Light and Healthy Eating in the Summer Time

Last Updated on September 23, 2020 by Ellen Christian

You would think that light and healthy eating would be easy in the summer. After all, there are all of those fresh fruits and vegetables available. Unfortunately, it’s really not as easy for some people as you’d think. For many, summer offers challenges that you don’t experience as frequently in the colder months. Whether you’re trying to lose five pounds that stubbornly won’t disappear, or just want to feel better by changing your eating habits, there are a few tips I’d like to share. Thank you to Three Bridges for sponsoring this conversation today.

Light and Healthy Eating

Summer time is a time of change for many people. The kids are out of school which may mean that we’re traveling or on vacation. The temperatures are hotter which may discourage us from heating up the kitchen by cooking a healthy meal. We’re entertaining and having people over for picnics, barbecues, and outdoor parties. All of those things can result in changes to how we eat.

Eat more fresh produce

I’m not suggesting you live on salads all summer. You won’t stick to a healthy eating plan if you restrict your food intake severely. No one is going to live on vegetables alone for the rest of their lives. Healthy eating needs to be a lifestyle, not a diet. Gradually increase the amount of fresh produce you eat each day. Replace your traditional bag of potato chips with carrots and hummus. Instead of grabbing a cookie, grab a bowl of fresh strawberries.

Watch the dips and dressings

Many people sabotage their own healthy eating by indulging in too many dips and dressings. Yes, a bowl of carrot sticks is a great snack, but when you add fat, preservatives, and calories to it with a bowl of onion dip, you’re just hurting yourself.  A salad loaded with lean chicken, fresh vegetables, and hard-boiled eggs is a delicious light lunch. When you cover it with Caesar dressing you might as well have eaten a sandwich. Try enjoying your vegetables on their own. Or, if you must dip, choose a healthy dip like hummus with a swirl of pesto added, and try your salad with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Limit the desserts and snacks

Everyone loves a bowl of ice cream on a hot day or marshmallows toasted over a campfire, but too many indulgences can pack on the pounds. If you know you have an event during the week that you’ll want to splurge on, be very careful to watch what you’re eating during the rest of the week. Instead of having a huge bowl of ice cream covered with every imaginable sauce, try a small bowl of ice cream with fresh fruit. Limit your toasted marshmallow to one or two fresh from the fire instead of sandwiching it between graham crackers with a slab of chocolate.

Plan for busy nights

My biggest challenge is sticking to light and healthy eating when I’m busy. There are far too many nights I look at the clock at 6 PM and realize I have no idea what I’m making for dinner. Because it needs to be quick, we turn to take out far too many times. Keep healthy choices in the refrigerator for those busy nights like Three Bridges Superfood Ravioli and Superfood Pesto Sauce. Three Bridges Superfood products are loaded with nutrient dense superfoods like kale and spinach. They have antioxidants and are rich in nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy.

If you want a light, healthy pasta dish, prepare the Three Bridges Superfood Ravioli, add fresh basil and sliced cherry tomatoes, and mix in a few tablespoons of Superfood Pesto Sauce. You can enjoy it hot or place it in a bowl in the refrigerator to enjoy cold on a night when the temperatures make it too hot to cook. Three Bridges offers a variety of restaurant quality dishes that you can enjoy at home when life gets busy. You can find several different varieties including those that are gluten free and organic.

If you’re looking for an easy way to eat light and healthy during the summer time, Three Bridges offers a great selection of products to help you get dinner on the table quick.