While no food should be considered a “guilty” pleasure (remember, moderation is key!) it is an unfortunate fact that some of our favorite indulgences don’t exactly provide the most in terms of nutritional and health benefits. After all, as much as it is perfectly fine to satisfy your sweet tooth with the occasional cookie, we all know that no one—parents and kids alike—should be chowing down on that delectable doughy, sweet confection all day, every day. Wouldn’t that be nice, though?

This post is perfect for anyone trudging through one of those dreaded mid-week cravings! Moderately priced, convenient, and (most importantly) both healthy and delicious: don’t hesitate to check out these five vendors selling wholesome homemade treats made with fresh and natural ingredients of all varieties. And if you’re worried about convenience, these vendors all host WeChat pages through which you can place your order and simply wait for your delicacies to be delivered straight to your doorstep!

Morning Lab
Want a cookie? Morning Lab offers a plethora of your and your family’s favorite classics, from the likes of cookies to brownies. Their goodies are guaranteed to be fresh—baked and shipped on the daily. Indulge also in a selection of yogurt and granola bowls featuring some of their signature recipes. All products use only simple and whole ingredients and contain minimal to no sugar as well as no oil, butter, or flour. Note: Products are also suitable for Ketogenic diets. WeChat: morninglab

Yeyo Yogurt
Tired of the sugar and preservative packed yogurt options that plague the fridges of every convenience store? Yeyo Yogurt offers a unique selection of different flavors of hand-crafted yogurts paired with simple ingredient toppings and all-natural sweeteners. Their yogurt range is all dairy-free, and features healthy coconut milk as its primary component, in the stead of regular cow’s milk. WeChat: yeyo-yogurt

Dali Bars
Let’s steer clear of that Snickers bar for a moment. Look here instead—Dali Bars is a Chinese business started by a trio of entrepreneurs from the United States, offering specialty all-natural fruit and nut bars with no added sugars and whole ingredients. Their range offers a variety of unique flavors including Apple Pie and Cocoa Almond. WeChat: dalibars

NAKED Nut Butters
Just as their CEO and co-founder proudly claims: “Less is more”! NAKED Nut Butters offers a delicious deviation from the distinct and widely recognizable flavors of processed peanut butter of brands like Skippy and Jif. But let’s face it: from the hydrogenation to the added sugars and artificial flavors, these big name brands aren’t exactly helping our healthy lifestyles. Try NAKED Nut Butters—their specialty almond and cashew butters all use no more than two to three ingredients, and are sure to delight. WeChat: nakednutbutters

Bu Shao
Bu Shao offers a homemade range of locally sourced whole-ingredient snacks such from the likes fruit leather to granola. Forget the additives, sugars, and fats of store-brand snacks—this is the place to go for some convenient on-the-go eats that will benefit your daily schedule (and your waistline). Also: don’t forget to check out their variety of uniquely flavored kale chips with only one key ingredient—kale! WeChat: bushao2015

Photos: Feedspot.com, TheBeijinger.com, Iliangcang.com, Dalibars.com

I heard about WeChat three hours after arriving in Beijing. I thought, Tthis is a unnecessary app. I have Whatsapp, I don’t need WeChat.” Boy I was wrong! We all need WeChat, my life has been so much easier since I got WeChat and I wish the rest of the world would get WeChat too.  I have made many, many friends though WeChat. I have had many questions answered, many shopping experiences, and also great services at home. Here I’ll share some of my favorite WeChat contacts. Do you have any great WeChat contacts?

Bread

Bread for life not only makes amazing tasting bread and cakes, this organization creates work for disabled orphans. Don’t just eat any bread, eat bread for life and do some good. Add on WeChat: BreadofLifeBakery

Nails

I adore going to get my nails done at the salon. But now that I am a working mother I have less time to do so. This is my favorite couple, they come to the house, and do amazing pedicures and manicures. Nails that are salon worthy, English speaking, clean, honest and their prices are fair. Add on WeChat: ZXF19930710

Wine

I am not a wine connoisseur but love a glass, or two. This lady will listen to your wine taste and send some bottles to your home. I actually live very close to her warehouse so when I ordered on a Friday night I received 3 bottles of wine chilled within 2 hours. What a great surprise. The best part? she added a wine opener. Add on WeChat: fanigurevich

Creams

I have many favorite skincare contacts, but I just ordered some hand creams here and I am hooked! Shangrila Botanicals, Add on WeChat: 15601193751

Sausage and Meats

Andy is the sausage guy to add if you have meat cravings. The chorizo sausage is to die for; combined with eggs, it’s the perfect breakfast. Add on WeChat: andy706588

Life coaching and Mindfulness

These two ladies are my tickets to sanity in Beijing. They do personal life couching and mindfulness sessions. add them to start living to your full potential. For life coaching add Carnissa WeChat:BerryThoughtfulLife and for Mindfulness add Nathalie WeChat: nathaliedorbes

Nut Butters

These two girls are breaking new grounds with their nut butters and just a short wechat away. Nut butter delivered to your front door. Add on WeChat: NAKEDnutbutters

