Leaner Creamer

So, it’s that time of the year. Peppermint Mocha Leaner Creamer is in the coffee, dreidels are spinning, and stockings are hanging. The festivities that are starting to feel like they exist just to remind you that this giant rock we live on has spun around the sun another rotation have come! We’ve already talked enough about the meals and the gifts that have become staples of the holidays, so we thought we’d change it up and talk a little about different activities you can do for fun with your family and loved ones.

• Help the kids play with their new toys

There was a time when you were younger when you played with your toys for the last time and there was a holiday season where you stopped receiving toys and “fun” things. Maybe you miss it, maybe you don’t. Either way, there is something to be said for getting on your knees and giving your creative side license to play with the kids in your life. Even if it seems like a hokey activity to you, you may never know how much it means to your nieces, nephews, or kids that you took the time to do something they liked and had fun with at that age.

• Do an ugly sweater competition

This can be good wholesome fun. It’s pretty self-explanatory. Some house rules that might make things more fun; let people reuse old sweaters so that they don’t have to stress about buying new ones every year, and usually rig the game a little so that one of the kids wins. It’s more fun that way.

• Play a fun card game with the kids

There are a wide variety of card games that are a blast to play. Whether it involves traditional playing cards or specialized cards, there are plenty of games that can be aimed at the young adults in the group and still be fun for the real grownups. Any game where the teenagers and the jaded thirty year olds can play on the same field is an essential bonding activity for any holiday season.

• Play a fun card game (you know the one) with the adults

So, we covered the family friendly card game activity. Now when it’s getting late, the kids have gone to bed, the cocktails are flowing, and the grownups are still awake might be the time for that other card game to come out. You know the one I’m talking about… or you know one that’s similar enough to the one I’m talking about that it’s basically the same raucous time. Your immature brother probably brought his set. Look, the bottom line is, you probably don’t get to see the other adult loved ones in your life as much these days and cutting loose with a card game that uses naughty words can be just the fun you’re looking for this holiday season.

• Watch a holiday movie

This is another one that is pretty self-explanatory. You want to have a good wholesome time that anybody can enjoy and you’ll also have young kids who were born long after the first Jurassic Park came out (shocking I know… also a fun movie any time of year). Sometimes the best activity over the holiday season is a chill night of introducing the kids to your favorite holiday movie.

• Test out new cocktails

With this point, please remember to be safe, enjoy alcohol moderately, and not to drive if you wind up having too much. That being said, you could very well be hanging around with your adult siblings on some of the only occasions you’ll see them all year. Chances are you’ll also be off from work, won’t have anywhere to go, and won’t be driving. Why not just kick back and see what traditional holiday beverages are great spiked? We even did a whole blog entry on Leaner Creamer flavors that go well in cocktails; this may be the best time you’ll ever have to test them out!

So. It’s that time of year. The season of Christmas and Hannukah. You’re trying to get meaningful gifts for your family and friends while also trying to maintain a reasonable budget. With that in mind, lets kick back with a Peppermint Mocha Leaner Creamer infused coffee, and talk about ways to not overstress buying presents for your loved ones.

• Remember that meaningful does not always mean expensive So often during the holidays we stress because we want to splurge on bigger gifts for the people we care about, but a lot of time the more meaningful things we can get don’t have the bigger price tags. Often getting a family member a book you think they’ll enjoy or a simple keepsake to remember each other by can be much more impactful than 50 inch TV or a boat.

• Being creative can go a long way Meaningful doesn’t have to be expensive and creativity goes a long way. If you want to make a present rather than buy one in a store it can be very charming. Are you creatively inclined? Do you paint? Can you write poetry? Can you crochet? A gift that you make using your own specific talents will always feel more unique than anything you could buy and the fact that you took the time and energy to craft something special for a loved one can be very touching. It can also be pretty cheap, which brings us to our next point…

• Keep your budget in mind Don’t feel pressured to get gifts for the people you love. Especially if you’re on a tight budget. If it doesn’t make sense to your bank balance to buy gifts in a certain price range, don’t. At the end of the day, the gifts are just gifts, and your loved ones would probably rather you pay your rent without stressing rather than receive some materialistic gift to honor a somewhat superficial tradition.

• Not to plug… but Leaner Creamer is affordable Okay… we know it’s a bit on the nose to remind you of this, but we have pretty delicious flavors, many of which are holiday themed. If your loved one loves coffee (or tea) this can be a great gift. At the very least, it’s cheaper than a Rolex.

