Healthy Ideas for Summer Picnics

I always laugh…people say to me, “Oh no, here she comes with her healthy ideas, taking the fun out of it all” That’s our problem…we’ve associated “fun” with fattening foods. A picnic can still be fun with healthy alternatives and it’s even more fun the next day when you don’t feel like you blew your whole diet. Here are some ideas to keep your summer picnics “light” hearted and healthy!

Activity is key — throw the Frisbee, play softball, play relay races, take group walks after the meal, set up a badminton game — get your guests engaged in activities instead of sitting in lawn chairs drinking beer and soda pop. Salads are a perfect choice for a picnic. Try to avoid the mayonnaise-based salads but greens with veggies, nuts, fruits, meats, and low-fat cheeses work great. Keep them cool and add vinaigrette just before serving.

Baked beans are tradition for many of us and beans are a great source of nutrients and fiber. Just be careful not to disguise them with to many calories. There are great healthy recipes out there — check the Internet.

Simple snacks: raw vegetables like baby carrots, grape tomatoes, broccoli, jicama, and celery are easy to take along and dip in a light ranch dressing or in hummus. Tortilla chips and salsa and fruit kabobs are good also.

Drinks: Have a cooler of sugar-free flavored waters and regular water. My kids love Propel water. I love Dasani flavored water. It’s low calorie, refreshing and hydrating on a hot day. AVOID having any soda pop. Try all natural juice boxes for the little ones!

Burgers are a favorite as long as you use lean ground beef or ground turkey. You can also find low-fat hot dogs and bratwurst which are ok on an occasional picnic. Skinless chicken breasts and seafood would be your healthiest options for the grill. Marinate them, or brush them lightly with a BBQ sauce or honey mustard.

Vegetables on the grill are my family’s favorite. I marinate slices of red peppers, mushrooms, squash, green beans, baby carrots, onions, broccoli and any other veggie you like in a grill basket. I throw them in a zip lock for a few hours with a low calorie Italian dressing and the grill them for around an hour! Yum.

Desserts, of course — how about a juicy watermelon, a true American tradition? Of course, homemade cookies and brownies are a fun part of a picnic, but remember your portion control when baking them and eating them!

Written by my friend, Chris Freytag, a nationally known fitness expert and contributing editor for Prevention Magazine. Chris has created many great exercise DVDs.