This tweet sums up every Irish expat’s post-Christmas departure

Uniquely Irish

Jan 3, 2018

If you've ever spent any time living abroad, you'll know all too well how much you hanker after the food of the Emerald Isle.

Visitors from home are greeted with outstretched hands and a demand to see the contents of their 'snack' suitcase while trips back to the ould sod are spent eating (and stockpiling) your favourite foods.

Take Christmas, for example.

A fortnight spent gorging on all the country has to offer; soda bread, King crisps, Ballymaloe relish to name but three, is a veritable slice of heaven, and it isn't long before you start sacrificing the clothes in your case to make room for your 'back to reality' haul.

And while airport goodbyes are often painful, most expats will admit that the weight of their suitcase upon their departure goes someway towards helping ease the heartache.

And if a picture paints a thousands words, we'll leave Twitter user, Andrew Lowry, to say the rest…

Ryanair: "your bag is 2kg over sir how would you like to pay?"
Girlfriend: "how is that possible it was only 16kg coming to Dublin?"
Me: "it's no problem let's just pay it"
Also, I packed the suitcase on the way home so …. pic.twitter.com/MBsXrvB38E

— Andrew Lowry (@AndrewTLowry) January 2, 2018

Andrew, take a bow.

Tuck in! This SNACK stadium is so good we just want to eat it all

Jan 26, 2016

by Amber Saunders

As much as we love eating healthy and keeping fit, there comes a point where you need to let yourself go a bit and just eat some food that you actually LOVE.

Like snacks. ALL the snacks. Doritos, Coca-Cola, chips and dips, wraps, crisps; the list is endless.

All of these delicious snacks were put together by Delish to make a mini football stadium. You can see the pitch, the stands and even the goals.

It's pretty impressive, but to be honest, it's making us super-hungry just looking at it. When is lunch time?

Sick of salads? Try these seven delicious healthy snacks instead

Oct 3, 2015

by Amber Saunders

There is nothing worse than working hard in the gym all week and sticking diligently to your healthy eating plan only for it all to go out the window once the weekend arrives.

Avoiding the biscuit tin at the office is hard enough, but when Saturday arrives your willpower can be pushed to the very limit. Nobody wants to be stuck ordering a pretty boring salad at brunch.

So, here's a reminder of all of the delicious options out there that aren't loaded with calories and taste absolutely amazing.

Sweet potato fries:

Courghetti (healthy spaghetti basically):

A healthy chicken burrito:

Homemade Granola:

This recipe is pumpkin spice, because that obsession is not going away it would seem.

Shakshuka is not just for breakfast:

Almond butter protein balls:

Avocado toast:

Four delicious ways to fuel your body after a tough workout

Oct 2, 2015

by Amber Saunders

Getting yourself into the gym, or out for a jog, can be a huge achievement. These activities take time and energy, but it is also important to remember that what you do after your workout is just as important.

What you eat after your workout can have a huge effect on your fitness goals. If you’re not getting the right combination of nutrients then you could find yourself in some trouble.

To avoid this, we put together a list of some of the best options for you to enjoy as a healthy and tasty post-workout snack.

Stuffed avocados

You could bake an egg in your avocado for added protein to go with your healthy fats, or add a scoop of tuna salad. There’s also the option of some salmon, salsa or even hummus.

Apples and nut butter

Peanut butter (the natural kind) or almond butter will provide you with a good balance of macronutrients that your body is going to need after a tough workout. The healthy dose of fat, carbohydrate and protein, along with the fibre-dense fruit will be enough to satisfy your sweet cravings so you’ll be good to go.

Salmon salad with green veggies

The salmon will provide your body with all of the omega-3 fatty acids and amino acids it needs to help repair and rebuild the muscle you’ve broken down in the gym. Perfect for after a weight-lifting session or a high intensity workout.

Greek yoghurt

Full of protein to help your muscles repair and also delicious. Make sure you add some granola or fruit to get in the carbs your body needs after exercising.

The best evening treats to make to seriously impress your guests

Sep 20, 2015

by Amber Saunders

Make your sunday spread as badass as it can get with these delicious treats!

Whether it's a day to stay in because of rain (like, everyday in Ireland), or you want to surprise your other half with your mad cooking skills, these nibbly bits will make anyone's mouth water.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Whip up this sweet treat with dependable staples right from your kitchen. All you need is pancake mix, peanut butter and chocolate chips. Easy! Find the full recipe here.

