When the topic of summer foods comes up, you probably think of items such as hot dogs, hamburgers and ice cream. While such fare certainly tastes good, it’s not exactly the healthiest stuff to eat. Listed below are some suggestions for summertime snacks that satisfy your taste buds without expanding your waistline.
Fresh Fruit
What do strawberries, cherries and watermelons all have in common? Not only are they all fruits, but they are all in season during the summer. Each of these types of fruit is full of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and antioxidants. As a good rule of thumb, aim for two servings of fruit per day.
Hummus and Crunchy Veggies
Chips are a staple of cookouts during the summer, and are without a doubt a highly popular snack. The problem is they are also a prime example of junk food, offering lots of calories and little else. A good alternative to chips is fresh crunchy vegetables dipped in hummus. Not only is such a combination low in saturated fat, but it also features a good amount of fiber and protein.
Pistachios
Quick question – can you name a non-dairy or non meat source of protein? If you answered pistachios, you would be right on target, as these nuts have six grams of protein per serving. Moreover, they have one distinct advantage over other forms of protein, in that they don’t require refrigeration. This means that you can carry them around without having to worry that they’ll go bad.
Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
Speaking of protein, you would have a hard time finding a better protein source than Greek yogurt. Consider that just one cup of Greek yogurt packs 24 grams of this important substance. The only drawback is that Greek yogurt has a rather plain taste. You can spice things up by adding various fruits to the mix, such as blueberries and figs.
Healthy Energy Bars
Many of the energy bars you see at the store aren’t especially healthy, as they are often loaded with sugar. If you look hard enough, you should be able to find bars made with healthier ingredients, including nuts, seeds and dried fruits.
