Pick Up Some Picnic Tips
Enjoying food in the great outdoors is a fun part of summer and makes memories for family and friends. Make picnics healthful and safe with these tips.
- Go Green:Add some greens and other fruits and veggies to your picnic menu.
- Try packing fresh-cut vegetables with a low-fat dip or a tossed salad in a cooler filled with ice. Vegetables contain fiber to fill you while providing you with many more nutrients than chips or crackers.
- Make fruit kabobs. Check out the fun ideas on the back of the newsletter.
- Go Lean:Traditional picnic foods, including potato salad and cookies, tend to be higher in calories than some other options.
- To trim calories, choose extra-lean meat, turkey or chicken to fill your sandwich.
- For mixed salads and sandwich condiments, look for reduced-fat versions of your favorite mayonnaise, dressings or sauces.
- If you want to trim calories and add nutrition to your recipes, see “Recipe Makeovers” available from the NDSU Extension Service (www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/landing-pages/food-and-nutrition/now-serving-recipe-makeovers-fn-1447).
- Go Whole:When picnicking, you might be tempted to turn to prepackaged, convenience foods. Choosing “whole” foods can save calories and provide more nutrients.
- Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, where you will find fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and low-fat milk and yogurts. Add some whole-grain foods to your menu, too.
- Go Safe: Remember to follow proper food safety practices when preparing for a picnic.
- Find out if your picnic destination has a source of safe drinking water. If not, bring water or moist towelettes for cleaning hands and surfaces.
- Be sure that raw meat and poultry are wrapped securely to prevent their juices from cross-contaminating other foods and beverage containers.
- Keep your food out of the temperature danger zone (40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit). Pack the cooler just before leaving home. Keep the cooler in an air-conditioned car and in the shade at the picnic site.
- Go Clean: Always clean your picnic spot and extinguish camp fires carefully.
Reprinted from FoodWi$e newsletter by Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension Service, www.ag.ndsu.edu/foodwise
