Summertime is party time. We often associate summertime with beach trips, cookouts, and, less than healthy food and beverage choices. The biggest cookout of all, Independence Day, is quickly approaching. Feel your best this 4th of July by using some of these tips to healthify your holiday:
1. Make burgers with grass fed beef -
Grass fed beef does not increase cholesterol in the same way as traditional grain fed beef. Eating grass fed beef can benefit your body by increasing circulating omega-3 fatty acids (aka good, anti-inflammatory fats), introducing vitamin A and E precursors, and providing cancer fighting antioxidants.
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2846864/)
2. Offer options for hydration -
Fruit, fruit and more fruit. Your body gets 20% of it's hydration from food and fruit is a big source! In addition to sliced watermelon, make a fruit salad with berries and dress it up with lime and honey. Offer a third fruit option in the form of a Fourth of July themed infused water. Fill your punch bowl the day before the party with club soda, strawberries, blueberries and mint leaves and leave overnight to maximize flavor. Lastly, don't forget to make water generally available, throw some bottles in to your beer and soda coolers.
3. Do the cafeteria trick and put the salad at the front of the buffet-
Food service organizations are good at influencing customer behavior. They put the salad at the front of buffets because they know that patrons will take the largest serving from the first food they encounter. These organizations want to trick you in to filling your plate with the cheapest food item so that they can save money. As a party host, you can use this concept to trick your guests (and yourself) in to eating more of the healthy stuff!
