This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond.
Oh, happy hour. It's no doubt one of my favorite times of day. But, if you rewind to my post-college days, too much merriment and overindulging at happy hour caused me to gain 20+ pounds. Enjoying cheesy nachos and way too much beer after work, more than a little too often, forced me to buy a whole new wardrobe. True story!
Nowadays, happy hour is a lot more tame and a whole lot healthier for me. Instead of waking up the next day feeling miserable and disappointed in myself, I wake up feeling ready to carpe diem. If you want your next happy hour get-together to be a healthier one, check out these 4 tips below!
Serve some healthy snacks
Once I have a couple of drinks in me, I become a serious snack monster, especially when it comes to salty fare. You too? Instead of reaching for high-calorie foods, like nachos and pizza, serve up some healthy (and salty!) snacks. Some of my favorites: Blue Diamond Almonds in a variety of flavors (their Bold product line is the bomb), popcorn, edamame with sea salt, and Nut-Thins with hummus, salsa, or guacamole.
Downsize your dishes
When it comes to snacking at happy hour, it's all about portion size for me. I know once I get going, it's sometimes hard to stop. Instead of mindlessly munching away, I serve my snacks with portion-friendly dishes, like ramekins and small plates, for instant portion control. Using a plate to serve myself is also a great visual aid to how much I am eating. Especially at social events like happy hour, it's easy for me to lose track of small bites here and there, so my plate system really seems to work. Plus, I can always go back for more food if I am still hungry.
Make ”˜em mini
I love serving crowd-favorite appetizers at happy hour, like pizza, burgers, and mozzarella sticks, but, of course, these high-calorie snacks are not always friendly on the waistline. Instead of denying myself or my guests of these delicious eats, I make them mini by serving smaller portions of them. For example, instead of burgers, I'll serve sliders and instead of huge slices of pizza, I'll cut them into 2-inch squares or make mini pizzas. That way, we can enjoy a little bit of everything and not overdo it.
Keep mixers light
I used to sip cocktails full of fruit juices or premade mixes during happy hour, so if I drank 2-3 drinks in one night, I was adding nearly 900 calories to my daily diet””and, boy, did those calories add up! Nowadays, I typically keep juice light by adding “just a splash” and look for ways to incorporate fresh herbs and other healthy ingredients into my cocktails. I also love to combine flavored vodka with soda water and a small splash of fruit juice, which gives my drink lots of flavor without too many extra calories.
Question of the Day
What are your tips and tricks for having a healthier happy hour?
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38 Comments
Lots of water. Before, during, and after.
Sticking to one glass of wine and sharing an app has always helped me keep my happy hour under control, but makes me feel as though I am still enjoying myself. Also, I love that picture of you – stunning!!
Love these tips! I used to drink only water or diet soda at happy hour and never eat. It wasn’t much fun (although it was very cheap). Finding ways to enjoy without over-indulging makes the experience that much better!
healthier apps for sure – there are so many to choose from and blue diamond has the BEST flavored almonds!! i LOVE their honey roasted vanilla – i posted an overnight oats recipe with them just today!! #greatmindsthinkalike 🙂
If in out or at a happy hour, I will order a side salad to help tame my hunger and even stash a few pre portioned or single serving snacks in my purse like a granola bar or almonds. It’s pretty common to find an apple in my purse too.
Definitely sticking to one drink, and of course healthier snacks involving nuts, veggies, meats, over starchy fried stuff!
Do you ever read “Northwest Edible Life?” It’s a bit of a garden/homesteading blog, but occasionally, she’ll have recipes for mixed drinks using things from her garden. They always sound amazing, but I tend to buy movies instead of alcohol. 😉
Here’s an example of a drink she put together.
http://www.nwedible.com/2014/01/fennel-bailey-cocktail.html
I love serving fruit and cheese, hold the crackers! I also will go for a drink with seltzer and a splash of soda, gin and diet tonic is great for summer too!
Aside from healthier appetizers, I’m all about a healthier cocktail too! 😉 Lately I’ve been loving vodka w/ club soda & lemon. So delicious!
