Autumn is a new season to start off healthy habits. Enjoy the seasonal produce that makes this season so tasty. Most enjoyed meals of the season preferred by health teachers: cranberry quinoa salad, chicken crockpot, spaghetti squash, and much more. They were mostly passionate about how they can be able to eat their favorite autumn meals without regrets. There is always a healthy alternative, and it could be enjoyable.

Play around with different quinoa salads instead of those extra stuffing or desserts. The desserts health teachers seem to enjoy the most during this season are: spiced carrot cake smoothies, coffee roasted pumpkin seed clusters, grilled peach cobbler, vegan pumpkin spice ice cream, maple pumpkin cornbread, baked chai donuts, and grain-free pumpkin spice cake. Why have a regular slice of fattening pumpkin spice cake when a grain-free spice cake is equally as tasty and is less harmful to the body? Put the 300-calorie fried doughnut down and, instead, enjoy a baked doughnut that has about half the amount of calories.

Stores like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts have amazing treats and foods that most likely would be considered ‘cheat meals,’ but is that quickly-grabbed-after-school blueberry muffin really worth around 500 calories? That fattening muffin has the same amount of calories as over 150 mini pretzels, or about 10 full cups of grapes with half the fats and sugars. A frappuccino bought on the way to work a couple times a week, like the medium caramel frappuccino that is consumed in less than 20 minutes has over 400 calories, meanwhile the healthiest option, water, has zero calories and is chosen the least. Healthy alternatives to sugary drinks are fruit-infused water. It is fun to have, has under 5 calories, is a great detox and is filled with great vitamins. Try not to let choosing a healthier lifestyle prevent you from enjoying the holidays, but keep in mind other, more beneficial options.