Have a Happy Healthy Holiday with Refrigerator Oatmeal {and a Giveaway!}

The holidays are in full swing. As we dash and prance from one holiday party to the next, we are surrounded by decadent delectables calling us, daunting us, alluring us until we succumb to the temptations and say to ourselves, “Oh! I gotta try that!”

Years ago, I taught a series of weight management classes where we covered strategies for handling the holidays without overeating. One tip was to not under-eat the day of the party because inevitably we arrive at the party starving and snarf everything in site! Instead it’s best to eat healthy meals throughout the day knowing full well that our healthy-for-me meter will go out the door the second we eye the buffet table.

This Refrigerator Oatmeal can be made a day ahead and is the perfect pre-party breakfast. It is made with all good-for-you ingredients: Greek yogurt, oats, honey, fruit, milk, and chia seeds, those poppy seed look-alikes that have gained popularity. These cool little seeds are a good source of plant protein and omega-3 fatty acids, the good kind of fat known to reduce internal inflammation and boost heart health. Chia seeds are also super high in fiber: 1 tablespoon contains 6 grams! With the high fiber of the chia seeds, oats and fruit, and the probiotics in the Greek yogurt, your GI tract will be smooth sailing through the holidays right into the New Year!

A Happy Healthy Holiday Giveaway!!

As an incentive to get your holidays and New Year off to a great start, I am excited to announce another product giveaway!! One lucky winner will receive a full case of Chobani yogurts in the new 16-ounce size.  You have up to 10 chances to win- enter as many options as you would like. If you are already an Eating Local in the Lou follower on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and/or Google Friend Connect, you automatically get an entry by clicking on the Rafflecopter for that option! This giveaway is open to U.S. citizens and closes at 11:59 pm CST on Christmas eve (Dec. 24).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chunky Monkey Refrigerator Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rolled oats (Shirk's Country Market, Centertown, MO)
• 1/3 cup Chobani Vanilla Chocolate Chunk Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 Tbsp. honey (Bekemeier's, Neosho, MO)
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 1/2 sliced banana

Directions

1. In a jar with a lid, add all of the ingredients.
2. Screw on lid, shake well and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Enjoy chilled.

Of course any flavor yogurt can be used with any fruit to make your own flavor combination. We also enjoyed peach yogurt with chopped peaches and blueberry yogurt with frozen blueberries...but this "Chunky Monkey" combo is our family fav.

until next time...