The Conversation
Ho, ho, ho! We're makin' a (grocery) list and checkin' it twice, because holiday-flavored healthy foods have already begun arriving in stores. Think: lightened-up eggnog, gingerbread oatmeal, and candy cane tea. Your diet is about to get all sorts of festive (in the most delectable way).
Gold Emblem Abound Fuji Apple & Cinnamon Freeze Dried Fruit Crisps ($1): These freeze-dried cinnamon apples have a quintessential holiday season flavor, and they're just apples and cinnamon, freeze-dried for crunchy snackability.
Clif Bar in Iced Gingerbread ($2): When you're riding a one-horse open sleigh (or maybe just a mountain bike) for hours at a time, you'll want a quick, protein-packed snack with just the right amount of carbs to keep you energized. Make it frosty and festive with this iced gingerbread flavor.
Kodiak Cakes Protein Muffin in Pumpkin & Dark Chocolate ($2): Want a healthy holiday breakfast that's baked up in just one minute? This spiced treat is ready in an instant and has satiating protein that'll keep you going for hours.
LARABAR Gingerbread ($2): This remarkably spicy and chewy bar has a very short ingredient list. Dates, cashews, almonds, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and vanilla are processed together for a sweet snack you won't feel naughty about eating.
Green Mountain Eggnog Greek Yogurt ($2): Eggnog decadence meets a high-protein, low-fat, rich breakfast or snack option. This is honestly one of the best Greek yogurts we've ever tasted ā the flavor is spot-on. Healthy eating never felt so cheerful.
Hail Merry Sweet Potato Cups ($3): If Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and sweet potato pie had a gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan, paleo baby... it would be these. They're a delightful bite of nostalgic flavors, made from all natural ingredients. One cup has 10 grams of fat and 3.5 grams of sugar ā and trust us, it'll satisfy a sweet tooth and keep you very full.
belVita Gingerbread Breakfast Cookies ($3): This fibrous morning cookie will aid your digestion and reduce bloating while making the first meal wonderfully Christmassy.
Good Karma Flaxmilk Holiday Nog ($4): Good Karma's flaxmilks are dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and lactose-free. You are now also free ā free to imbibe in some nog.
TCHO Organic Holiday Chocolate ($4): This is another one of those "better for you" treats that's made with organic and fair-trade ingredients. Our top pick is Eggnog, but the Peppermint Mocha and Rum Raisin flavors are insanely good too.
RXBAR Gingerbread ($26 for a box of 12): RXBARs are chewy and delicious all times of year, and when the winter months come around, they get even better. Gingerbread is hands down the best flavor of the lineup. You'll feel like you're eating cookie dough.
Almond Breeze Almond Nog ($4): You'd be hard-pressed to find a nog lover who wouldn't like this rich, smooth, and luscious plant-based treat. If dairy and soy simply won't do for your digestive tract, try this nutmeg-and-cinnamon-infused drink.
MadeGood Apple Cinnamon Granola Minis ($4): These healthy snacks smell like homemade apple pie, but they're better for your body, meaning they're free of common allergens including peanuts and tree nuts.
Natural Bliss Maple Almond Creamer ($4): Many holiday mornings start with a breakfast slathered in syrup; you can infuse those warm memories into your coffee cup, sans dairy, using this Natural Bliss creamer.
Smashmallow Candy Cane Snack Marshmallows ($4): Work toward eliminating processed foods during the holidays while still eating your favorite treats. Case in point: These mallows made of pronounceable ingredients. Not a mint person? Get the Sugar Cookie variety of these snacking mallows.
365 Organic Peppermint Coffee ($5): Put some pep(permint) in your step with a little caffeine and a little (natural) candy cane flavoring thanks to Whole Foods' organic morning brew. Find these in stores during the holiday season.
Halo Top Gingerbread House ($5): It's baa-aack! The memories of building a gingerbread house as a child (or perhaps last holiday season) are all blended up into this cult-favorite, high-protein ice cream at 360 calories a pint.
365 Organic Pink Peppermint Ice Cream Bars ($5): If you're going to have a chocolate-dipped candy cane ice cream bar, it might as well be organic, yeah? These are on the more indulgent side but still under 250 calories each and made from whole ingredients.
