We all love a picnic when the weather is good don’t we? A nice walk with the family for some great exercise followed by sitting on the grass somewhere enjoying some nice food. It can be so unhealthy if you take sausage rolls, shop-bought quiches and shop-bought pasta salads but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips to help you enjoy a tasty and fun healthy picnic.
Picnic Tips
Make dishes if you can such as pasta, rice or couscous salad, they are so easy to make syn free and just as tasty. I love Caribbean rice for picnics. Whilst it is best to avoid bread that doesn’t mean you have to avoid sandwiches. Look at all these ideas for sandwiches without bread.
Don’t bother with fancy desserts when you don’t need them, some lovely fresh strawberries or other fruit is just as tasty and when its a hot day is much more refreshing than cheesecake!
If you want to make sandwiches, make a little pack for each person. This avoids waste but also means you can be on track for how much bread and cheese you are having and can count and weigh anything necessary before you go.
Make some mini quiches like these which hold together much better than slices of a big quiche and they are healthier than a shop-bought one.
Be realistic about how much food you will need. If you pack too much you will feel you should eat it when it isn’t needed. Plus who wants to carry around a heavier picnic basket than necessary.
Think about the drinks you would like. If you have cans of pop for the kids take straws and paper bun cases. If you push the straw through the upside-down bun case and pop it on top of the can it reduces the chance of bugs getting in the drink!
Instead of taking ice blocks, freeze things like water that can then be drunk whilst you are out. This means after your picnic you have less to carry! Staying hydrated in the heat is important too so it serves that purpose as well!
A few more tips!
Low-calorie but yummy sweet treats like those pictured above are great to take. Who wants melted chocolate on a hot day? Fibre one bars can be frozen and then defrost nicely during the day to be cool when you are ready for them.
Think about the bugs, nettles etc. Take plasters, sun cream, antihistamines and bite relief cream to make sure nothing spoils your day out!
Enjoy some exercise while you are out and make sure you have sensible shoes on so you can enjoy a family walk. When you are having fun it is amazing how far you can walk!
Plan ice cream choices before you go. If there is likely to be an ice cream van then check out the syns or points of your favourites and work the day around it so you can have something and enjoy it whilst you are out. I love a magnum for around 13 syns depending on the specific variety!
Do you have any other picnic tips? What makes a picnic healthy but still enjoyable for you? I can’t wait to take my curry loaf on a picnic as it is yummy and perfect for taking out! A picnic can be healthy and fun so don’t let dieting put you off.
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