The holidays are quickly approaching and we can already feel the excitement in the air—people are bustling to buy gifts and busy preparing for holiday parties and family gatherings. As much as we love the holiday time, it can be downright exhausting. And if you choose sugary snacks or those that lack fiber and protein that seem to be everywhere especially this time of year, you’ll find yourself crashing before you get to your celebration. Admittedly, we’ve been there more than once, thanks to overdoing it on poor choices ranging from a pumpkin pie sampling to Williams-Sonoma’s peppermint bark, and we don’t recommend it. After all, choose the wrong snacks and you’ll feel like you woke up in a daze after being been dragged through the snow for miles on the back of Santa’s sled.

The good news is that by choosing the right snacks that contain both satisfying protein and fiber (which usually comes bundled with energy- revving quality carbohydrates), you’ll have the energy to power right through the holidays. Choose these snacks and those toy-delivering energizer bunnies (a.k.a. Mr. and Mrs. Claus) will have nothing on you. Pssst… in fact, you’ll have something on the Claus’s since you won’t have their big bellies—these snacks are all under 200 calories!

Low-fat Cheese and Tomato Toast. When it’s cold outside, this is the perfect, energizing snack. Our Mom made this frequently when we were growing up. Simply take a slice of whole wheat bread (fiber-filled, energy-providing carbohydrates) and top it with a slice of tomato and a slice of low-fat mozzarella (for satisfying protein and bone-building calcium) and pop it in the toaster. Voila!
Pistachios. Whether you’re shopping for gifts at the mall or in the comfort of your own home, pistachios are the perfect snack, since they’ve got that winning combination of both fiber and protein to keep you feeling satiated. Plus, they’re portable! This is one of our faves and we’ve been using it for an afternoon snack to boost us for as long as we can remember. In fact, pistachios are such a staple in our energizing diet that we now work with Wonderful Pistachios to help others to benefit from their nutritious benefits.
Red Peppers and Black Bean Dip. Red peppers are loaded not only with anti-oxidants, but with fiber too. They’ll give you a quick burst of energy while the beans in the bean dip will extend that energy boost with fiber and protein. Red peppers are a staple in our house, and we love combining them with black bean dip, hummus or low-fat yogurt dip—all give us protein to fuel us even longer.
Whey Chocolate Covered Popcorn. Make a small bag of fat free popcorn and add 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder. Shake until the powder covers the popcorn. We love this snack because it instantly quenches our sweet tooth craving and our desire to crunch. Plus the popcorn is packed with energy-providing carbohydrates and fiber and the protein powder gives you that staying power.
Non-fat Greek Yogurt with Apples and Cinnamon. We like to cut an apple into little chunks and stir them right into the yogurt, and then we add a dash of cinnamon. Our clients tend to like their yogurt with cinnamon as a dip for the apples. Whichever you prefer, rest assured you will be getting an energy surge from the apple’s fiber- packed carbohydrates. The creamy, satisfying, protein-filled yogurt will prevent energy crashes and keep you powering through.