Enlightened White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha ($5): At just 90 calories a serving, this frosty holiday treat satisfies tastebuds while taking it easy on your waistline.
365 Organic Gingerbread Instant Oatmeal ($5): Warm your morning and your spirits with a spiced, wholesome breakfast. It's low in calories, high in fiber and whole grains, and 100 percent Christmassy.
Yasso Sugar Cookie Frozen Greek Yogurt ($6): We got a sneak peek of Yasso's holiday-inspired pint and let's just say, it's like funfetti meets Christmas joy (with a ton of protein and very few calories!). We highly recommend it. But if you want something pepperminty, you can't go wrong with Yasso Peppermint Crunch Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars ($5).
barkTHINS Peppermint Pretzel Dark Chocolate ($6): Do you hear what we hear? Peppermint pretzel dark chocolate? It's a Christmas miracle! This fair-trade certified snack is only 210 calories per serving, keeping you (and your diet) on the nice list. We're also fans of the seasonal Gingerbread barkTHINS too.
Navitas Organics Maca Maple Cashews ($7): Get the superfood benefits of maca (i.e., energy), the low-FODMAP sweetness of maple, and the nourishing fats of cashews, all in one nutrient-packed, holiday-flavored snack.
Califia Farms Almondmilk Holiday Nog ($7): We scour Whole Foods for this dairy-free nog each year. It blends well into iced coffee (or um, bourbon) and gives that nostalgic kick of nutmeg when served on its own, without being too heavy or fatty.
Planters Winter Spiced Mix ($7): A cinnamon-honey candy coating makes this mix of peanuts, almonds, sesame sticks, cashews, and pecans impossible to resist. There's also Planters Holiday Nut Crunch ($8) for a Santa-fied version of trail mix with cranberry and dark chocolate.
ChocZero Sugar Free Peppermint Syrup ($8): Add a dash of yuletide joy to your morning cup of joe ā without the excess sugar. This all-natural syrup can be drizzled into holiday desserts and has only four ingredients: liquid vegetable fiber, natural peppermint flavor, monkfruit extract, and natural color. Keep it simple.
Mingle Mocktails Cranberry Cosmo ($9): Mix and mingle through your evening cocktail soirees and dinner parties this season, all while cutting back on the booze. If you're sober-curious, doing a dry December, or simply eliminating liquid calories, try a sparkling mocktail that'll take any possible awkwardness out of your alcohol-free endeavors.
Urban Remedy No Egg Nog ($12): Vegans rejoice! This eggless nog is holiday spice and everything nice ā with no animal products whatsoever. This rich almond- and cashew-based blend would probably be incredible mixed in with a little espresso, don't you think?
Kusmi Tea Spicy Chocolate ($22): Kusmi's Parisian teas are to die for, and this spicy chocolate variety is aromatic heaven. Cardamom, clove, ginger, and cinnamon will have visions of sugarplums dancing... on your tongue.
Candy Cane Roons ($27 for a pack of 9): These little bites of winter sweetness let you enjoy the holidays without gluten or grains. Roons are a coconut-based cookie with Guittard dark chocolate ā and these have a pop of peppermint for December.
DavidsTea Sleigh Ride Tea Solo ($28): The spicy, fruity Sleigh Ride tea is a cup of cheer. It's coming soon to DavidsTea.com, so keep your eyes peeled and your credit card ready.
Amazing Grass Protein Superfood in Chocolate Peppermint ($30): Merry liftmas! Who's ready to pump up the protein this season? Mix this chocolate peppermint powder into a smoothie or even coffee for a peppermint-mocha vibe that's amped up in fitness-fueling macros.
Dang Coconut Keto Bar in Chocolate Sea Salt ($30/ pack of 12): Get salted hot chocolate vibes in a keto-friendly snack bar that's surprisingly filling and satisfying.
Ancient Nutrition Cinnamon Apple Protein ($40): Harness the gut-nourishing powers of bone broth in a totally new way (and with a spirited, seasonal twist!). Dr. Josh Axe's line of Ancient Nutrition protein powders packs a nutritive punch for your gut, joints, skin, and muscles.
Which healthy holiday foods are you adding to your grocery list? Tweet us @britandco!
Which healthy holiday foods are you adding to your grocery list? Tweet us @britandco!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
More From Food News
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures