Summertime is by far the easiest season to prioritize your health and improve your diet. A delectable cornucopia of fresh and seasonal produce is available everywhere you turn. And long, warm days make for more active and social opportunities. Here are a few ideas to help you soak up the sun with friends this summer as you eat local, eat fresh, and eat outside.
Picnic
Food just tastes better when eaten on a red and white checkered tablecloth on a green carpet of grass. Packing your basket full of healthy finger foods is an easy way to enjoy a picnic without too much cleanup involved. Throw some fresh cherries and pistachios in your basket and maybe some sliced red pepper and hummus too. For the main entrée, try my recipe for turkey wrapped asparagus with Laughing Cow cheese.
Grill out
Throw a backyard party with the help of a trusty grill. Cooking on the grill is a great method for preparing delicious food without the added calories from fats and oils usually used on the stovetop. Some tinfoil, a spritz of cooking spray, and the proper seasoning can take any vegetable to new heights. For lean and healthy meat options, serve up some fresh fish, turkey sausage, buffalo burger, or chicken. And whatever you do, don’t forget the grilled pineapple.
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Patio luncheon
Lunch on the patio with friends just screams for salad, sandwiches, and seltzer water. Try this recipe for a kale and watermelon salad with roasted chicken. Serve alongside a plateful of traditional cucumber and avocado tea sandwiches and wash it all down with a glass of sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon. If there’s anything (or nothing) to celebrate, crack open a bottle of chilled champagne.
Visit your local farm
Local farms are important bastions of ethical commerce in our communities. They often go to great lengths to treat both the land they farm and the animals they raise with kindness and respect. Show your support by taking a tour of a local farm, having lunch at the property restaurant, and investing in some pesticide-free produce and humanely raised animal products. You won’t believe how much better fresh, organic food can taste. Can’t get out of the city to visit the farm? No problem, let the farmer come to you. Visit your local farmer’s market to load up on local and fresh produce and animal products all summer long.
