Stay active: Throw the Frisbee, play softball, sign up for relay race, take a group walk after a meal, or set up a badminton tournament. Keep yourself, and your guests, engaged in activities instead of sitting in lawn chairs drinking beer and pop.
Go for the greens: Salads are a perfect choice for a picnic (but I’m not talking about macaroni salads). Try to avoid mayonnaise-based salads and look for green leafy options with veggies, nuts, fruits, meats, and low-fat cheese instead.
Look for snacks with crunch: Raw vegetables like baby carrots, grape tomatoes, broccoli, jicama, and celery are easy to take along and dip in a light ranch dressing or in hummus.
Pack a healthier cooler: Fill a cooler with bottled water, seltzer, or any of these healthier beverage options to stay hydrated on hot days.
Be a grill master: Burgers are a favorite as long as you use lean meat or even veggie burgers. Skinless chicken breasts and seafood would be your healthiest options for the grill. Marinate them, or brush them lightly with BBQ sauce or honey mustard. Vegetables on the grill are my family's favorite. I marinate slices of red peppers, mushrooms, squash, green beans, baby carrots, onions, and broccoli. I throw them in a bag for a few hours with a low-calorie Italian dressing and grill over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Yum!
Eat sweets: The perfect BBQ dessert has to be juicy watermelon, a true American tradition. But if you're responsible for baking a treat, try these healthier, slimmed-down recipes for decadent desserts.
Remember, eating nutritiously and being calorie-conscious is not a sprint that you are trying to win and then be done with; it's a lifestyle choice for the long haul. So one weekend of overindulging shouldn't change the hard work you've put in to maintaining your health or the way you live going forward. If you eat or drink a little more than you planned, don't dwell on it. Simply restart your healthy habits the next day.
More from Prevention: 20 Super-Healthy BBQ Recipes
