Summertime is the season of outdoor celebrations. From pool parties to cookouts, the warm days and long nights present many opportunities to gather outside with friends and family. For many, any summer soiree worth its salt is sure to include an assortment of seasonal eats. As taste is a well-known trigger of memory, food has the power to take us on a sudden, sentimental journey to summers past – plant based foods for summer help us to define and recapture that special summer feeling.
Those striving to maintain weight loss goals need not miss out on the quintessential summer experience of gathering over great food. With just a willingness to learn, many foods for summer dishes can be recreated in healthier ways, allowing you to stay on track with your weight loss goals while enjoying the cuisines that make the season special. Following are a few tips for earing healthy:
Make Half of Your Plate Fruits and Veggies:
Choose red, orange, and dark green vegetables like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, along with other vegetables for your meals. Add fruit to meals as part of the main or side dishes, or as dessert. The more colorful you make your plate, the more likely you are to get the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs to be healthy.
Drink Water Instead of Sugary Drinks:
Cut calories by drinking water or unsweetened beverages. Soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks are a major source of added sugar and calories in American diets. Try adding a slice of lemon, lime, watermelon, or a splash of juice to your glass of water if you want some flavor.
Eat Some Seafood:
Seafood includes fish (such as salmon, tuna, and trout) and shellfish (such as crab, mussels, and oysters). Seafood has protein, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids (heart-healthy fat). Adults should try to eat at least eight ounces a week of a variety of seafood. Children can eat smaller amounts of seafood, as well.
Cut Back on Solid Fats:
Eat fewer foods that contain solid fats. The major sources for Americans are cakes, cookies, and other desserts (often made with butter, margarine, or shortening); pizza; processed and fatty meats (e.g. sausages, hot dogs, bacon, ribs); and ice cream.
Below, find several healthy recipes to capture that sweet summer feeling!
: Swapping out ground turkey for ground beef in recipes, especially burgers like this one, is a great way to trim off those unneeded calories.
Cuban-Inspired BBQ Salmon: Enjoy this mouth-watering seafood offering. This is a fast and easy and a great 30 minute meal for any weeknight.
Quinoa Mac & Cheese: If you are looking for a healthy recipe that kids love, give this Quinoa Mac and Cheese a try.
Crab-Stuffed Deviled Eggs: This is a simple, versatile recipe you can tinker with depending on your own tastes. I use Dungeness crab here, but any crabmeat will do.
Summer Rice Salad: If you think salads are boring, then this rice salad recipe is going to prove you wrong. It’s got a little bit of everything, and it’s so easy to adapt with whatever you have in your fridge that needs using up.
A Delicious Strawberry Treat: Strawberry Mousse, which is made with families in mind, is a perfect recipe to make with your little ones or for a date night dessert.
Rainbow Fruit Salad: If you’re looking for a quick, flavorful, healthy dish, this easy recipe is sure to become your new go-to fruit salad recipe.
If you’re loving these recipes and would like to learn more about how easy it is to eat for a healthy lifestyle visit our website or sign up for our weekly newsletter!
