Ah, festive season. A time filled with love, togetherness and regret for having that extra piece of kaju katri. There’s a way to avoid it, you know. Not the love and togetherness bit - we definitely recommend that. The regret, on the other hand, can easily be done away by just substituting rich, sugar-laden traditional sweets with tasty, healthy treats.

We’ve compiled a list of seriously delicious nibbles for those with a fondness for the saccharine (basically everyone during festivals, even the stoic aunt who hates any type of ‘sweet dish’). Made mostly out of fresh, organic ingredients and natural sugars, these replace guilt with gourmet.

1) Date and Nut Truffles from the Green House Kitchen

Available in cocoa, coconut, espresso and cinnamon variants, these make for extremely satisfying bite-sized morsels. Also try their nut clusters. To get a curated trial pack from the Green House Kitchen, go here.

2) Crunch Rocks from Get Baked

Made with oats, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, honey, organic brown sugar and with zero preservatives or added flavours, the Crunch rocks are a pleasant, nutty mouthful. For a trial pack from Get Baked, visit their Fitternity.com page here.

3) Fig ‘N’ Almonds Bar by Sin-A-Min

Anjeer barfi can take a backseat - Sin-A-Min’s Fig ‘N’ Almonds Bar packs enough energy to satisfy a sugar craving without putting you to sleep. Also try their Vegan Nut Brownies, Power Discs in combinations like Oatmeal + Amaranth and Ragi + Almond, and Divine Dates - Dates with almonds and pistachios lightly dipped in chocolate. For a trial pack of goodies from Sin-A-Min, go to their Fitternity page here.

4) Happy Ladoos by Gouri’s Health & Soul

Ditch the motichoor ladoos for this healthy take on a traditional favourite - available in fun variations like orange and black pepper, for those who like a kick. In their mouth. You know what we mean. Along with these, Gouri Gupta also specialises in homemade energy bars, delicious tea cakes and wholesome cookies. To order a trial pack, go here.

5) Kulfi Cupcake by Whey It Up

Whey It Up’s unique range of healthy yet delectable treats comprising cheesecakes, brownies and cookies is droolworthy, but it’s their Kulfi cupcakes that are the stars of the festive season. Packed with protein and natural sugars, all of Whey It Up’s baked goodies perfectly compliment an active life. For a Whey It Up trial pack, go here.

6) Peanut Bites by The Protein Bake Shop

Devoid of refined sugar or processed flour, the goodies from The Protein Bake Shop tend to hit the sweet spot where taste + health is concerned. Pick from the moreish Peanut Bites or the Paleo range - Paleo Chocolate Cake, Paleo Rawnola and even a savoury Paleo Pizza. To order a curated Trial Pack, go here.

7) Baked Bhakarwadi from Snackible

This is delving into savoury territory, but the sweet and spicy combination of Bhakarwadi is hard for many to resist. We got your back (not to mention cholesterol levels). The Baked Bhakarwadi skimps on the saturated fats without skimping on taste, making it an excellent Diwali snack. To get a Snackible trial pack - they have snacks ranging from Roasted Soyabean Mix, Hot Wasabi Peanuts, Himalayan Black Salt Apple Chips and Kale Chips with Bajra Puffs - go here.

There’s so many healthy options for great tasting food that even we’re overwhelmed. More coming up in the next part of our Healthy Diwali series. Compliments of the season!