So, it’s that time of year again. For many of us the holiday season means time with family, but also it means meals with lots of turkey and pie… and possibly alcohol. Spending time with loved ones and making new memories to cherish is the highlight of the year for a lot of us, but unfortunately it can also be the time of year when the healthy habits we’ve been so good at maintaining get derailed. Oftentimes Thanksgiving followed closely by the various Winter Solstice holidays can be just the right combination to get us back into bad habits and set back our health goals. With that in mind, here are some tips that can help you stay on track with maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

• If possible, don’t completely throw away your routine

So often the challenge of the holidays is that we throw away our usual schedule; sometimes this is having family visit from out of town and making time for things we usually don’t, or maybe we are the family from out of town and we find ourselves away from home and our usual structure. The holidays don’t always lend themselves to maintaining healthy routines and regular exercise, but it is still possible to do something to maintain those habits. Pack gym clothes. Try to find the time. Also, remember that just because you’re exercising for 30 minutes rather than an hour is okay as long as you keep it going. If you don’t have a gym membership where you are, go for a run or walk instead. You can also do pushups or other simple exercises. Regardless of what you do, just remember that as long as you are doing something to stay active that is always better than just completely giving up.

• Indulge, but set limits

Are you going to have a plate of the delicious turkey dinner? Absolutely! Is it a written law that you must get a second helping? No, not really (I mean unless your family are weird food authoritarians who control how much you eat… I don’t know what your life is). It is of course always going to be tempting to overindulge, but if you embrace philosophy of just having a taste or one serving of the food available it might serve you well in keeping the calorie count down.

• Still honor dietary restrictions

In some ways, this one is easier depending on what your restrictions are. For example, if you’re abstaining from alcohol, you can give that up with limited fuss and still enjoy the rest of the meal. Similarly, if you have given up lactose, it isn’t the hardest thing in the world to give up milk or avoid whipped cream on pie during the holidays. Other dietary restrictions like vegetarianism, veganism, and other variations may require some openness and willing to collaborate with family. Whether you’re the person cooking or being served, this can be talking about meat alternatives, having a special plate prepared, or even just agreeing that the person with the restrictions doesn’t have to eat certain items.

• Limit stressful family interactions

Another factor that can lead to overeating or eschewing exercise routines over the holidays is stressful family interactions. We all have different family dynamics and there’s a chance that in some ways this might not even apply to many of us, but even family members you have healthy relationships with can contribute to lapses in good behavior. Maybe it’s pressure from your parents to try the dessert, or talking to your aunt about politics makes you want to take up smoking again, or something as simple as letting your guard down around your siblings and drinking too much. Regardless, part of being an adult is that sometimes you have to set boundaries and if possible it can be best to limit such interactions if possible.

Happy Holidays from Leaner Creamer! We hope you all stay healthy and safe!

This can be a time of year that people can find very stressful. There are lots of reasons for this that we’ve talked about on this blog in past entries; stress over diet, family drama, budget issues, all sorts of things. Another thing that might be stressful or a cause for despair that we as a culture sometimes don’t acknowledge. And often it’s the little things. Maybe you only used to celebrate Christmas with your immediate family, but now you and your siblings get all the collective kids together to open presents. It’s not a bad thing necessarily, but you can’t be blamed for feeling a sense of strangeness because Christmas means something slightly different to your kids than it did to you. Of course, those feelings can have much less benign causes and can sometimes feel much more dire. Maybe you aren’t financially as comfortable as your parents were and you can’t buy your own children as many presents as you received growing up (and with America’s shrinking middle class, this might well be the case for a lot of us). Or maybe the holidays are a melancholic time now because you’ve lost a loved one who you used to enjoy it with. It could be lots of things…

There is no telling how the holidays have changed since the time we were children. As adults, there are bound to be a million ways to feel about all this. But even if the traditions themselves didn’t change, we would and the way we see the world around us would be fundamentally different than it used to be. Sorry if this seems weirdly sentimental. Let’s make a cup of coffee and throw in a little of the Leaner Creamer Frosted Gingerbread flavor… aaahhhh… that nectar of the gods that is tasty coffee which keeps our juices flowing… ANYWAY!

