Maybe it’s a natural human desire to gain extra pounds and stay warm for the winter or maybe it’s all the fattening foods associated with the holidays. Either way, we want to eat more when the temperature starts dropping. As if it isn’t already hard enough to control yourself, think about all of the holiday commercials and coffee ads that show us drop dead gorgeous food (they do that on purpose!). I’ve already gained five pounds just thinking about it! Some days it can feel like a real struggle to not eat everything in sight, but you can conquer all of your go-to get cozy fall foods with a few tweaks and tips. By the way, there is saving money and friend time involved!
Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Latte
Don’t hate me for starting with the most popular drink on campus. (You will thank me later.)
A tall pumpkin spice latte is 300 calories, with 7 grams from saturated fat alone. I know you can make it skinny by taking off the whipped cream and using skim milk, but wouldn’t you rather save your money, too? A better alternative is to make crock-pot pumpkin spice lattes. Click here for the recipe. Make it vegan by using almond milk (which will also cut out fat) or make it with decaffeinated coffee–anyway you choose, you know exactly what you’re putting in your body. Plus, it’s super easy and you spend about 1/3 the amount of money for each serving.
Extra snaps for anyone who actually eats pumpkin this season, it is rich in potassium and has more than 20% of your daily fiber needs. Mix it into whole grain or flaxseed waffle batter, and sprinkle with cinnamon spice, maple syrup, and walnuts.
Cozy-weather Slump Tip: Don’t associate eating with getting cozy. On an extra cold day when you decide to stay in the blankets, don’t use it as an excuse to eat. Acknowledge that you are not hungry, keep food out of sight, and keep your mind busy another way, and do it festively. The foods we eat are highly associated with nostalgia, so try to find something else nostalgic to do. This Halloween, instead of eating tons of candy or making the Pillsbury seasonal ghost cookies, get festive by watching your favorite scary movie and going to a haunted house with your best friend from high school.
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 Reese’s Pumpkin
Speaking of Nostalgic food, I only eat the Reese’s miniatures that come in green and red wrappers at Christmas time just because they are pretty.
One Reese’s pumpkin is 180 calories, with 3.5 grams of saturated fat (18% of daily value). Although, the peanut butter may fool you into believing that they are somewhat healthy, the amount of sugar is almost quadrupled the amount of protein.  Plus, peanut butter is full of hydrogenated oils. Instead, make your own peanut butter pumpkins with friends. It is a great way to stay in and still have fun on Halloween if you aren’t digging the whole drunken frat party thing. Use all-natural peanut butter, just made of peanuts, and 70% dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. You still need to add powdered sugar, so it will be just sweet enough! Click here for the recipe. Making the Reese’s with your friends is a better option, because you can hold each other accountable just by being together and you can bag them up to share!Â
Cozy-weather Slump Tip: Get outside! Yes, every now and then you can be a lazy bum indoors with your hot cocoa, but don’t make it a habit. Instead, go outdoors and get your metabolism going. Seeing the sunshine puts you in a better mood. If exercising outdoors, make sure to take proper precautions like protecting your head with a hat or scarf, or you will lose too much body heat.
Marie Callender’s Apple Pie
You would think with all the apples going around during fall, everyone would keep the doctor away, but when you consider all the added stuff, it’s like your apple turns sour. Â
One/tenth of Marie Callender’s apple pie is 330 calories, with 18 grams of total fat. That may not seem awful, but here are two things to consider: are you really cutting 1/10 of the pie, and how many scoops of ice cream did you just add to that? You could be around the 500 to 600 calorie range! Instead of going for the frozen pie, try crock pot baked apples.  Click here for the recipe. You cut back on the sugar and fat, and gain extra fiber without losing any of the satisfaction of an apple pie.Oh and your dorm room/apartment will smell amazing!
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Which one of these cozy fall recipes are you most likely to try? Check out these fall superfoods if you want more tips on how to incorporate healthy with your fall cravings.
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