Give Yourself a Treat This Holiday Season

This time of year is filled with temptation. Everywhere you turn, there’s another creamy casserole, plate of gingerbread men, or glass of egg nog to be had. In keeping with your weight loss goals, you pass up a lot!

But that’s no fun! You deserve a treat, too. Here are some treats that can help you savor the season while you keep watching the scale go down.

Christmas Cheesecake

Cheesecake is a rich, decadent treat. That’s why it shows up at holiday time, but that’s why it’s not the right choice for your waistline. Until now! Use BariatricPal Protein Desserts – Creamy Cheese Cake as a base, and have it plain or dress it up to make it a little more festive. Here are some ideas.

-Swirl in a mixture of pureed pumpkin with cinnamon, nutmeg, and non-calorie sweetener of your choice.

-Drizzle it with sugar-free chocolate syrup, or dust it wit

-Crumble some BariatricPal Cinna Crunch N’ Chocolate cereal to use as a low-carb, high-protein pie crust.

-Top it with fresh mint leaves and strawberry or cherry slices for a red and green garnish.

Protein Cinnamon Spice Snack Mix

Make a cinnamon spice snack mix fit for the holidays starting with BariatricPal Protein Cereal Breakfast Entrée – Cinnamon Crunch. Each packet has 8 grams of protein and only 90 calories. You can add more fiber, protein, and healthy fat – not to mention crunch and flavor – with pecans or other nuts or peanuts.

You can eat the mix as is, or go a step further. For a little extra holiday spice, spray the mixture with non-stick cooking spray. Then sprinkle cinnamon, cloves, and (optional) your favorite sweetener on it and bake it in an oven at 300 degrees for about 5 minutes, or until the spray dries and the spices stick. This is a snack worth passing around at parties!

Cheesy Casserole

Those casseroles can be awfully tempting, but they’re also pretty fattening – until you try this idea for green bean casserole. Mix 2 cups of cooked green beans with 2 packets of BariatricPal Protein Soup – Cream of Mushroom, 2 egg whites, and ½ cup boiling water. Bake it until it sets, then sprinkle a package of crushed Moon Cheese – Cheddar snacks on top. Return it to the oven for a couple more minutes, then serve. A high-protein, low-fat cheesy green bean casserole – who knew?

Mint Fudge

There’s no need to even be tempted next time someone passes the plate of mint fudge. Just pull out your BariatricPal 15 g Protein Bar – Mint Cocoa. You’ll still get the rich chocolate and sweet mint taste. However, instead of getting hundreds of calories and 30-60 grams of sugar – enough to give you dumping syndrome or mess with your blood sugar and energy levels – you’ll get only 160 calories and 8 grams of sugar.

Plus, the bar has 15 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, so you’re less likely to get hungry again soon. If you really want the sensation of eating fudge, just cut it into small squares first. Yum!

These holiday treats can make it easier to pass up the bad stuff and stick to your meal plan. Go for these treats, or browse the store to discover your own. Happy Healthy Holidays!