HEALTHY SNACKING: SUMMER EDITION

Temperatures are rising, you can't find parking, the Del Mar fair is in full force, and there are long lines EVERYWHERE!  That can only mean one thing...summer is around the corner!  

Most of us will hopefully be outdoors enjoying the beautiful San Diego sun as well as all the parks and beaches at our disposal.  It can be very easy to fall off your healthy eating habits and grab something at the nearest hot dog or ice cream stand.  Or you like to entertain and BBQ in your backyard with friends and can be tempted to easily grab the first bag of chips and high calorie dip for your guests.  Instead, here are some healthy snack ideas for your time outdoors:

CHERRIES

 

 Cherries are a great summer fruit.  They're in season, they taste great, and can help crave that sweet tooth.

 

FRUIT KABOBS

 

This one is very easy.  Slice up some of your favorite fruits, pile them up, and stick a skewer through them.  Makes for a beautiful presentation AND makes them easy to eat.  This picture has bananas, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, papaya and mango.

FROZEN BANANAS

 

You don't HAVE to put a stick in these, but it wouldn't be as fun.  Make sure to peel the bananas and wrap them in saran wrap before placing them in the freezer. This gives them a popsicle-like feel without the added sugar.  Add cacao powder or cinnamon for a little kick.

ZUCCHINI CHIPS

Zucchini is a very healthy and low carb vegetable.  These are a great replacement for store-bought chips.  They're really simple to make and require few ingredients (like in this recipe here).

 

WATERMELON

Watermelon is loaded with benefits.  One of the greatest being its high water content.  Slicing them can make it a little messy to eat so try chopping them into cubes and lay out some toothpicks.

CARROTS, CELERY, BELL PEPPERS, AND HUMMUS

I included this one in the last Healthy Snacking post.  But it's one of my favorites and still great to have in the summer.

CUCUMBERS

This is my personal favorite summer snack.  Cucumbers are versatile and can be made in many ways.  But one of the most refreshing ways to snack on cucumbers is with a little lime on them.  You can take it up a notch and add some chilli powder for a little kick.

FROZEN BERRIES

Frozen berries can help keep you cool, ease your craving for sweets, and load you up with antioxidants.