Healthy, Tasty Summer Picnic Recipes
By Jasmine Clark, Live Well Enhance You Contributing Writer
July is coming to a close. But it’s not too late to mention something special about this month: it’s National Picnic Month! A picnic is an easy way to get some much-needed fresh air and spend quality time with family, friends, or a special someone. But if you’re stuck on ideas for what to eat, browse through these healthy recipes below.
Charcuterie board recipes
Having a charcuterie board at your picnic is a big treat for everyone there. The best thing about charcuterie boards is that they’re a great way to play around and get creative. You can create a colorful board that’s sure to get lots of likes on Instagram… while being healthy too.
St. Joseph Health lists five steps to create a charcuterie board:
Choose your board, platter, or plate.
Lay out your soft and moist ingredients first.
Place your dips and spreads around the board.
Lay out your dry ingredients, like meats, nuts, and hard cheeses.
Top with your choice of garnishings.
Nuts are amazing for your health because they come with a variety of nutrients, including antioxidants. (Antioxidants protect your cells from being damaged by unstable free radicals.) Plus, nuts can help lower your cholesterol. When it comes to nuts, St. Joseph recommends almonds, pistachios, and cashews.
As for meats, St. Joseph suggests naturally cured salami, pepperoni, or prosciutto. Emerson Health recommends sliced chicken or turkey breast for your board. A few other ideas for protein include marinated tofu, roasted chickpeas, or hardboiled eggs.
Tea sandwich recipes
Tea sandwiches make a perfect picnic food because they’re small and lightweight, so they’re easy to pack and carry around. There are a million ways to make them because you can customize the ingredients to your heart’s content.
One common ingredient in tea sandwiches is cucumbers, which is good news if you’re looking for a healthy treat. Cucumbers are low in calories but high in water and nutrients. They contain substances called flavonoids, which can help protect against heart disease. Cucumbers are also rich in vitamin K, which promotes bone health.
There isn’t just one way to make a tea sandwich. It all depends on your preference: Do you want them in squares, circles, or triangles? Do you prefer an open or closed sandwich? What ingredients do you want in the sandwich? You can also choose a vegan version of cucumber tea sandwiches or other tea sandwiches.
Want something different from the typical tea sandwich? Take a look at these smoked salmon tortilla pinwheels. Salmon is known for having omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases. This recipe also includes spinach, which contains lots of things that are good for you, like iron for example. Iron keeps your body strong by helping your blood transport oxygen.
Fruit parfait recipes
Now you need something sweet for a dessert. Fruit parfaits are fun and easy to make and don’t take long at all. The hardest part is deciding which delicious fruits you want to layer!
Some people believe fruits are unhealthy because of their sugar content. But fruits are an important part of your diet and you shouldn’t avoid them for fear of sugar. Your body digests sugar from fruits in a better way than it digests sugar from processed foods. Plus, fruits are packed with nutrients like fiber, potassium, and antioxidants.
This recipe shows you that a fruit parfait can be made in the typical fashion of stacking up layers of fruit and cream cheese in a glass (this one also includes marshmallow cream)... or the fruits can be spread around a serving tray with dip in the middle. This particular parfait contains strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and more.
But maybe you want to change things up. If you want a summery tropical vibe, try this tropical fruit parfait with pineapple and papaya. This tropical-themed recipe is a vegan recipe that makes use of almond milk. There’s also this vibrant rainbow-colored fruit parfait featuring dairy-free yogurt.
Don’t let summer go by without at least one delicious picnic. Use these ideas or feel free to think of your own healthy picnic food ideas! Just experiment and have fun with it. (PS: Don’t forget to see these summer grilling tips too.)
Happy picnicking!
Jasmine Clark is a freelance writer from North Carolina. She enjoys writing about topics such as stress relief and positive thinking. She likes to encourage others to find ways to calm down and relax. In her spare time, she loves to write fiction stories and watch TV and YouTube. You can find her on Instagram @cozysachi.