Pollution Masks

This mask is a must have in Beijing. kids masks and adult masks are available. Preston is the fasted ever in delivering the goods, one very polluted day he even personally delivered a mask to my home. For a safe breathing experience in Beijing. Add him on WeChat: 18515359601 

Balloons

Have a party but don’t want to blow up the balloons? This contact is the answer. Balloons delivered to your door on the day of the festivities. Add on WeChat: balloons88

Salmon

Have a yearning for smoked salmon? This trusted viking will get some salmon delivered to your door. Add him on WeChat: viking-salmon

Coconut Yogurt

These yogurts are a sure delight and can be delivered to your home. For lactose intolerant these are the greatest. Add on WeChat: yeyo-yogurt

Yoga at Home

Get your yoga on in the comfort of your own home. Or find out where he teaches yoga . Add this yogi for more information on WeChat: helloleo1234

Kids Entertainment

If you are looking for some entertainment for the toddlers and kids, get this lady into your home. Or follow her to one of her musical movement sessions. Add her on WeChat:Ilovematisse102

Doula and Baby Slings

This mother is passionate about childbirth and having a doula can be a great experience for your birth. She can care for mothers after birth as well. This all-rounder also makes baby slings. Add her on WeChat: alessia_chizzoniti

Photographer

These are two of my favorite photographers in Beijing. Perfect for family shoots or other great things that need to be put in a picture to never forget. Add on WeChat Dave: dlhzao or this other fabulous photographer Chiara: chiarayeph

Housing Agent

I have met my share of house agents and this one is one in a million: fair, honest and hard working. His name is Frank and he found us a home. Add on WeChat:13910813378

Make up

Need some fabulous make up done for a event? This amazing artist is a gem and will make you look the prettiest you have been. Add on WeChat: frau_romanova

Arts and Crafts

Need to get your kids busy? Don’t know where to buy arts and crafts supplies in Beijing? No problem, this innovative mother has all the goods. Add her on WeChat: Gemma Jiang

Photos: pixabay, courtesy of the vendors,  chairmanmigo.com

Christiana Zhu proudly calls herself a ‘Chiwi’ (a kiwi of Chinese ethnicity). A New Zealand expat from Auckland, she was exposed to the Asian market while working in the NZ tourism industry. She moved to China in 2014 to explore the Chinese market, was hired by WildChina for a project and eventually stayed on as head of marketing with WildChina.The move to Beijing hugely impacted her physically; she developed allergies and severe eczema, while her body adjusted to the air quality, different environment, and foods. In an effort to manage her allergies, triggered by severe lactose intolerance amongst other factors, she tried various solutions, and that’s how she discovered coconut milk based yogurt, which has really helped reduce her skin related issues.

“When I realized how beneficial it was, I wanted to share it with friends, in the hope of opening their eyes and minds to new healthy options for people with food allergies, who might have difficulty finding certain foods here in Beijing”, Christiana tells us.

“My friend made coconut yogurt for me and taught me to make it for myself, as it wasn’t available anywhere in China, including Taobao! I started taking it to parties and gatherings. It slowly got popular and then, urged by my supportive friends, I tried selling it at Farms to Neighbors farmers market. I really did not expect it to be such a huge hit. I sold out every single time and started getting WeChat orders for the week”, she adds.

From there, the business developed naturally. There is a huge demand in Beijing for dairy free products, especially yogurts. Expanding to the Hatchery has helped with wider visibility. Since it’s still a part time venture, she continues with her day job and is somehow managing to keep up with this fast growing business as well.

Yeyo is only six months old and very much in its infancy right now. However Christiana is taking it one step at a time and enjoying the steady growth, while entertaining further expansion ideas. “The most challenging part is to find the time and energy to keep it going! Yet, every time I feel tired and get tempted to scale back, I get a message or feedback from some client telling me how much they enjoy my yogurt, how they’ve not had yogurt for years due to allergies and can’t thank me enough for making it available for them.  They send me pictures with their yogurt! That re-energizes me and helps me plow through, to keep going”.

There’s no competition for her in the Beijing area, especially because it’s also unsweetened yogurt, which is hard to find in China. She offers dairy free yogurt, with the consistency of a Greek style yogurt, in three flavors every week. Two are standard, the pure yogurt and yogurt with honey. The third flavor varies every week, with a seasonal fruit compote at the bottom to make it interesting. You can find her yogurts at Farm to Neighbors Farmers Market, at the Hatchery and through WeChat as well. They come in 150ml glass jars for RMB 30, or a pack of four in a cooler bag for RMB 100. You can get a discount for recycling glass jars to reduce wastage. The delivery fee varies based on your location, and the yogurt needs to be delivered to your door within an hour, for it to be fresh. It’s usually around RMB 16 for CBD area and RMB 24 for the hutongs. And that name? It’s simple. Yeyo comes from the Chinese words ‘ye’ for coconut and ‘yo’ for yogurt!

Photo: Courtesy of Christana Zhu, Yeyo Yogurt.