The ideas and suggestions written below are provided for general educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or care. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider before beginning any physical fitness or health- and nutrition-related activity.
It’s that time of the year; blink and the holidays are here. We believe the ultimate holiday hack is staying fueled on the go, so we keep our goodies extra close for everything from sunlight-chasing winter adventures to down-to-the-minute festivities.
That’s why we’re sharing quick and easy ideas to get extra mileage out of our bars this holiday season. At Clif Bar, we make a wide range of energy food expertly designed for different moments – from epic to the everyday. So whether you’re running to a festive marathon or running to a holiday sale, we’ve got the right bar to keep you on the move.
To hack the holidays, you’ll only need your favorite Clif Bar products and a few additional holiday season items to get from start to finish in a wholesome, happy way.
Make the Season Scrumptious With These CLIF-Inspired Holiday Hacks:
GIFTING GO-TO’S TO SHOW YOU CARE
Energy Bar Wine Baubles
- What you’ll need: A giftable bottle of wine (regular or non-alcoholic), twine or ribbon, a hole puncher, and an unopened CLIF BAR® energy bar or two of your choosing.
- How-to: Punch hole in the sealed top of bar. Thread twine or ribbon through. Place around the neck of the wine bottle. Tie a bow of your fancy.
- Pro tip: Include a little note with your gift. “One for kicking into high gear. One for kicking off your shoes,” to indicate that these two gifts aren’t necessarily meant to be consumed as a pair but rather at the right time for each!
Grab-and-Go Gift Baskets
- What you’ll need: This is great for gifting multiple treats, so you can create custom mixes from several boxes of bars or you can get creative and present bars like a box of chocolates by using cupcake liners and a resealable container like a decorative tin.
- How-to: Line your basket, box, tin, or bag with craft materials like burlap, shredded crinkle-cut paper, or tissue paper. Layer in a variety of CLIF goodies of varying shapes and sizes. CLIF BAR® Minis are perfect for this project!
- Pro tip: If you’re like us, baskets, goodie bags, and little shipping boxes tend to pile up. You can reuse them to present your gifts by refreshing their appearance with a freshly tied bow or holiday ornament.
White Elephant Bars In a Box
- What you’ll need: Gift wrap or craft paper, a box of CLIF BAR energy bars, and twine.
- How-to: Style the gift wrap or craft paper over a box of bars and wait for the excitement to unfold as your gift is unwrapped. It’s sure to be a top “steal” at your White Elephant party.
- Pro tip: Perfect for gift exchanges with your running, yoga, or cycling pals.
Stocking Stuffers
- What you’ll need: CLIF BAR® Minis or CLIF BLOKS® Energy Chews for your recreational or student athlete.
- How-to: Toss in your favorite CLIF products to mix up your usual stocking stuffers if this is part of your family tradition.
- Pro tip: Get tactical with your stocking menagerie to make CLIF goodies the first and last surprise they open.
Hot Chocolate Gift Packs
- What you’ll need: LUNA Peppermint Stick® bars, decorative holiday mugs, mason jars with lids, hot chocolate mix, marshmallows, decorative twine or ribbon, small- to medium-sized gift boxes, hold puncher, crinkle-cut and/or tissue paper.
- How-to: Portion hot chocolate mix and marshmallows into mason jars and close the lids. Punch a small hole in the end of each LUNA Bar (careful not to break into the actual bar wrapping but rather staying within the wrapper ends), then tie a piece of decorative twine or ribbon around the mason jar, attaching the LUNA Bar to the lid as decoration. Place the jar in a box with decorative paper and a gift mug.
- Pro tip: Consider assembling these for coworkers, teachers, or neighbors as a useful, edible holiday treat.
AN ACTIVE WINTER SEASON
Winter-Themed Obstacle Course
- What you’ll need: Sidewalk tape or chalk, CLIF Kid Zbar® or CLIF BAR Minis, hula hoops, and decorative garlands.
- How-to: Create a family-friendly obstacle course out of the holiday items you have on hand already. Draw or tape an evergreen tree on the ground in the shape of hopscotch boxes, set up a station to hula hoop or hop through a hoop, jump over garlands (or limbo under them!), and shuttle-run or low shuffle between CLIF BARs placed in strategic positions on the ground as markers (the way you would between cones or other markers).
- Pro tip: Be careful of slippery surfaces in the winter and be sure that everyone involved in the activity has good shoes and outdoor clothes designed for being active (and staying warm, depending on where you live!).
Ice Skating Fueled by CLIF BAR
- What you’ll need: A local, seasonal outdoor or indoor ice rink, skates (feel free to rent!), energizing CLIF snacks, and a friend to hold hands with on the ice.
- How-to: Schedule in a couple hours to hit the ice! Consider going on a weeknight to avoid holiday crowds on the weekends. Bundle up with warm clothing and be sure to tuck a CLIF® BAR Mini into your jacket for a grab-and-go snack on your winter adventure.
- Pro tip: If you’re taking a group, be sure to take a box of bars in your car to fuel your group pre- or post-skating.
Zoo Lights or a Holiday Light Drive
- What you’ll need: Your local zoo schedule, if there are zoo lights in your area, or a community map of neighborhoods that feature holiday lights on their houses.
- How-to: Bundle up if you’ll be outdoors at zoo lights or are doing a holiday light walk. Wait until dark (which is easier to do in the winter months!), then savor the beautiful winter lights with friends or family. Be sure to bring a hot beverage like tea or hot cocoa and something for the kids like a CLIF Kid Zbar energy snack bar to fuel a trek around the zoo or CLIF Kid Zbar® Protein for when hunger hits during your holiday light drive.
