The holidays are a time to celebrate with others and enjoy the good things in life—and that’s okay! But if you’re wanting to keep off the holiday pounds this year, that’s okay too. At Scotty’s, we know people are going to indulge during the holidays, so we’ve put together a list of ways to create more balance this year if you want to feel your best and make holiday treats healthier.
1. Go halfsies on the sugar.
We’re not suggesting you change your grandmother’s recipe entirely—but who says it can’t be adapted to fit how you’re feeling? Chances are, we’re going to be around a lot of sweets this time of year, so an easy way to lessen your glycemic load is to replace 50% of the sugar with your favorite Scotty's Allulose & Monk Zero Calorie Sugar Replacement in recipes. Allulose caramelizes like sugar but doesn’t act like sugar in your system. In fact, it even has benefits, making it a great go-to for making holidays sweeter.
2. Watch the add-ins.
Whether you’re making a homemade trail mix for hiking weather, oatmeal raisin cookies, oatmeal bows, granola, cranberry orange scones, or a viral date bark snickers snack, dried fruits are everywhere this time of year. And while they can be good sources of vital nutrients like magnesium and fiber, many dried fruits are also made with lots of added sugar—something to watch out for when you’re trying limit your carbs.
Easy fix: look for dried fruits with no added sugar to stock your holiday pantry, and look for sugar-free chocolate chips and nut butters to add to your recipes as well.
3. Make healthy mixes a holiday tradition.
A lot of holiday indulgence comes from our fond memories and emotional attachments to certain foods. Who’s to say you can’t swap a healthy mix in as the base for recipes or create a new nostalgic tradition using a gluten-free, keto-friendly mix?
By swapping Scotty’s keto-friendly biscuit mix for your traditional pie crust, or our cupcake mix for your bundt cakes, our bread mix for your holiday raisin bread gifting, our pancake mix for your pumpkin pancakes and so on, you not only save yourself the added calorie cost of normal holiday desserts, but you also save yourself a lot of time, stress, and dishes, by using a readymade mix.
Check out our blog and Instagram for plenty of seasonal recipes to ignite your Christmas spirit!
4. Freeze what you don’t need.
Too many desserts left over from Thanksgiving? Too many cookies from the holiday cookie swap? When you’re feeling “stuck” with a dessert you feel like you have to keep eating even though you’re overwhelmed by all the sugar, that’s when it’s time to put your freezer to good use! Freeze slice and bake cookie dough in logs and only cut off what you need at any given time, or freeze cakes, cookies, brownies, and other sweets to enjoy in months to come!
5. Indulge with healthy beverages.
It’s not just desserts that load us up with sugar during the holidays. One major culprit when it comes to Christmas calories? All the boozy and sugary drinks that are served during parties and get-togethers. If you’re trying to cut down on your carbs this time of year, drinks are a great place to start. Swap the Christmas cocktail for a fig and pear mocktail made with Scotty’s Allulose & Monk Fruit sweetener (made with no alcohol and low in added sugar). Or try a dessert tea like a caramel, peppermint, or chocolate option for another soothing option.
Ready to make your holidays that much healthier this year? It’s not about not indulging, or avoiding the dishes that you and your family love. Instead, it all comes down to healthy swaps and having a go-to plan for your bar and baking this season.
Check out these other blogs for baking and holiday health!
