The holidays are upon us and my subject is holiday snacking. That said, I’d like to try to be the voice of reason here. Bear with me. There might be an idea embedded in these suggestions that appeals to you.

What with all the high calorie goodies folks will be sharing, healthier alternatives are a good option. I found these ideas for festive and tasty healthy holiday snacks on a great site,

www.nobiggie.net. With these snacks there’s no need to worry about all that added sugar or food dyes that come with most the sweet treats we consume this time of year.

STRING CHEESE SNOWMEN. This is for all you crafters out there. If you’ve got the time and the inclination, this is a fun way to serve up a non-sugared snack. I think I’ll just cluster string cheese (unadorned) in a wide-mouthed glass container, though, and pair them with some of these other ideas that follow.


CHOCOLATE DIPPED CLEMETINES WITH SEA SALT. While the chocolate contributes some sugar, the overall result is pretty healthy. If you’re watching your sodium, you can certainly opt out of finishing with the sea salt.


BLACK OLIVE PENGUINS. Another idea for you crafters. I’m taking the basic theme and will go with that: black (or even green) olives stuffed with cream cheese. Nice flavor combination.


FRUIT KABOBS. Sure, this is not such a unique idea. But as the photo shows, when you incorporate holiday colored fruits, you create a little festivity with a healthy snack. And besides being pretty, it’s pure health.


PUMPKIN SMOOTHIES. This is one of our very favorite holiday treats. You can make this as decadent or healthy as you desire. I’ve shared this recipe before, in an article that talked about the health benefits of pumpkin, but it’s so good, that for those of you who may have missed it, I offer it again. Since I last shared it, I’ve tweaked it a bit, and we like this version even better.




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SANTA STRAWBERRIES. Still another idea for you crafters. When there are children included, fun-themed snacks can make a big difference. And this seems simple enough that perhaps older children could help you make them. Chia or poppy seeds make good eyes. And the whipped cream could be sweetened with pure maple syrup if you don’t want to add any white sugar.
One final idea: CREAM CHEESE-STUFFED MEDJOOL DATES. I discovered this delicacy by accident when shopping at our local whole foods store. I noticed a gal in the bulk foods section loading a bag with dates. I asked her what she was going to do with so many dates and she explained this treat and said it was a family favorite.

I gave the idea a try, garnished them with chopped pecans. We’ve become big fans ever since.