The point that I think we’re trying to arrive at, is that change is both inevitable and unavoidable. It’s okay to wax nostalgic to a certain extent and feel the longing for times past, but also never lose sight of the moment. Instead of fretting about the way the holidays “should” be, maybe try and tune into the moment and just enjoy how they are, because loving the past should never come at the expense of living in the moment. Who knows, if you really pay attention, you may even find that the holidays are even better now than they were before.

Happy Holidays! Enjoy the Frosted Gingerbread flavor!

Begin your day with a delightful and health-conscious choice: the Healthy Vanilla Turmeric Latte, perfect for those seeking a delicious, non-dairy, and sugar-free option. This latte is infused with the healing power of turmeric and aromatic spices, offering more than just a treat for the palate. The key to its creamy, indulgent texture is the Vanilla Leaner Creamer, a unique, non-dairy creamer made from coconut oil and enriched with natural herbal supplements. These ingredients work together to enhance metabolism, boost energy levels, and curb cravings, all without the use of dairy or added sugars. This recipe combines the comforting warmth of a traditional latte with the benefits of spices, providing a beverage that's satisfying and in line with your health and dietary preferences. Whether you're a fitness enthusiast, someone mindful of their dietary choices, or just a lover of innovative, healthful flavors, this Vanilla Turmeric Latte is an ideal way to energize and nourish yourself at the start of the day.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tablespoons of Vanilla Leaner Creamer
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder (or fresh grated ginger)
• Pinch of black pepper (helps with turmeric absorption)

• Start by adding 2-3 tablespoons of the powder creamer into a cup. Gradually stir in freshly boiled water until the creamer is fully dissolved and the mixture reaches your desired level of creaminess.
• Add the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of black pepper to the creamy mixture. Whisk or stir to combine the spices.
• Pour the mixture into a mug.
• Stir well before enjoying.

Leaner Creamer not only provides a velvety creamy texture but is also coconut oil-based, enriched with natural herbal supplements that curb cravings, enhance energy levels, and boost metabolism. Adjust the sweetness and spice levels to suit your taste.

Okay, before we get into this blog, we should start with the disclaimer that healthy living and tangible weight loss goals usually don’t go with regular or excessive alcohol use. That being said, at times it’s alright to indulge a little (special occasions, holidays, cheat days, etc.) and when you do you may find some interesting, if unconventional, uses for our Leaner Creamer flavors. Also, as a rule of thumb, you can turn Leaner Creamer into a liquid; it is 2 parts hot water and 1 part creamer, stir well! Remember that since you’ll need the liquid version of the flavors for these delicious concoctions. With all that in mind, let’s talk about how to use the Leaner Creamer selection in your adult beverages!

• White Russian

Our take on the recipe: vodka, coffee liqueur, and French Vanilla Leaner Creamer.

• Mudslide

Our take on the recipe: vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream, and Creamy Caramel Leaner Creamer.

• Irish Coffee

Our take on the recipe: coffee, brown sugar, Irish whiskey, and Cinnamon Rolls Leaner Creamer.

• Espresso Martini

Our take on the recipe: coffee (espresso), coffee liqueur, vodka, Hazelnut Leaner Creamer, and coffee beans.

• Grasshopper

Our take on the recipe: green crème de menthe, white crème de cacao, Peppermint Mocha Leaner Creamer.

There you have it! Ways to liven up your next cocktail party!

This year we’ve been talking a lot about navigating the holidays in more traditional or conventional settings. Given that the world continues to change considerably and the 1950s vision of a nuclear family applies less and less, we thought we’d also try and make a blog addressing other groups. A reality for many millennials and younger generations is that being working professionals in this current cultural climate means they are cut off from family during the holidays, sometimes in another major city than where they grew up. We’re talking about the people who are away from family and have orphan Thanksgivings… or Friendsgiving as the kids call it. So! Grab a grocery store pumpkin pie and some affordable Prosecco, ‘cause we’re a bunch of wayward professionals and bohemian types banding together for one of the most fun Thanksgivings imaginable!

• Bring SOMETHING

Let’s assume you’re not hosting the festivities. Bring something. Check with the host and see what they don’t have covered and bring it. Part of the charm of Friendsgiving is that people who are not bound by blood can band together to recreate a warm meal. This means everyone does a little that adds up to a lot. And remember, the host is not your mom or your grandma, they are your friend who has no obligation to like you if you act like an ungrateful freeloader. Even if it’s a close friend. Even if this person considers you found family. Even if they told you they had all the food covered, bring something. Don’t need any more food dishes? Bring alcohol! Nobody else drinks (that seems unlikely, but let’s say there are no drinkers in this motley crew)? Bring cookies or giftbags of candy or something! Even if it’s unnecessary, bring something for your own peace of mind. Also, there is totally a list of Leaner Creamer cocktail recipes in another blog entry… just sayin’!

