flour.
- Add protein powder and pulse until blended.
- Add unsweetened coconut and ground flax and pulse until blended.
- Add the vanilla extract, almond butter, dates and water. Blend until it reaches a cookie dough texture.
- Remove the dough from the food processor and place in a bowl. Begin rolling protein balls into 1-inch balls.
- Place balls on a plate.
- Using bamboo skewers (or two spoons), cover balls with melted chocolate individually.
- Place chocolate-covered balls spaced out on a waxed-paper-covered plate (or tray for easy removal) and sprinkle with your topping of choice.
- Place in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.
- Serve straight from the freezer.
5. Maple Gingerbread Popcorn
Who doesn’t love sitting next to a fire with a nice, big bowl of popcorn? Since popcorn is low in calories and coconut oil has healthy fats, this recipe is the perfect healthy snack to accompany your favorite holiday movies. It’s also naturally vegan and gluten-free!
Recipe from Real Food Real Deals
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup organic popcorn kernels (generates 15 cups popped)
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pop the popcorn.
- Place the solid coconut oil in a large roasting pan or on a cookie sheet that has sides. Put the pan in the oven until the oil melts.
- Remove the pan from the oven and add the maple syrup and spices. Stir to combine.
- Add the popped popcorn to the pan and stir so that the popcorn is evenly coated.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes, stirring every couple minutes. Once it starts to brown a little, it’s done.
- Remove and cool on a wire rack.
6. Low-Fat Gingerbread Cookies
Get a low-fat substitute for classic holiday dessert with these gingerbread cookies! By replacing most of the butter with applesauce, you get some fiber and vitamin C without the added fat.
Recipe from Skinnytaste
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup dark molasses
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 tablespoon egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Pinch of cream of tartar
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and applesauce until smooth.
- Add the egg and molasses and mix well.
- In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and spices.
- Add to sugar and molasses mixture, stirring well.
- Divide the dough into two flat balls; cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
- Generously dust the surface of your working area with flour before rolling out the dough. Work with one ball of dough at a time; keep the other refrigerated while you do so.
- Roll the dough out to 1/4 or 1/8-inch thickness; sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough if it’s a little sticky. Cut the gingerbread with a cookie cutter shape of your choice.
- Place cookies 1 or 2 inches apart on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.
- Mix the egg whites with lemon juice.
- Combine with powdered sugar, mixing well. If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar; if it’s too thick, add a drop of lemon juice.
- Add to a piping bag to decorate cookies when cookies are cooled.
7. Dark Chocolate Peppermint Truffles
This four-ingredient recipe tastes like a decadent truffle but doesn’t use one drop of heavy cream or melted chocolate! At 27 calories each, this dairy-free treat can also be made vegan by replacing the honey with light corn syrup or agave.
Recipe from Amy’s Healthy Baking
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 tablespoons honey (or agave)
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, stir together all four ingredients.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to three days.
- Working with a heaping tablespoon at a time, roll the chocolate mixture into a ball, and place on wax paper or in individual mini muffin paper liners.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
If you’re watching your health this holiday season, don’t worry! The holidays no longer have to be a source of temptation with these seven snacks.