Tis’ the season to eat everything covered in chocolate!
The supermarket shelves are filled with egg shaped chocolates, hot cross buns, Easter treats fill the bakery aisle and creme eggs take over the sweets section.
And if you’re anything like me, and have the world’s biggest sweet tooth (so much so that once you start, you just can’t stop!), but want to find ways to enjoy Easter without causing too much damage at the same time You’re in the right place.
And the good news is, there are plenty of ways to make Easter healthy and enjoy an Easter egg too.
So, with that said, here are some of my tips to help you enjoy the sweetest weekend of the year completely guilt-free…
Tip 1: Chocolate Covered Fruit
The word Easter for many of us means chocolate, and can be the time we let our healthy eating habits that we keep up in the week slack, and indulge. And while there is nothing wrong with that, the feelings of guilt I hear so many people talk about after Easter weekend, can be avoided.
One great way to add a healthy spin to your Easter treats and get your chocolatey fix is to cover your favourite fruit in chocolate.
Strawberries, banana slices, blueberries, grapes – pretty much any type of fruit you enjoy tastes even better dipped in chocolate.
Method: Simply place a bar of dark chocolate in a bowl over a boiling pan of water, stirring until the chocolate is smooth. Then go ahead and dip your favourite fruit in the bowl for a deliciously healthy Easter treat.
Tip 2: Smart Easter Egg Choices
Yep, you read that right! You don’t have to miss out on enjoying a traditional Easter Egg this coming weekend – just make smarter choices!
I know what you’re thinking, that there are so many choices! Possibly too many choices…
Do you get your hands on a Lindt bunny that everyone goes crazy for? Or do you go for a classic Cadbury’s egg?
I’m going to help make the decision easier for you – go for any of the dark chocolate egg options OR pick out a smaller version of your favourite egg.
Dark chocolate is a lot richer – so you’re likely to consume less (and it contains a lot less sugar than your standard milk chocolate egg).
And smaller versions of your favourite egg will contain a lot less calories than the standard sizes you see on the shelf, making them the go-to option if dark chocolate tastes too bitter to you.
Tip 3: Chicks and Bunnies
For a simple, yet delicious snack (or breakfast) why not try the classic boiled egg and soldiers? Packed with protein and good fats, eggs are a fantastic snack and will keep you feeling fuller for longer so you don’t get tempted to plan an invasion of the Easter egg pile and over-indulge in chocolate all day.
Method: Easy to make in minutes – simply boil the eggs, knock off the top once cooked and cut your toast into bunny shapes to dip in the eggs, (if you have kids and grandchildren coming over for Easter), easy!
Tip 4: Hummus and Eggs
This one is a tasty healthy snack for all of the family to enjoy.
Even though it’s far more tempting to reach for eggs of the chocolate variety, boiled eggs can be a great tasting snack, especially when accompanied with hummus.
Hummus is also an easy healthy snack to get hold of – packed full of protein, healthy fats and essential vitamins, it makes for a filling treat.
Method: Bring a pan of water to the boil and boil your eggs just how you like them. Slice them in half, scoop out the egg yolk with a spoon and replace with a spoonful of hummus.
So, now you have few recipes and ideas to get you started to make this Easter your healthiest yet! Indulge a little and enjoy yourself by making a few simple substitutes rather than constantly reaching for the chocolate. Have a fantastic Easter. Enjoy and most importantly of all, relax.
You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.
Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.
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