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Articles
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Healthy Eating
At Summertime Shindigs
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With all the fun you're going to
have this summer, please try to stay healthy by eating right, even when
faced with temptation. We know you will probably be offered Cousin
Gertrude's famous chocolate fudge cake at that reunion. And, of course,
your Uncle Milton makes the juiciest grilled steaks at his backyard barbecue.
And how about those ice-cold soda pops in the cooler at the beach party?
How do you overcome these temptations? To tell you the truth, it's
easy. That's right! You just need some strategies -- be prepared.
Here are some suggestions.
-If you're going to a potluck-type
affair, bring a healthy dish you and others will enjoy (check out our Cool & Healthy Summer Recipes for ideas).
-If you're attending a buffet, select
the healthiest offerings, and fill up on those. Also, eating something
healthy (or drinking a tall glass of carrot juice or Barleygreen(tm)) before
you leave home helps you avoid temptation.
-See the article, "Healthy Tips for
Holiday Partying," in the December 1999 issue of Your Healthy Perspective
for more "healthy partying" ideas.
-If you're going to a barbecue, bring
your own healthy items to grill. Try some of these:
-Veggies for grilling.
You could bring them on a skewer, kabob-style, or just sliced to be placed
on the grill. Corn is good cooked on a barbecue too -- remove the
silk and rinse the ears, but leave the husks and grill the ears in the
husks. Or slice some fresh corn off the cob and grill along with
your other veggies. [By the way, corn is good eaten raw too!]
-Vegetable-based "burgers".
We like the vegan Boca Burgers(tm).
-Tofu hot dogs. We like Wonder
Dogs(tm) and Smart Dogs(tm).
-Or avoid the grill altogether.
Eat salad, fruit, bread, etc.
-And if you do bring goodies to grill,
bring extras to share. After all, there might be others who would
rather avoid Uncle Milton's steaks and Grandma's hamburgers!
-Take water with you. We carry
water wherever we go. This helps allay the temptation of grabbing
an unhealthy beverage and helps the body stay hydrated (especially in the
summer heat). We use thin shoulder straps that hold a standard 16-oz.
water bottle; this helps portability a lot. We've seen other solutions
as well, such as pouches or clips for water bottles (or just plain string
used as a strap). Find what works best for you. For a special
icy treat when picnicking, pack an ice cooler with bottles of water.
And here's a great tip from Nicole: freeze a bottle of water the
night before an outing (not a full bottle -- open it and pour a little
water out before freezing). Take your frozen bottle with you on your
outing; you'll have ice water when you need it!
MORE SUMMER FOOD TIPS:
Healthy eating in restaurants and on vacation (really, it can be done --
with style and good taste!).
Summer Food Safety (know the difference between wisdom and myth).
Back to Articles
All articles and information on this website are for educational purposes only. They are not to be regarded or relied upon as medical advice. The articles and information have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. AIM products are not intended to cure, treat, heal, mitigate, or prevent a disease or illness. Results may vary per person. Consult your health practitioner if you have health problems.
copyright (c) 2001, 2002, 2003 Clarence Russell, Healthy Perspective.com
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