Picnic Food Ideas for a Nutritious and Simple Picnic

When deciding the menu for a picnic, the name of the game is flavor. But, flavor doesn’t have to mean unhealthy. A picnic menu can be just as healthy and easy as a meal you would prepare at home.

Picnic appetizers keep guests from getting bored while they wait for the grill to heat up. Make or purchase a container of veggie dip. If you purchase the dip, buy the light variety. When whipping up a dip, opt for ranch seasoning mix and a container of low fat sour cream. The taste is just as flavorful minus all of the added calories.

To accompany your dip, try a raw vegetable platter. Vegetables are lighter than chips and they won’t adversely impact your waistline if you eat too many. Preparing the vegetables the night before gives you more time the day of the picnic. Vegetables can be sliced into decorative chips with a crinkle cutter for added variety.

If the kids must have salty snacks, choose the baked variety. Most snack companies sell a baked, lower fat version of their popular snacks. More importantly, one hundred calorie snack bags will keep them from consuming too many of their favorite snacks.

Frozen burger patties don’t have to be fattening anymore. Choose from turkey burger patties or 98% lean hamburger. These alternatives are tasty and will benefit your family’s health. When dressing the burger, add a generous slice of tomato, onion, and/or lettuce.

The more food items you can prepare before hand, the more relaxed the actual picnic will be. Chicken breast or seafood kabobs can be bought fresh directly from the meat department of the local grocer. Keep them cool until ready to toss on the grill. A side dish of brown rice can be served with the kabobs for a complete meal.

Dessert at a picnic usually consists of cake or some other sweet confection. Fruit salad is a healthy twist on dessert. A combination of sweet fruits topped with coconut pieces or served with a fruit dip satisfies the sugar craving. Try grilled fruits like pineapples or peaches for a tangy tasting dessert.

When it comes to drinks, opt for bottled water or juices. Sugar free flavor packets can be mixed into bottled water for a fruity drink if you don’t want to drink juice. If picnickers will be active, water offers better hydration than soda drinks.

A picnic doesn’t have to equate to a departure from a healthy eating regimen. Nutritious menu items can be managed even on the grill. Pre-planning can keep the menu less filling not to mention simple and stress-free.

For more healthy eating tips and recipes from Christine Steendahl, "The Menu Mom", log onto http://www.themenumom.com

Other articles by Christine Steendahl

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