Summer Picnic Makeover

Lawn chairs, sunshine, flip flops, and picnics.  My favorite time of year.

Healthy and Slimming Picnic Food

Laden with saturated fat and calories, typical picnic food is a weight loss disaster. For example, a typical potato salad recipes gives you a whopping 400 calories, 20 grams of fat, and 170 mg cholesterol per serving!

In my weight loss program, I take picnic classics and given them a delicious and healthy makeover – and I’m sharing a few of those with you today. Plus I’ve added some new ideas that are sure to become your favorite take-along-friendly foods.

15 make-ahead, take-along, guilt-free, picnic-perfect recipes

1. Mediterranean Burgers

What’s picnic without burgers? Loaded with vegetables and chickpeas, these vegan and gluten-free burgers will be the star of your next picnic.

2. Greek Garbanzo Salad

With fresh basil, fresh oregano, and garden tomatoes, this Greek salad has summer written all over it.

3. Creamy Cashew Chive Dip

Not only is this Creamy Cashew Dip dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free, but it’s also loaded with fiber – something that no dairy dip can boast!

4. Oil-Free Hummus

Hummus is such a versatile food. You can use it as a dip or you can put it in wraps or you can use it as a sandwich spread. With less than half the calories as store-bought hummus, this oil-free hummus is an especially healthy option.

5. Cucumber Corn Relish Salad

In the summer months, gardens and farmer’s markets are typically overflowing with cucumbers.  Eight minutes start-to-finish is all you need to make this delicious Cucumber Corn Relish Salad.

6. Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Made with a healthy serving of veggies and high-fiber garbanzo beans, this easy-to-prepare filling just may be the key to the perfect, healthy sandwich.

7. Crunchy Asian Broccoli Slaw

Don’t like raw broccoli? This salad will surprise and amaze you!

8. Quinoa Patties

Packed with super-nutritious quinoa and lots of veggies, these patties work great on a bun with all the fixings or just by themselves to be eaten with a fork.

9. Lemon Tahini Slaw

With its gorgeous colors, amazing crunch, and fresh taste, this Lemon Tahini Cabbage Slaw is perfect for a healthy picnic.

10. 5-Minute Butterbean Salad

Creamy butter beans pair beautifully with crunchy cucumbers in this quick and easy, full-of-flavor, main dish salad. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed your picnic crowd.

11. Refrigerator Lemon Pickles

Sooooo much better than store-bought pickles because these crunchy treats are vinegar-free, polysorbate 80-free, sodium benzoate-free, and artificial-color-free.  And they are fantastically fresh and crunchy!

12. White Bean Garlic Dip

This delicious dip is full of fiber and tastes great with chips or crunchy vegetables.

13. Easy Black Bean Veggie Salad

A beautiful summertime salad – perfect for picnics or backyard potlucks.

14. Couscous Salad

Quick. Easy. Amazingly delicious.
Summer, farmers’ markets offer fresh heirloom varieties that would be perfect for this salad.

15. Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Made with whole grains and low in refined fats, these cookies are a healthy dessert option and are great picnic food.

How to Have a Healthy Picnic

Here are a few tips for making your next picnic a healthy one:

Take Advantage of Summer’s Bounty

Include lots of fresh cut-up vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, jicama, and bell peppers. They’re low in calories, high in nutrients, and  …. they’ll help keep you from eating too many chips.

Keep Your Cool

Be sure to keep perishable food cool to avoid spoilage. To avoid the hassle of ice, consider purchasing a cooler that can be plugged into the 12V receptacle in your vehicle.

Focus on Whole Foods

For maximum nutrition and slimming power, revolve your menu around minimally-processed, plant-based foods.

Hydrate

Bring along extra water and be sure to drink before you feel thirsty to keep yourself hydrated on hot summer days.

Happy summer! Tell me, what’s your favorite picnic spot?

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