Four Tips for a Healthy Fourth
The Fourth of July is a perfect time for outdoor celebrations. Grilled burgers, hotdogs, chips, and an array of desserts are usual cookout fare, but there are other options. This summer, serve a diverse variety of healthy, seasonal foods that are just as celebratory and delicious but also will allow you to maintain a healthy dietary pattern. Here are four easy tips to make your celebration safe and healthy. The fun is up to you!
1. Pack in Produce.
Let the season’s countless varieties of produce inspire your Independence Day menu—fresh, roasted, or grilled, as appetizers, sides, salads, snacks, and desserts. Corn on the cob, potato salad, and coleslaw are traditional summer sides. Mix it up by tossing together a colorful salad. Or skewer up veggie kebabs with a colorful array of crowd pleasers like cherry tomatoes, bright bell peppers, mushrooms, summer squash, zucchini, and red onion. Brush lightly with olive oil, grill, then serve directly or drizzle with a simple vinaigrette or splash of tangy balsamic vinegar.
Summer fruits make a tasty side dish and a great dessert. Pineapple, peaches, plums, and even watermelon are delicious grilled. Berries, melon, kiwi, mango, grapes, and dragon fruit are beautiful and naturally sweet, perfect for a fruit salad or threaded onto skewers. A squeeze of citrus before grilling boosts flavor and helps maintain color.
In addition to being rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber to promote good health, fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water, so they help keep you hydrated and cool in hot weather. Other plant foods, like whole grains and beans, are also excellent, nutritious choices. Rinsed canned beans tossed with your favorite vinaigrette and some diced veggies makes a quick, easy, delicious salad. Toss cooked and cooled whole grains with blueberries or dried cranberries, a handful of baby greens, walnut pieces, and some crumbled feta or cotija cheese for a special side dish (add some vinaigrette as desired).
2. Make a Splash.
No matter where you’re celebrating—from parades, cookouts, and beach parties to picnics and fireworks, chances are it’s hot outside. Rising temperatures increase the need body’s need for fluids, which play a key role in helping the body function properly. Drinking water is the best way to hydrate, especially for long or all-day outings. How much water a person needs depends on a variety of factors (including their size, activity level, and environment). Most people do fine if they drink when they’re thirsty. (Note that, as we age, we don’t always register thirst in hot weather as quickly as we did when we were younger, especially after some physical activity. It is a good idea to intentionally drink some water on hot days.) Have plenty of appealing options on hand at your holiday get-together. Spruce up water (flat, sparkling, or mineral) with a splash of fruit juice or slices of fresh or frozen fruits (like berries, citrus, and cucumber) and/or fresh herbs (like mint, basil, and lavender). There are also lots of canned and bottled seltzers and sparkling or mineral waters available, both plain and flavored, just watch out for added sugars. Unsweetened coffee and tea are good options as well and can be served over ice. Have several easily accessible and wellstocked beverage stations or coolers to keep the fluids flowing. During a long day outdoors, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on active kids who may be having too much fun to stop for a water break.
3. Don’t Make Meat the Star.
There are many crowd-pleasing plant-based alternatives to burgers and hot dogs. Portabella mushrooms, eggplant, breadfruit, and extra firm tofu have a “meaty” texture. Prepare them with your favorite marinades or plant oil and seasonings, cut them to thread onto skewers or slice them into patties, grill, and as is or in buns with toppings, hamburger style.
Don’t be tempted by ultraprocessed meat alternatives like plant-based burger replacements. While these are an improvement over beef in terms of environmental impact, they are ultraprocessed foods, and some may not be any healthier than meat.
If you don’t want to take meat off the menu entirely, consider offering options like grilled chicken, seafood, turkey or salmon burgers, and veggie burgers made with whole ingredients like whole grains, legumes, nuts, and mushrooms and include an array of sides featuring vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fruits.
4. Be Food Safe.
Outdoor cooking, food preparation, serving, and storage increase the risk of foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning. Lower risk with a few preventative food safety practices. If you’re picnicking, prepare as much of the food as possible at home and keep it cold or frozen until just before leaving. Pack into a cooler with adequate ice packs or ice. If possible, pack several coolers to keep beverages, produce, and any raw meats separate. Packing the cooler tightly helps food stay cold longer. Try freezing nearly full water bottles (leaving about an inch of empty space at the top). They will act as temporary ice packs and eventually a cool source of fluid! Store coolers in a shady space (not in the car), covered with a blanket to keep the inside temperature below 40 degrees. Open the cooler as infrequently as possible.
Keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Except for whole fruits and vegetables, foods between 40 and 140 degrees can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Discard food that has been in this “danger zone” for more than two hours. When grilling, use a meat thermometer to be sure meats are cooked to safe temperatures (beef, pork, and fish: 145 degrees; ground meat: 165 degrees; chicken and turkey: 165 degrees). Have water, soap, towels, and sanitizer on hand to keep clean. For cold foods, place ice packs under the serving dishes.
The Fourth of July is, like many holidays, associated with specific, traditional foods. Sharing those foods with family and friends is part of the celebration. If you choose to eat the burger or hotdog, do so. It is a holiday, after all! Just stick to one, and be sure to fill the rest of your plate with plenty of seasonal fruits and vegetables, have smaller portions of the less healthy once-a-year temptations—and enjoy!
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