Eat Right: Healthy Summer Eats Perfect for Picnics

With fresh produce in abundance and plenty of sunshine to help gardens grow, summer is the perfect time for New Jammies kids to eat healthy. Picnics are an ideal way to share a meal outside while enjoying summer activities and bond with family and friends.

At New Jammies, we especially love anything organic and farm-to-table, in this case farm-to-picnic blanket, to keep our kids as healthy as they can be. These healthy summer picnic ideas make eating fun and nutritional for kids of all ages:

Updated Waldorf Salad
Recipe courtesy health.com
Photo: Amy Kalyn Sims

Using low-fat mayo keeps this salad creamy but under 10 grams of fat. Plus the lemon juice adds a tangy taste and keeps the apples from browning. At 153 calories, this is a traditional salad made healthy with

Ingredients
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 small (Gala or Fuji) apples, cubed
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery (about 1 stalk)
8 Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves
Preparation

Directions
1. Combine mayonnaise and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add apples, grapes, and cranberries; mix well.
2. Add the walnuts and celery, and mix well. Serve it on a bed of 2 lettuce leaves. The salad can be refrigerated up to 2 hours before serving.

Vegan Strawberry-Banana ‘Dillas
Recipe courtesy onegreenplanet.org

This is a delicious, healthy snack to satisfy any sugar cravings with the natural sweetness of fruit. Bananas have a low glycemic index, meaning that the body absorbs the sugar gradually, eliminating spikes in blood sugar. Strawberries are very high in Vitamin C, extremely important for a good immune system. Cinnamon boosts the metabolism by slowing the rate at which the stomach empties after meals.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 whole wheat tortilla (use corn for GF)
2 tablespoons crunchy, salted almond butter
½ banana, chopped
2 – 3 strawberries, chopped
dash of cinnamon

Directions
1. Melt 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place tortilla in skillet and rotate so that it gets coated in the oil.
2. Spread out almond butter over one half of the tortilla. Top the almond butter with the banana and strawberries.
3. Sprinkle fruit with cinnamon.
4. Fold the plain side of the tortilla over the covered side. Flip.
5. Remove from pan when golden brown and slightly crunchy. Cut up in four pie-shaped pieces and enjoy.

Lemony Orzo-Veggie Salad with Chicken
Recipe courtesy Ivy Manning, Cooling Light on myrecipes.com
Photo: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

This colorful orzo and chicken main dish salad is packed with an assortment of chopped fresh vegetables and tossed with a tangy lemon dressing. It’s a great use for leftover or rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients
3/4 cup uncooked orzo
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast $
1/2 cup diced English cucumber
1/2 cup prechopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Directions
1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain and place in a large bowl.
2. While orzo cooks, combine lemon rind and next 6 ingredients (through black pepper), stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle juice mixture over orzo; toss to coat.
3. Add chicken and next 4 ingredients (through dill); toss gently to combine.
4. Sprinkle with cheese.
Blueberry Lemonade
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay and foodnetwork.com

This refreshing, fruit-filled drink can be modified with a sugar substitute or honey, if preferred, to cut down on calories.

Ingredients
3 cups blueberries
3/4 cups sugar
2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cups cold water
Ice cubes

Directions
Place the blueberries and sugar in a blender and puree.
Place the lemon juice and water in a pitcher and strain the pureed blueberries through a medium mesh sieve into the pitcher.
Stir well and pour over ice.