Feel fresh with healthy summer eats

By Medicine Hat News on July 20, 2018.

Summer in Alberta comes with its own menu. Corn on the cob, burgers on the barbecue, treats from food stalls at the midway, fresh raspberries. It’s all part of the summer experience in our province.

Make the most of your summer and feel your best by keeping these healthy tips in mind.

Are you going camping? Take healthy eating on the go! For delicious healthy snacks, pack in-season produce like snap peas, mini cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, berries, and peaches. Keep dinner healthy by packing fresh meat (like chicken pieces) in zip-top freezer bags and freeze them before you leave. They thaw in the cooler as you travel and all you have to do is throw them on a grill when you’re ready for dinner! Compared to processed meat like a hot dog or smoky sausage, you’ll get more protein and less salt and fat from a marinated piece of meat. If you enjoy alcoholic beverages, stick to Canada’s Low Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines, which recommend a maximum of two drinks/day for women and three drinks/day for men.

Are you headed to the rodeo or midway this summer? The smells of mini doughnuts, chili fries, and corn dogs waft through the crowd and right to your nose!

The problem is midway classics are very high in sugar, salt, and fat. For example, a candy apple has an extra 14 teaspoons of sugar compared with a plain apple!

Is there a way to enjoy a once-a-year midway treat and not overdo it? Limit yourself to one midway treat or split two with a friend. Pick your favourite treat and enjoy it! Bring water and a snack so you are not starving and tempted to go over your limit. Portable snacks to pack include nuts, air-popped popcorn, whole wheat pita chips, pretzels and cheese, apples, carrot sticks, Vietnamese-style salad rolls, sandwiches, and wraps.

Does the heat make your thirsty? Choose water most often. Milk is also an excellent choice. Aside from offering hydration, getting two glasses of milk daily will help keep your bones healthy. 100 per cent fruit juice can also help hydrate you, but limit it to half a cup per day. 100 per cent juice has vitamins and minerals but it’s high in natural fruit sugars and doesn’t contain fibre.

Adults and kids don’t need vitamin waters or sports drinks to stay hydrated. In fact, both of these types of drinks have about 10 teaspoons of sugar in a bottle. Unless you’re doing intense exercise for over an hour straight, like running without breaks, you don’t need a sports drink. Water or milk are the best choices. Keep a water bottle with you at all times to stay hydrated in the heat.

Do you love frozen treats? Try freezing fruit-flavoured yogurt in popsicle molds. This treat packs a punch of calcium and protein. Yogurt popsicles are tasty and easy to make. You won’t be disappointed. Check out Cookspiration.com for more creative healthy summer eats.

Enjoy your summer. It was a long winter- you’ve earned some fun in the sun! Make the most of your summer and feel your best by keeping these healthy tips in mind.

Michelle Letourneau is a registered dietitian with Alberta Health Services, Nutrition Services. She can be reached by email at michelle.letourneau@ahs.ca.

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