New Year’s resolutions, anyone? Traditionally, many of them have to do with losing some of those extra pounds and kilos accumulated in December - or many consecutive Decembers for that matter.

I myself have every now and then thought of how to make it really really easy to eat healthy snacks instead of resorting to chocolate for that little bit of fast energy. Never mind if you just ate a ton of chocolate in December, the craving for chocolate can be a perennial threat to being fit for many of us.

Anyways, it feels like it is time to act on that thought.

It involves always having them handy. Mini tomatoes that is. Cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, any type of small sized tomatoes that you can easily take in one bite, without getting any messy juice on your hands and clothes.

I call my tomato jar my treasure chest. Because it looks like one. But do go and get them in any shape - as long as they fit your purse or handbag!  Easy to take with anywhere you go! And if you run out of tomatoes, just buy some more along the way, rinse them with a bit of water, and fill up your jar!

Once you are accustomed to having that tomato pack with you, fill some of that space with those similarly easy to handle and digest things - grapes! Same thing with them on the road - just rinse them with some water, have some of them right away, and the rest into your treasure box.

The amount of water you are getting with these reds and greens could fill up a few glasses, so that’s an extra benefit you are getting. Plus you are getting some unprocessed food - always a big plus! And even though dark chocolate is said to be beneficial, let’s not kid ourselves, chocoholics: it easily falls into minority amidst all those fancy chocolates that do contain a lot of fat and sugar! Can you say the same about tomatoes? Any dark sides there, hidden secrets preventing you get fit and stay fit? No, there’s no kidding anyone there either: that’s health food, whole food and wise food, plain and simple.

So, let tomato be your new chocolate. Get on friendly terms with those red marvels, and embrace the idea that you no longer need that brown stuff - except perhaps next December. And on special occasions of course, determined by you. Like Valentine’s Day. And… No, let tomato be your new chocolate.