Staying healthy during busy seasons
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EmailKeeping healthy with all the family, holiday and graduation gatherings during the busy season.
During these busy seasons our weight could start going up. Tailgating, graduations, holidays and all of these fun activities that usually include eating hot dogs, hamburgers, sugary drinks, chips, s’mores, chili and many others. You may be wondering how we are going to stay healthy with all of these spring and summer activities.
A healthy balanced diet for this time of the year is very important for your loved ones health. Here are some healthy and simple ways to staying healthy during this season:
- Instead of drinking sugary soft drinks or fruit juice, have some water, bring you own infuse water or 100% fruit and vegetable juices. These healthy beverages will provide you with fiber, vitamins and minerals. Plus, they will keep you and your loved ones hydrated. Additional tips can be found here, better beverage choices web page.
- Don’t forget to snack! Include fruit and vegetables as snacks to bring to the lake or to camping. Precut and prewash snap peas, apples, carrots and celery sticks, mandarins, grapes. Dried fruit is also a good fruit option. Follow My Plate tips for kid-friendly veggies and fruit snacks. Incorporate dairy into your snacks on the go. Low fat string cheese is a convenient way to sneak in some dairy. Or easily take some low fat yogurt in a cooler.
- Read the labels before eating it! Avoid the big bag of chips and refined grains with empty calories, pick whole wheat crackers, popcorn and granola bars instead. These are high in fiber and low in added sugars, fat and sodium. To learn more about labels visit the FDA website, what are nutrition labels and how to read them?
- Choose a healthy sandwich for dinner. Choose turkey, roast beef or grilled chicken and whole wheat bread. Or the healthier option at the restaurant. Choose the “child’s size” portion, share the main dish or save half for later. Choose grilled, broiled, baked, low fat and low sodium options.
- Plan a healthy family picnic instead of diner parties, in that case you can bring healthier food options and stay active during the day playing volleyball, football, soccer or swimming.
A nutritious diet rich in carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals with plenty of fluid is vital if you’re spending a lot of time outside with high temperatures. It will help you avoid low energy levels.
Following the above tips are healthy and easy ways towards a balanced diet. If you would like to learn more about heathy lifestyles, visit USDA’s My Plate page. Michigan State University Extension offers various educational programs for adults, families, and children that focus on lifestyle changes to promote healthy eating. For more health and nutrition tips, visit Michigan State University Extension