• Plan an activity

This goes a long way to recreating a family/holiday atmosphere. It can be a traditional board game, or charades, or something on Jackbox. It can also be one of those vulgar adult card games that are actually kind of designed for this crowd. You could also watch a movie. Or you could just chill out and talk and enjoy everyone’s company. Totally fine. You can always bring an activity and not use.

• If you drink, don’t drive

This one seems obvious, but it also bears repeating this time of year. If you drink, don’t drive. There are also lots of options and ways to plan this out so that you don’t. You can have a designated driver. You can arrange it with the host to sleep on their floor or couch. The rise of rideshare apps have also given you a plethora of backup options. There are lots of ways to avoid doing it and at the end of the day, regardless of the cost of an Uber, it’s worth it compared to the risk of getting behind the wheel when you shouldn’t.

• Remember to stay on track… maybe

We at Leaner Creamer are very big on the whole healthy living thing. This is yet another holiday occasion in which you will be tempted to overindulge. That’s not always a great call if you’re trying to maintain health goals, but in some ways this isn’t the worst time to eat or drink a little too much. Often when we get into ruts of overindulgence over the holidays it is because we are in places we don’t live where we are not tied into our usual routines. If you’re doing a Friendsgiving and going to work on Monday as usual, it might not take much to get you back into your “business as usual” routine where you maintain yourself and your fitness goals. This, as usual, is subjective and will depend on your own personal limits, but it’s certainly worth keeping in mind.

• Hold space and be kind

So, we’re taking the stance that Friendsgiving is a great time and this is how to make it better. That can be true a lot of the time, but this can also be a rough time of the year for many. Maybe the host is stressed out from planning a big meal. Maybe one of your friends is feeling homesick since they usually spend this time of year with family. Maybe somebody’s relationship with their parents is so fraught they can’t go home for the holidays and this time of year always reopens that wound for them. There are all sorts of reasons your friends who you are spending Friendsgiving with might not be having the best of times; try to respect that and offer them support if you can. So, often a kind gesture like that, however small, can be the thing that changes a person in someone’s eyes from friend to family.

Looking at the news this holiday season, it’s very easy to feel like we are in a world getting steadily worse. And for some of us, even just looking inward at our own struggles and not at the world at large, can sap our optimism and drain our hope. With Thanksgiving coming up, we wanted to try and instill the feeling that the coffee mug is half full (of coffee) rather than half empty and that there are reasons that make moving forward with our lives worth it.

*We should also acknowledge that false positivity is totally a thing and we are not trying to invalidate negative feelings and experiences; our goal is to give space to feel those emotions while hopefully giving things an optimistic reframe. Also, we know Thanksgiving can be a stressful holiday and that its origins are problematic, and we are trying to channel the better parts of the holiday in this blog, but if Thanksgiving isn’t your thing, we totally get it.

• Don’t run from bad feelings

As we alluded to before, sometimes things suck. That’s okay. We’ve all had that friend who tried (however well-intentioned) to get us to see the bright side of things. When things go bad, the last thing we need to hear about is how people on the Moon have it much worse because they live on a tiny planetoid with bad gravity and no air… what does that have to do with my dog dying? Give yourself (and maybe your friends) space to feel the bad things in life, because those experiences are valid ones too.

• Make plans for a better future

You probably don’t need us to tell you this, but thinking of ways to improve your situation is probably a good idea. It can also be a great act of kindness to yourself to think of ways to pull yourself out of a rut. The first step to getting things that make life rich and worth living is to want those things in the first place; if you don’t have the life you want, dare to dream of the one that you do.

• Make a list of reasons to be grateful

With all this in mind, remember that there are probably some good things in your life. Or even if you’re going through a rough time, maybe you still feel grateful for past times that were better. Whatever it may be, remember the things in life that put a smile on your face and make you glad to feel alive… even if it’s just hazelnut creamer…

• Remember you are worthy

If you ever find yourself feeling that you deserve to be miserable and that the good things in life are not meant for you, stop it. You are absolutely entitled to your fair share of happiness. Whatever the story you tell yourself about who you are, remember that you can always change and be better than you were before. Changing the way you look at your own narrative is honestly another blog entry by itself, and it’s not easy, but if you try hard there is always room to change, and if we are not open to the good things in our minds first, we will never be able to receive them in our lives.

