Can You Go a Sugarless or Less Sugar Easter?
Doesn’t Summer just fly by? You gear up for Christmas and then I find myself spending days thereafter feasting on leftover cold meat (and cold beers). Through a blur of carbs, sun and sleep ins, I somehow manage to make some promises to myself in the form of a New Year’s resolution. In the short time it takes me to realise I had made a terrible mistake, I’ve somehow fallen into a time vortex and boom, it’s Easter!
Well, that’s what it feels like, and I’m sure I’m not alone.
After the season of long days and easy indulgences, you can find yourself at this time of year taking stock of your choices and doing your best to tighten the reigns before winter kicks in and the days get shorter, cooler and less amenable to activity (well, at least for those of us in the more southern states).
Now, Easter, generally, is a time to talk and think about chocolate. It’s everywhere. Somehow when it’s thinner, rounder, encased in shiny foil wrappers (and terrible value for money), it just seems to taste better. Is it related to some sort of childhood nostalgia-related release of dopamine? Take me back to childhood Easter egg hunts please! Or maybe it’s the thrill of smashing a goofy-toothed chocolate bunny and eating it.
I’ll never know. But Easter chocolates have been on sale since basically Boxing Day, taunting us, and we can usually show some restraint because we’re good kids and it’s not Easter… yet.
So what should we do now that Easter is here and the gifts start exchanging and you find yourself facing a load of chocolatey treats?
Don’t Deny Yourself
You can still eat chocolate. If it’s something you enjoy, you should not place such stringent rules around it at this time. Perhaps you can just eat less of it, and splash the cash on some of the fancy artisanal stuff instead. So ditch the supermarket chains and head over to your local chocolatier. Quality chocolate, with ethically sourced ingredients made by hard-working small business owners. For extra health points, reach for the 85% dark. It pairs better with red wine anyway.
Work It Off
This probably isn’t the best health advice, and weight management isn’t necessarily everyone’s focus when it comes to health, but generally calories in/calories out makes basic sense. Obviously, won’t be able to fuel a 10k run or a 60min strength training session on Humpty Dumpty eggs, but you may want to get that out of your body before your pancreas starts turning it into love handles. Drinking more water will also help.
Sweet Substitute
We’re spoiled for choice with some excellent dairy / sugar / gluten free chocolate options and they are pretty delicious, too. But do we have to eat chocolate at all? Autumn is one of the best seasons for fruit and vegetables in Australia and it’s just so perfect weather-wise this time of year to create some of our favourite cooler month desserts, like fruit pies and slices (with a sugar-free twist).
One Final Pro Tip
Take it from me; stay away from the chocolate / caramel / rocky road / ice cream ‘mock’ cross buns. Those adulterated creations hurt me directly in my childhood. Keep the sugar wrapped in foil, please, and go for the original hot cross buns instead. For an extra nostalgia-related kick, give them a light toast with a nice slather of butter. The fruity, spicy, buttery scent that wafts from a good bun is one of life’s simplest pleasures.
However you feast or spend your Easter break we hope you have an enjoyable time!
Ben Giltrap
Marketing Manager
