Thursday, June 8, 2017

Healthy Summer Eating

I am tempted by many yummy foods over the summer - ice cream, lemonade, popsicles, food truck treats,  I could go on - and I give myself an excuse that because it's summer, I can eat whatever I want.  True, I am more active in the summer, so there is some counterbalance with exercise, but really I shouldn't give myself the licence to get carried away.  So I try to make healthy choices when I can, like these ones:

Help your child eat their ice cream rather than getting your own.  Of course this will only work for a few years, but especially when they are young, you can help them clean up the sides of their cone, enjoying some ice cream, without having to eat a whole cone by yourself.

Make your own popsicles.  Add fruit (blended or whole), chocolate chips, coconut, or small candy to almond milk or plain yoghurt.  
(Our popsicle holders are not fancy, just ones from Loblaws)

Seek out popsicles at the convenience store.  Also on the popsicle wavelength, instead of those giant popsicles that you can get from the ice cream truck (which I love by the way), many convenience stores sell those "old fashioned" popsicles that you can break in half to share rather than eating the whole thing yourself. 

Fresh fruit, fresh fruit, fresh fruit!  This is the time when so many tasty treats are growing right in our own province.  We try to have fresh local fruit for our breakfasts, sometimes with yoghurt and cereal, or just on their own.  Peaches, apricots, and watermelon will also satisfy that sweet tooth when you're looking for a midday snack.
Grilled vegetables.  This is the easiest side vegetable and is so tasty.  My simplest way of preparing them is marinating them in olive oil, the juice and zest of one lemon, the juice and zest of one lime, salt, and pepper, and then grilling them on the BBQ, or roasting them in the oven.   

Supplement take out with healthy food.  We have done this a few times where we will plan to get some french fries at the park but will also bring cut up vegetables, yoghurt, and fruit to complete the meal.  

Fizzy water.  Without spending your calories on a big fancy blender drink, just add fizzy water to some wine, or drop in some fresh fruit, lemon or lime wedge for a non-alcoholic treat, without the added sugar. 

Rest assured, I will still be enjoying many treats this summer, but I will try to make healthier choices when I can.  



1 comment:

  1. Healthy choices are super hard to make in the summer. I make a big fruit salad when I'm trying to be super healthy to take to friend's places

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