This holiday season… remember to take care of yourself and that even in the setbacks we face there can be hidden opportunities to improve things and that we have the power to move forward in our lives. It may not be always be much, but at least it’s something to be thankful for.

It’s the holidays! Yay! We’re right in the thick of it! Kids are still eating their hoarded spooky candy and adults are fretting over what to get their partners for Hannukah and Christmas. While this is a nostalgic treasured time for many of us, it can also come with the old seasonal stressors. With all that in mind, here are the best Leaner Creamer flavors to unwind with while getting into the holiday spirit.

• Pumpkin Spice—Okay, so technically we’re past the holiday that this flavor goes with, but if the stores can start playing Christmas music November 1^st, we can keep drinking Pumpkin Spice into December. This flavor always adds the taste of Fall to any drink it’s added to, and if you want a little Autumn in your cup well into the winter, it’s a must!
• Hazelnut—This one actually goes well with lots of different holidays, so it’s worth having it around from October to December. This almost chocolate tasting flavor adds a sweet touch to any cup of coffee and can easily evoke a candy bar around Halloween or a cup of cocoa for when you need to warm up when it’s snowing. Definitely a must try.
• Frosted Gingerbread—The smell of this flavor can’t help but conjure childhood memories of the December holidays for many of us. If you want a taste of nostalgia to your coffee that’s a bit on the sweeter side, go ahead and add Frosted Gingerbread. You’ll feel just like a kid making a cookie house.
• Peppermint Mocha—Nothing says cozy spot by the fireplace like this flavor (which can be especially useful if you live in a place like Los Angeles where it doesn’t snow and you want to pretend it does). This flavor almost certainly packs a similar punch of nostalgia to the Frosted Gingerbread flavor, but it trades sweetness for a nice minty twist.

So, it’s that time of the year. It’s only the first week of November and the coffee shops have already switched from Halloween themed music to Christmas songs… like… why can they never just wait until after Thanksgiving? Seriously…

Anyway, with the colder weather and changing of the season come the holidays, which means quality time spent with family. While this can be a happy time for many of us, oftentimes seeing family can activate old wounds and things can get under our skin in ways other loved ones don’t have the power to do. With that in mind, here are some ideas on how to manage stress with loved ones and family over the holiday season.

Also, it should go without saying that we all have different family dynamics and this list is subjective and should be used at your own discretion depending on how applicable it is to your situation.

• Prepare yourself mentally

Depending on how stressful your family gatherings are, you may need to take a deep breath before the plunge. Maybe it’s having a day off by yourself with some blueberry donut flavored Leaner Creamer and coffee so that you can limit your stress level before festivities begin. Maybe it means meditating or using a mantra before you see family members you have more contentious relationships with. Regardless of what it is, find the thing that puts you in the best headspace for dealing with a rocky couple of days.

• Don’t get too tired, too hungry, or too lonely

This is a simple psychological trick that can do wonders for not slipping into bad habits and protecting yourself from adverse experiences. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, that you aren’t skipping meals, and that you have access to your social supports who nourish you emotionally if you anticipate having a rough time at your holiday family gatherings.

• Choose your battles

Many of us have relatives we disagree with, and often those disagreements can be so well trod and overdone that they almost feel dull and rehearsed. Sometimes you have to ask yourself if getting into an argument with your aunt with different political views is really worth it if nobody’s mind is going to change and you’re both just going to walk away angry. It is said that discretion is the better part of valor and sometimes the best way to keep the peace might be to just bite your tongue.

• Make peace with things if you can

Once again this is very subjective. We all have different relationships with our families and none of us have had perfect upbringings. Maybe this applies and maybe this doesn’t. But at the end of the day, we are all just people, imperfect and flawed, who don’t have all the answers and who invariably stumble and make mistakes. Oftentimes forgiveness can be a selfish act, because it can release us from the angry feelings we harbor that drag us down. If this resonates with you and offers any kind of perspective in dealing with dysfunctional family members, maybe that can give you a bit of solace as you make it through the holidays this year.

Happy holidays!