By 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 barbeque grill. Create colourful vegetable kabobs using bell pepper, corn, onion, zucchini, mushroom and tomato.
- Cook a potato, yam or cob or 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 filet 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
