Snacks

As much fun as the holidays are, from decorating and baking to shopping for gifts and enjoying the company of friends and family, they can also bring added stress and added pounds. And I don’t know about you, but I already have a long list of things to do during the hustle and bustle of the season, so throwing in the necessary task of packing clothes, other necessities, and food for a holiday trip to see the fam doesn’t exactly excite me. 

Tomorrow, the latest film to take place in the magical wizarding world (of Harry freaking Potter!) hits the big screen. And even though I have literally no clue whatsoever what Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is supposed to be about—because the plotline is somehow derived from a textbook referenced within the Harry Potter series’ plotline—I am incredibly excited about it. Why?

It's the age old dilemma, you're hankering badly for a snack, but do you want salty or sweet? We've got you covered for both options!

Sweet:

Chocolate never fails to satisfy. Throw in some nuts and dried fruit, and you can almost pretend you're eating healthy trail mix!

Similar in flavor to a fruit tart due to the shortbread crust, these fruit bars are an easy treat to make-ahead and devour later.

Lore surrounds the origins of pretzels, but many sources suggest that they were invented by European monks around 600 A.D. as treats to reward children for saying their prayers. Their shape was meant to represent arms crossed in prayer.

More rumors surround the origin of hard pretzels. The story goes that a baker fell asleep baking soft pretzels, they accidentally over browned, and when he tried them a new snack was born!