Baked Eggs En Cocette with Basil

This dish is extrememly easy to whip up if you're in a hurry! Simple yet tasty, it really gives the boring egg a good spin and is perfect for an early Sunday brunch or a late Sunday snack.

Banana Crumb Cake

If you want something sweet on a Sunday evening, this crumb cake with notes of honey, cinnamon, and toasted coconut is definitely the way to go. Jazz it up with nuts of your choice or devour it with a hot cup of tea like we plan to.

Hash Brown with Leeks and Bell Peppers

Sweet sauteed leeks and tangy peppers contrast well with the earthy flavour of your fave potatoes.This is a great way to stir up a classic and impress your guests.

Crustless Brocolli-Cheddar Quiches

In these individual quiches, broccoli gives the creamy cheddar and egg a nice crunch. Taking away the crust cuts down on baking time, which means you won't have grumpy guests waiting for food!

Having friends over? The perfect party food for a night in

Sep 12, 2015

by Amber Saunders

With miserable weather setting in, there's no doubt that you want to sit in with your girlfriends for a cosy night of fun.

Going to a night club means you have to dress up, put on tan and make up AND style your hair. #Effort.

All of it will go down the drain anyway while you wait 20 minutes to queue for Coppers.

So if you're having a girls night in, we have some scrumptious party food ideas that will have your friend's mouths watering.

We warned you!

Fancy Mini Potato Skins

This delicious treat is perfect comfort food for you and your BFFs. Loaded with your favourite toppings, the girls will keep wanting more!

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

To add a bit of spice to your night, why not try these bacon wrapped poppers. Full of crunchy, hot goodness, it's the perfect snack for movie time. Not to mention they will definitely warm you up from the cold weather outside!

Marinated Cocktail Shrimp

If you fancy a boozy little snack to keep your night going, try this recipe. Packed full of flavour, it will really give your friends that punch to keep them going all night long.

Party Salad Boat

If you are after something a little bit healthier, these party salad boats are perfect. Full of flavour but light enough that you can snack away all night. You can even change up the recipe to suit your friends, or have individual bowls so they can make the boats up themselves!

Mozzarella Sticks

We know what you're thinking, you've either tried the frozen kind or the McDonald's kind, and they weren't all that great. Don't be put off! With this simple homemade recipe, your taste buds will be watering all night long. Remember to buy quality mozzarella though, to make them that little bit more special.

The 10 foods you need in your fridge when trying to lose weight

Sep 2, 2015

by Amber Saunders

If you’re adopting a healthier lifestyle that you can actually stick with, then your fridge is going to need something of a makeover. The easiest way to avoid falling off the wagon and overindulging is to simply not have any of the less healthy options on hand when you’re looking for a snack.

Here are some of the best options to have on hand if you’re looking to make some healthy foodie swaps:

Vegetables

Chop up some of your favourites and pair them with a healthy dip, like hummus, so you won’t be left hungry again.

Lemon

Plain water can get a little boring, but hydration is important, so keep some lemon slices on hand, or any other chopped up fruits you fancy.

Ready-to-eat protein

If you’re prepared then you won’t be tempted to tuck into a frozen pizza or opt for a cheeky takeaway.

Fruits

A healthy snack options when you’re on the go.

Nut butters

Have you tried almond butter yet? You need to, it’s very important.

Eggs

Preparing some hard-boiled eggs means you won’t be stuck for a high protein breakfast tomorrow morning. Or you can try these make-ahead egg muffins if you need some variety in your life.

Hummus

A high protein option that you can use in wraps or as a salad dressing as well as using as a dip with your favourite veggies.

Spinach

The easiest way to add nutrients to almost any meal.

Almond milk

A handy dairy substitute with lower fat that can be used as a replacement for ordinary milk in countless recipes with ease.

Greek yoghurt

Swap ice-cream based treats for Greek yoghurt with honey and fruit if you’re feeling a sweet craving coming on.

The most amazing healthy snack EVER? Chocolate hummus is here

Aug 5, 2015

by Amber Saunders

There’s one thing that we actually hate about the summer season; the bikini bod diets.

It feels like we’re inundated with the latest burn fat fast trends from January all the way through to September and while we love being fit and healthy, we also love Nutella.

Saying good bye to our favourite chocolate treats can be tough, but it’s all done in the name of health.

Deciding to cut out excess junk food is never easy, but finding healthier replacements can help ease the way for you. It's tempting to reach for the biscuit tin when that dreading afternoon slump hits, but now you can have something much healthier without sacrificing taste.

