How Do You Keep Cool During the Hot Summer Months?

The onset of hot weather automatically makes us think of ways to cool down. Some people go swimming, play in pools or sprinklers or have water fights. Others think of cool food and beverages ideas.

Food and beverages can help us keep cool during a heatwave. But you may want to choose wisely. Some summer treats such as frozen fudge bars, ice cream and frozen drinks, such as iced coffee drinks or frozen lemonades can not only cool you down, they can add many extra calories to your daily intake.

Here are some ideas to try and beat the summer heat:

Beverages: Water is your best thirst-quenching drink; it hydrates without adding any unnecessary calories. If water isn’t the favorite go-to drink, try adding some flavor with fresh or frozen fruit such as blueberries, cucumber, lemon, lime, mint, raspberries or strawberries. Fresh fruit can be frozen in ice cube trays just like water, and used as colorful and tasty ice cubes.

Other healthy summertime beverage options can be a homemade fruit punch and fruit smoothies. Fruit punch can be made by combining 100% fruit juice, club soda and fresh or frozen fruit chunks. Fruit smoothies can be made by combining 100% fruit juice, milk or yogurt and fresh or frozen fruit chunks. Try different juice and fruit to make some unique combinations.

Fruit Kabobs: Kabobs are fun to eat, especially for kids, and can be a cool snack. Choose some of your favorite fruit, wash, cut and skewer it. Keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. You can use low fat yogurt as a dip to increase the fun.

Parfaits: Make a parfait with low fat yogurt and your favorite frozen fruit.

Popsicles: Homemade popsicles are the best! You can use a variety of mixtures to make them: 100% real fruit juice, pureed fruit or low fat yogurt. Search the internet for recipes, but look for ones that have the least amount of sugar.

Yogurt: Yogurt can be a cool snack itself. To make it even cooler, and fun, freeze it. Yogurt tubes are easy to freeze and are a fun snack for kids; but containers of low fat yogurt can be frozen too, and used as an alternative for dessert instead of ice cream.

Do you have a favorite summertime beverage or snack recipe that keeps you cool? If so, share it with me at thedishonlcn@gmail.com. Maybe I’ll feature it in a future blog this summer.

If you have any nutrition topics you would like me to write about or have a question you would like answered, email me at thedishonlcn@gmail.com. I would really like to hear from you!