- Pro tip: Be careful if you’re out in the dark and wear reflective clothing so that you’re visible and safe.
Make Snow Angels or Snowmen Outside
- What you’ll need: If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere that gets significant amounts of snow in the winter, you can get creative and active by making things with it!
- How-to: When there’s a measurable amount of snow, bundle up in warm clothes and don’t forget waterproof clothing, boots, and gloves. Take your favorite CLIF products, cut or break them into pieces, and use them to add eyes or a nose to your snowman or snow angel. Don’t forget to save some for yourself for a quick and easy snack break.
- Pro tip: Bring other fun foods to decorate with as well like carrots, candy canes, or mandarin oranges.
ACTIVE KID-FRIENDLY CRAFTING HACKS
Decorating Gingerbread Houses
- What you’ll need: Variety of CLIF Kid Zbar energy snack bars and toothpicks.
- How-to: Unwrap all of the CLIF Kid Zbar energy bars. Think of each bar like a graham cracker. Stand the Zbar on one end and use a toothpick to anchor two bars together. Repeat with your remaining Zbars so that you have two shorter walls for your house. Now, use the same directions to press more bars together so that you have two taller gingerbread house walls. Prep your two tall walls for your gingerbread roof by cutting away a little of your bars to create a pointed top. Be sure to pop those bits into your mouth to fuel your fun.
- Pro tip: Perfection isn’t the goal with this craft. Have fun, get outside, then fuel snack attacks with a little gingerbread house demo.
Holiday Countdown Calendars
- What you’ll need: A box or two of CLIF Kid Zbar Protein bars, clothespins, twine, construction paper, markers, and tape or glue.
- How-to: Wrap strips of construction paper and tape around the back of each bar to make a band. Mark each banded Zbar with a number or illustration that coordinates with your calendar (24 days for an advent calendar, for example). Hang twine horizontally on the wall or a sturdy surface. Use clothespins to hang each Zbar in a countdown that celebrates your holiday.
- Pro tip: We love drawing burning candles on our construction paper bands to create festive menorahs and Kwanzaa candelabras.
Fuel Your Winter Indoor Team Sports Event
- What you’ll need: Whether it’s a bowling team, indoor soccer club, or basketball team, your players will need an after-practice or game snack. You’ll need CLIF Kid Zbars as well as hydration to fuel their winter indoor sports events. Be sure to set up: reusable cups or water bottle, scissors, ribbon and tissue paper, tape, and large pieces of white paper, and maybe a decorative tag to celebrate the team.
- How-to: Make a snowflake out of your pieces of paper by folding them in half 3-4 times and using the scissors to cut triangles into the folds. Unfold it completely and use it to wrap your CLIF products individually. Either place the bar inside the cup or empty water bottle or use ribbon to attach it so that you have a decorative winter after-sports snack.
- Pro tip: Bonus if you make a tag with each player’s name or the name of the team.
HACKS FOR THE HOST
CLIF-Style Holiday Platter
- What you’ll need: Your favorite LUNA Bar flavors.
- How-to: Cut each bar into quarters and stack two pieces on the end of a party toothpick. Consider mixing and matching flavors of your choice, getting creative with holiday options like LUNA Chocolate Peppermint Stick. Line your platter with unwrapped bars, so your guests can eye their favorite bites.
- Pro tip: Bring this to your next work or holiday party for a better-for-you alternative to cookie platters or other traditional holiday foods. If you’re including kids in this activity, get them involved with pairing the flavors together and inserting the toothpicks!
Frozen Yogurt-Covered CLIF BAR Snowmen
- What you’ll need: Vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt, a snowman cookie cutter, and an original CLIF BAR energy bar in the flavor of your choosing (we love flavors like Chocolate Chip or Zbar Iced Oatmeal Cookie for this recipe).
- How-to: Grab a box of bars, unwrap each one, and place them on a microwave-safe plate. Pop the plate in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so they slightly soften. Flatten each bar gently with a spatula or wooden mixing spoon, then cut snowman shapes with a cookie cutter. Cool the bars to room temperature, then use a spoon or spatula to swirl on your Greek yogurt creating a snowy look to your snowmen. Add eyes and buttons using raisins or dried cranberries. Place the plate of snowmen in the freezer for about an hour to allow the yogurt to set before serving.
- Pro tip: Great to enjoy before heading out the door for a long outdoor winter run. If you’re making these with kids or friends, get them involved by using the cookie cutters and swirling on the Greek yogurt for decoration.
Energy Bar Holiday Wreath
- What you’ll need: A circular wreath frame (with or without boughs), a hole puncher, paddle wire, wire snips, Clif Bar products (think LUNA bars, CLIF BAR energy bars, and CLIF BAR Minis), and wreath decorations like bows, ribbons, branches, pinecones, and/or ornaments.
- How-to: Assemble all of your wreath materials and start to wire them to the wreath base, ensuring that the CLIF bars take center stage and are arranged in a circular fashion that showcases their colors and bright packaging. Simply punch a hole in the back flap of the packaging of each bar, thread the wire through, and attach it to the wreath base. Continue around the entire wreath and decorate it until it’s as festive as you want it to be.
- Pro tip: Use gloves when working with wire and branches to protect your hands. Consider doing this craft in a garage or outdoors as it can be a little messy if you’re working with greens.
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