Hummus and crackers anyone? The Irish people have become obsessed with this protein filled snack as of late, and we think this might be taking it one step further. If you're one of the few who thought the spread didn’t seem so appealing we think we may have found the solution.

Chocolate flavoured hummus.

Get crazy this weekend and #dip your popcorn in some dark chocolate. Sweet & Salty Heaven.

A photo posted by Hope Foods (@hopefoods) on Apr 3, 2015 at 4:33pm PDT

Yes, it does sound bizarre, but reviews are excellent and apparently it’s one of the more tasty chocolate replacements out there. Yay! All of the flavour and none of the nasties that can totally derails your healthy eating plan.

A photo posted by Hope Foods (@hopefoods) on Jun 17, 2015 at 4:23pm PDT

Natural food company Hope Foods make the delicious spread which is also gluten and dairy free. There’s even a coconut flavour and they use all organic ingredients.

We’re keen to try it considering that it looks an awful lot like chocolate mousse, and that’s a big winner around these parts.

Irish people taste American snacks with hilarious results

Aug 1, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Following Buzzfeed’s video of American people tasting Irish snacks such as Taytos, black pudding, Cadbury’s chocolate and lots more, College Times decided to conduct their own experiment!

Some American snacks tried out by the group include the Twinkie, that strange macaroni and cheese in a box and marshmallow fluff (um, yum?!)

This, of course, had quite hilarious results.

via our content partner CT

The snacking hacks that you need to hear!

Jul 18, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Trying to keep healthy is not easy, especially with all of the temptations out there. But thankfully, there are few snacking hacks that will make life a little easier when it comes to healthy eating.

Clock
Studies have shown that mid-morning snackers tend to snack more throughout the day than afternoon snackers, which is not much help to weight loss efforts. So it’s probably best to fill up on a big breakfast, instead of snacking our way till lunch.

Colour code your snacks
Sounds strange but it actually works. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University tested students with a bowl of uniform yellow chips, while another group had their regular snack layered with differently coloured chips. Students who had their snacks colour coded ate 50 % less, than those with a uniform bowl.

Muscle foods
High protein snacks are the perfect snack when it comes to weight loss. Why? It’s all about burning those calories! Apparently it takes more energy to burn protein snacks, than it does with carbs and fats, and as a result of this you will feel fuller for longer.

Smaller bowls
Simple but effective. Having a smaller bowl can make all the difference when it comes to munching on our snacks.

10 delicious simple snacks that are under 50 calories

May 1, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Baked apple
Bake half an apple in the oven and top with 1 tbsp. of low-fat yoghurt. This sweet and simple snack is only 45 calories.

Popcorn
Two cups of your own air-popped popcorn will only add up to 46 calories.

Rice Cake
One brown rice cake with 1 tbsp. of sugar free jam will only add up to 44 calories.

Smoked salmon
One slice of smoked salmon on two wheat thins crackers is only 48 calories.

Grapefruit
Half a small grapefruit only adds up to 32 calories.

Hot chocolate
This depends on the brand but most packets of sugar-free hot chocolates will usually add up to 47 calories.

Sugar free ice pops
Two sugar free ice pops only add up to 30 calories.

Iced green tea
Refreshing and a great way to help cleanse your system. What makes it even better is it contains no calories at all!

Almond butter
One tsp of almond butter is only 34 calories.

Fat free yoghurt
Sprinkle some sunflower seeds on 113g of fat-free yoghurt. This cool snack is only 49 calories.

5 healthy work snacks to help keep you focused

Apr 18, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Here are five yummy and healthy snacks, that will help keep you focused at work, but also stop your stomach from rumbling too.

Popcorn

Nowadays, there is plenty of selection when it comes to popcorn. But in order to ensure you’re keeping healthy, it’s a good idea to make your own batch the night before. That way you’ll know how much salt and oil is actually in your favourite popped snack.

Hummus and Veggies

Hummus is a great afternoon snack as its low in calories, a great way to help eat your daily dose of veg and also filling.

Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate is not only low in calories, but because of its strong taste, it can help with portion control. It also has been proven to help improve your blood flow and even protect your skin.

Veggie chips

The healthy alternative to crisps. Veggie chips are lower in fat, but there is also so much choice when it comes to flavours. You’re guaranteed to find something you love.

Bag of fruit and nuts

Filling, delicious and guaranteed to keep you going till lunchtime.