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3 Snacks to Keep You Going Through the Busy Holiday Season

Read this, try to picture it, and tell me if it resonates:

The clock strikes 3 p.m. and your mood has shifted. The stress of the day has piled up. It’s almost time to wrap up work and the to-do list is still long. 

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Perhaps you feel a little stressed, hurried, overwhelmed, or anxious? 

Or maybe it’s just me. 

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The author, feeling hangry!

Actually, I’m certain it’s not. This “witching hour” is when we tend to reach for the pick-me-up snack. Sometimes this is an afternoon coffee or a trip to the office candy jar. This is often when we find ourselves a bit “hangry.” 

Sound familiar? 

I hear this story time and time again with my coaching clients, and especially during the craziness of the holiday season. 

Many of us tend to undereat early in the day and by the time mid-afternoon rolls around, this catches up with us and bites us in the booty! 

We typically overeat later in the day as a result of undereating earlier in the day. It’s easy to ignore our body’s hunger cues when we are distracted and busy. Usually, we end up wanting to eat anything and everything because that hunger comes back with a vengeance later in the afternoon.

By eating smaller, balanced meals and snacks throughout the day, most of us will benefit by making smart food choices, having steady blood sugar levels, experiencing fewer mood swings, and having (overall) better energy to get all that holiday to-do list done!

Check out these three snack recipes you can prep in advance to make this time of year a bit healthier in every way.

3 Healthy Snacks to Get You Through the Holiday Season

Chocolate Mint Jingle Balls

Chocolate Mint Balls Snapshot

From: Eat Move Thrive Spokane

Naturally gluten-free, vegan, low in sugar, high in polyunsaturated and omega-3 fats, and contain antioxidants and fiber. These make a great “pick-me-up” snack or a festive sweet treat.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw walnuts
  • 2 cups Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional for dusting)
  • Pinch of sea salt

Directions

  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until it starts to combine 
  2. Wet hands and roll into 1-inch jingle balls 
  3. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar 
  4. Store covered in the fridge for one week, or freeze for later

Creamy Lemon and Feta White Bean Dip

Creamy Lemon & Feta White Bean Dip Snapshot

Adapted from: Flavour and Savour food blog

This dip provides a great way to eat more veggies, get more protein, lots of fiber and a dosage of healthy monounsaturated fat.

Ingredients

  • 1 can white Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for drizzling on top
  • 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Directions

  1. Put all ingredients except the chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds and 2 extra tablespoons of olive oil in a food processor.
  2. Blend until very smooth and creamy. If too thick, add a little water 1 tablespoon at a time.
  3. Transfer the dip to a shallow serving bowl and garnish with chopped parsley, drizzle of 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or to preference) and sprinkle of pomegranate seeds. 
  4. Serve with whole grain crackers, whole grain pita triangles or cut vegetables.

Can store in the fridge, covered, for 5 days.  

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas Snapshot

From: Eat Move Thrive Spokane

Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are loaded with plant-based protein and fiber. They are very satiating and flavorful, especially when roasted up like this! The recipe uses avocado oil because it’s the best oil for cooking with high heat.

Ingredients

  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil
  • Sea salt
  • Seasoning of choice (i.e., curry powder, taco seasoning, paprika, garlic, onion powder or try a fun Spiceology seasoning)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  2. Open a can of chickpeas and drain the liquid 
  3. Rinse chickpeas with water. Pat them dry with a towel and spread onto a baking sheet. 
  4. Remove the skins that are falling off, but don’t stress too much about this part
  5. Toss the chickpeas with avocado oil, sea salt and seasonings of choice
  6. Put the baking sheet with chickpeas into the oven on a center rack and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through
  7. Remove from the oven when they are starting to get crispy. The longer the cooking time, the crispier they get 
  8. Store roasted chickpeas in a loosely covered container at room temperature

Best eaten within a couple of days. Enjoy eating these on their own, on salads, or as a little crunch on top of soup. 

10 Grab and Go snacks (little to no cooking required)

For those who don’t have the time to cook right now, check out these additional 10 grab-and-go snacks that are beautifully balanced and energizing:

  • Apple with nut/seed butter (peanut, almond, cashew, sunflower seed butter) 
  • Lettuce wraps with egg or tuna salad 
  • Mini, trail-mix pouches
  • String cheese with a few dried prunes, dates or apricots 
  • Roasted chickpeas (homemade or store-bought) 
  • Plain Greek yogurt or chia pudding topped with fresh fruit/berries, walnuts or almonds 
  • Cucumber slices with cream cheese and smoked salmon or edamame
  • Hummus or white bean dip (see recipe) with whole grain crackers or fresh veggies 
  • Pecan and goat cheese on celery – adult “ants on a log” 
  • Whole grain pita, kale chips or crackers with guacamole

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Monika Jacobson

After growing up in the Inland Northwest, Monika Jacobson earned her Bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics at Washington State University. She moved to the west side and worked as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in a myriad of settings–from luxury health clubs, to coaching athletes with sports nutrition, to home health clinical nutrition and various start-ups in Seattle-focused scientific wellness and genetics. After moving to Spokane with her family, she created Eat Move Thrive-Spokane because she wanted to transform people’s lives by teaching them how to make healthy food taste good. At Eat Move Thrive-Spokane, Monika teaches adult and kid cooking classes (online and in-person) and coaches clients one-on-one with their wellness goals centered on nutrition. She discusses how stress, sleep, hormones, and overall mental health affect the decisions we make about food. 

Read all of Monika’s articles here.

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