Healthy Summer Eating

It is summertime and everyone wants to make the most of it! The sunny, warm season means eating and/or cooking outdoors. Here are some tips for healthy summer eating.

Keep vegetables and fruit as the main focus on your plate:

• Fill half your plate with vegetables, fruit or a green salad. Use plain yogurt, lemon juice, herbs and spices to make delicious dips and dressings.
• Try cooking vegetables such as eggplant or cabbage wedges on the barbecue grill. Create colourful vegetable kabobs using bell pepper, corn, onion, zucchini, mushroom and tomato.
• Cook a potato, yam or cob of corn wrapped in aluminum foil on the barbecue.

When choosing meat, fish or tofu to grill:

• Look for lean cuts or poultry without skin.
• Use a marinade.
• Cook meat on foil or a grill pan.
• Cook at a lower temperature and trim charred pieces of meat.
• Choose fish and shellfish more often; you can grill a whole salmon fillet on a cedar plank or wrapped in aluminum foil with herbs and spices.
• Marinate tofu cubes and grill them on a skewer with vegetable pieces.

To quench thirst in a healthy way:

• Flavour water with lemon or orange wedges, mint leaves, fresh rosemary or frozen berries. Make flavoured ice cubes by putting a berry in each cube of an ice cube tray and filling it with water.
• Try making fizzy drinks with carbonated water, a splash of 100% fruit juice and frozen fruit.

Include refreshing summer desserts:

• Take advantage of what summer has to offer by choosing seasonal fruit.
• Grilled peaches, pineapple or plums with a dollop of Greek yogurt are a tasty dessert.
• Try homemade frozen desserts by freezing your favourite smoothie recipe in a popsicle tray or small cups with a popsicle stick in the middle.
• For a healthier approach, continuously turn foods over while barbequing and do not overcook.

For tips or answers on food safety, visit: healthycanadians.gc.ca.

Source: Alberta Health Services