At this time of year there tends to be a lot of leftovers in the fridge, cookies in tins and jars, and sweets out on display in living rooms as a result of holiday festivities.

In my extended Italian family, instead of rhyming off all of Santa’s reindeer, I would go around the cookie trays and name all the homemade delectables that family members would offer up. Come Panatone, Pandoro, Caggionetti… now amaretti, pizelle, terrone, and on nuchata, sicilian cannolis and biscotti.

[You either like Venetian or Sicilian when it comes to cannolis. There's nothing more polarizing in an Italian cookie argument.]

Don’t worry about pronouncing them, “just try one” would be the answer from my family. As if cravings weren’t difficult enough to handle without 20 different homemade dessert varieties staring me in the face!

Where do these urges come from?

Cravings can result from many different factors including:

1. Irregular eating or missed meals.
I forgot to eat breakfast this morning so I’ll pick-up a muffin to go along with my latte.

2. Avoiding favorite foods.
You went haven’t touched your favorite food item for a long time and then look who shows up over the holidays. Excuse me while I over-indulge!

3. Emotional eating.
You’re not actually hungry but you’re reacting to a bad day (no Christmas bonus) or a good one (The Dolphins are going to make the playoffs baby! Ah… not likely).

So, what can we do to help prevent cravings?

Here are 5 tips to survive holiday food cravings:

1. Find out why you’re hungry.
Are you eating in response to an emotion such as anger or frustration? If so, try to remind yourself that eating likely won’t chase away your feelings. Instead, try listening to your favourite tunes, going for a walk outside, or calling up a friend to chat.

2. You are officially hungry, but why?
Did you miss a meal? Is it time for a healthy snack? Try to eat something nutritious first like an apple or banana. If you are still craving more, try to identify exactly what will satisfy the craving. Is a something sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy, hot or cold?

3. Pour yourself a glass of water first.
Sometimes we mistake thirst for hunger so pour yourself a tall glass of cold water instead.

4. Forget guilt and satisfy your craving once in a while.
There’s nothing wrong with the occasional treat. At the same time, make it harder to get at your favourite treats by managing your environment and not stocking your house or office with unhealthy foods you crave.

5. Comfort yourself without food.
Being physically and mentally active is one of the best ways to ward off cravings. Try going for a walk, taking a bath, getting some fresh air, reading a book, doing a hobby, or calling a friend.