Don’t Let Your Family’s Healthy Living Take a Vacation This Summer
Just because it’s summer, doesn’t mean it is time to get lazy with choosing healthy foods for your family. While we all welcome the slower pace, especially if you move at turbo speed most days, you might need to put a new twist on your usual eating and cooking to stay on top of some of the summer temptations. Summer treats are good occasionally, but don’t let an ice cream cone, concession stand or drive-thru turn into a summer-long binge of bad eating.
Summertime is the perfect time to experiment with new recipes and fresh flavors – enjoying food and still getting the necessary fuel for your body. I find summer the easiest time to eat healthy with fresh fruits and veggies in season. Also, grilling is a great option to eat clean, keep it simple and make cooking fun while you hang outside enjoying the outdoor air and activities with your family. I find kabobs to be a crowd pleaser. You can experiment with different combinations of proteins, veggies and even some potatoes. It’s a balanced meal all in one. A simple way to please everyone but not feel like you are cooking different meals. The great thing is you can prepare these in advance and just throw them on the grill when you are ready for dinner.
Busy and on the go? One of the best investments you can make this summer is a cooler. A busy on the go life doesn’t mean you have to give into eating unhealthy fast food. It just takes a bit of time to plan your healthy meals. A cooler will allow you to keep foods at food-safe temperature, so you can enjoy your family outings and activities while still eating healthy. This has been a game changer for me spending a lot of time on the soccer and lacrosse fields for my kids and not having to eat unhealthy snacks and at the food trucks.
Here are some quick tips to remain healthy while traveling or on vacation
- Stay Hydrated – drinking a lot of water, skip the sugary drinks
- Snack Every Few Hours – portable protein sources are best – low sugar bars, protein shake, Greek yogurt, raw almonds
- Eat Balanced Meals – include lean protein, veggies and a healthy carb (sweet potato)
- Stay Active – even if no gym, go for a walk or low-intensity run or do body weight exercises (pushups, sit-ups, squats)
Best Health,
Lisa Dickson and Josh Boettner