Use veggies as a substitute for crackers, so you can still enjoy all of the dips. Mini plates are helpful, as well as offering sparkling water to drink in addition to alcoholic beverages. Happy hour doesn’t have to be unhealthy, that’s for sure. 🙂
I think the timing helps a lot! If I had lunch at 12PM, I know I’m going to be super hungry for a 5PM happy hour. Having a healthy snack around 3PM helps me to have a healthier happy hour.
I love the downsizing dishes tip! I try and play up the fruits and veggies to keep things healthier!
When I host my friends for drinks there’s usually only…drinks. haha! I should probably get some food in there for them, huh? 😛 These are great ideas!
easy, quick, and cheap: add water. drink a glass of water before & between drinks! 🙂
Great tips, Tina! I think a lot of people don’t realize how much those fruit juices in cocktails can hurt your diet.
Yeah…I’ve definitely so been there with the one drink leads to four and then you’re chowing down on a block of cheese thang. I agree with others who’ve said to eat something a few hours earlier – that definitely does help, although I usually eat some of the food anyway!
Perfect timing for this post as I overdid the happy hour last night…and am regretting it today. Thanks!
Water is definitely always a good idea! My friends and I aren’t classy enough for real happy hours with snacks and stuff… perhaps we should start including snacks! HA!
I love almonds–and some of those flavors sound ahhhhmazing!
I love simple drinks with liquor +seltzer and a lemon//lime for a low calorie cocktail hour!
I hydrate well during the day and set a 2 drink max for myself. My go to drinks are grey goose and soda with a TON of limes (like 6 🙂 or a grey goose and soda with a splash of pineapple juice, and I always have a glass of water between drinks to stay hydrated and full. I try to stick with appies that aren’t fried and substitute chips/crackers with veggies because once I start drinking, I CANNOT stop eating 🙂
I love all things mini-the mini apps are cute and you get to indulge without going crazy! I usually try to order a healthier appetizer to share or just have a couple of drinks at happy hour before heading home to make a healthy dinner.
The same thing happened to me post college! My best tip is just to cut the drinks off after 1-2 glasses… I know, i know, its probably the least fun tip out there, but it works for me 🙂
Can you please ask blue diamond to start stocking their flavoured almonds in the UK!!? Really feel like I am missing out! 🙂
You’re my favorite blogger! Thanks for keeping it real.
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good advice, thank you for sharing!
My tip is that it’s called Happy HOUR… not Happy 7 Hours. It helps me enormously to distinguish between a social evening and getting $hitfaced. That sort of event has a different name 😉
I love nuts but when I eat them, I eat like a pound of them!
xoxo
The Accidental Mama
so totally not relevant to the happy hour… but it is to the blue diamond sponsoring… Have you tried the cherry pie almonds?? A-MaZ-InG!!!! I have only seen them at Walgreens so far and it is probably better for me, I love them! Perfect for my insane sweet tooth!!
So Beware… Once you try em, there is no going back!!
I haven’t, but I want to! Those sound awesome!!
I try and separate my eating/drinking at happy hours. So if I have a drink in hand, I’m not snacking. If I have water/no drink, then I can have a snack…tends to help me keep balanced and slow down both drinking and eating over the night.
Having around healthy apps! Especially veggies, but with homemade paleo-style dipping sauces. Also, using fresh juice from a juicer for drinks. It actually makes it kind of a fun party activity too! Having the juicer out with lots of lemons, limes, and other fruits to add to drinks! Yum! 🙂
I don’t know about this whole “sticking with one drink” thing you people speak of, but maybe I’ll give it a try next time. Lol.
However, I definitely agree with mixing flavored vodkas with soda water for fewer calories. I also snack on meats, cheeses and nuts. Those seem to make me feel fuller, faster and for me, feeling full = sleepy and that sends me right home!
thanks for posting this! i hate when all the snacks make you feel gross. better to have some healthy and delicious options 🙂
I always get water and try to share the apps.
Also because of you I bought those amazing almonds. The bold ones are so addicting! So thank you…I think, LOL!
Water water and more water. But then you have to pee the entire evening.
My go-to drink lately has been vodka-water-lemon. This way it keeps the calories low. When it comes to food, I always ask to split something or order protein!