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Smart Summer Food Choices for Families on the Go

By: Sarah Remmer, RD, CDE

So you’re all set for your summer trip to the cabin, the camp ground or the beach. You’ve got the car packed and the kids buckled in. And hopefully you have a cooler full of healthy delicious food for the drive up and for when you get to your destination! Not so much? Need some ideas for healthy meals and snacks when you’re on the go this summer? Read on for tips and ideas to keep the family energized, happy and healthy on summer outings and trips…

Build balanced meals: A balanced meal consists of three key components: a whole grain or starch, a vegetable or fruit and a good source of protein. Protein comes from the meats and alternatives and/or milk and alternatives group. Carbohydrate foods coming from your grains and starches and your fruits and some veggies will provide you and your family with fuel for whatever your day holds in store for you. These foods are also important for essential vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and fibre. The protein in your meal will help to keep you full until your next meal and will also help to repair and maintain muscle tissue that ’s been damaged during all of your summer sports and activities. You may want to get your kids involved in meal planning as well so that they have a sense of ownership or input into meal planning. Some examples of healthy meals for summer trips are:

Breakfasts: Break the fast with these tasty meals:

• Oatmeal, nuts and fresh or dried fruit
• Sunny side up eggs, back bacon, toast and a piece of fruit
• French toast or pancakes with yogurt or cottage cheese and berries
• Veggie omelette with whole grain toast

Lunches: Mid-day munchies that will not disappoint:

• A turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with mustard, cheese, lettuce and tomato. Add a piece of fruit
• A mini flavoured canned tuna, low-fat cheese that is individually wrapped, some whole grain crackers and raw veggies and a piece of fruit (this one is good for camping or hiking)
• Macaroni and cheese with raw veggies and tuna
• A low fat sausage such as "Spolumbo’s", a whole grain bun and salad
• A veggie wrap with hummus, low fat cream cheese, tomato, cucumber, and spinach. Add a piece of fruit.
• A peanut butter and banana sandwich with a glass of milk or some yogurt.

Suppers: Super speedy suppers:

• Open-faced salmon or tuna melts with carrot sticks
• Bison burgers with whole grain buns and Caesar salad with light dressing
• Lean steak, baked potatoes and grilled veggies on the BBQ
• Pita pizza’s (whole grain pitas, tomato sauce, veggies, chicken or other lean meat, and cheese)—this one is great if you’re staying in a cabin or condo. Get your kids to build their own!
• Turkey tacos. Use ground turkey, taco seasoning, hard or soft taco shells, tomato, lettuce, salsa and cheese

Feel free to mix and match meals. For example, having French toast with yogurt and berries is a great dinner too! Cold pizza can also make a great breakfast! When you are eating out in restaurants on your vacation, the same rule applies: always aim for balance (the 3 components) in each meal.

Snack attacks! If you know that your meals are going to be 5 hours a part or longer, plan to have a healthy snack in between. Often, snacks get missed, so parents and kids are STARVING at meal times. Or, pit stops are made at the gas station for candy,pop and potato chips. Including snacks is a great way to curb your hunger for you next meal and keep you well fuelled throughout the day. Snacks should consist of 2 components: protein and carbohydrate (carbs should come from either the grains/starches group or veggies/fruits group). A couple of example would be cheese and crackers or yogurt and fruit. Plan ahead, assuming that you are going to need snacks everyday in between meals. Great snack items to have packed are: individually wrapped cheeses, crackers, healthy granola bars, homemade trail mix (nuts, dried fruit and cereal), mini flavoured tuna cans, peanut butter and whole wheat wraps, individual yogurts and cottage cheese cups, hummus and raw veggies cut up, turkey pepperoni sticks or beef or bison jerky, and unsweetened apple or other fruit sauce.

Beware of bacteria:

Food safety is something to keep in mind when preparing and storing food for summer outings and vacations. Here are some tips to stay healthy and keep bacteria at bay:

• Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood separate from other foods in the cooler or refrigerator. Store in plastic bags or sealed containers on the lowest rack in the fridge or in a separate cooler to prevent juices from leaking onto other foods.
• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold! Prepare foods quickly, cook them thoroughly and serve soon after cooking. Don’t let foods linger at temperatures where bacteria can multiply [4°C to 60°C]. Use a digital or instant red meat thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to a safe temperature.
• Don’t overstuff your fridge or cooler. Cold air needs to circulate above and beneath food to keep it properly chilled.

Picnic safely

• Pack foods in a well-insulated cooler with plenty of ice or frozen gel packs.
• Pack foods first that you think you will use last. Take two coolers—one for cold drinks and another for perishable foods so that warm air won’t get into the perishables every time someone reaches for a drink.
• Transport the cooler in the back seat of an air-conditioned car, not the hot trunk.
• At the picnic or campsite, place the cooler under the shade of a tree of keep it under a blanket or tarp—make sure it’s out of the sun.
• Bring hand soap and water to wash your hands before preparing foods and eating. If soap and water aren’t available, pack disposable wipes or hand sanitizer.
• Drink bottled water or tap water from a safe source. Try not to drink water from lakes or streams even if the water looks clean. If necessary, buy water purification tablets or water filters at stores that sell camping gear and outdoor sporting goods to purify lake or stream water prior to drinking it.

How to hydrate: Most of us need about 2-3 litres of fluid every day to stay hydrated. You may need more if you are out in the sun and/or exercising. This fluid can come from water, tea, coffee (in moderation), 100% real fruit juice, milk or other calcium-fortified beverage, fresh fruits and veggies, veggie juice, soups, sports drinks such as Gatorade (only necessary if performing endurance sport longer than 90 minutes), and from the fruits and veggies that you eat. Kids are more likely to become dehydrated as their thirst mechanism isn’t as sharp as ours are, so it is important that healthy hydrating drinks are provided often. Water bottles are a great way to remind kids to drink water throughout the day, and always including a beverage at each meal and snack time. A good way to know that you are well hydrated is to monitor the colour of your urine. It should be clear to pale yellow (like lemonade) every time you urinate.

The best of the worst: Chances are that you will over-indulge on your trip at one point or anther—who doesn’t? This is part of the fun of vacations and summer outings. But, if you are looking for healthier choices for you and your family, they are usually available. Here are some tips to choose the "best of the worst" when eating out:

Burger joints: choose a plain burger and opt for a salad with the dressing on the side instead of French fries. Grilled chicken burgers are another option. Stay away from items that are deep fried and/or battered as these are very high in unhealthy saturated and trans fats. Choose milk or 100% fruit juice over pop most of the time.

Smoothies: Opt for a smoothie place that does not include ice cream or sorbet in their smoothies. What you’re looking for is a smoothie made from real fruit and 100% fruit juice, and maybe even low fat yogurt. Add a boost of whey or soy protein to keep you fuller longer.

Ice cream! If you are taking the kids for ice cream, you may want to think about opting for gelato (which is usually made with skim milk) or sorbetto (which is usually dairy-free), or frozen yogurt. These choices are lower in saturated fat and generally lower in calories but just as refreshing and tasty as ice cream in my opinion.

Sub or pita sandwiches: If you are stopping at a sub place for lunch or dinner, try a 6 inch whole wheat sub or pita with a lean meat such as turkey, chicken, ham or roast beef, lots of veggies and a lower fat sauce. Stay away from white breads, high fat Italian cold cuts and creamy sauces. Add a piece of fruit or a bottle of milk for a more balanced meal.

Coffee shops: Try to stay away from donuts, muffins and other pastries most of the time. These are loaded with trans—and saturated fats and sugar. Grab a sandwich on whole wheat bread with lean meat and veggies, a veggie based soup, chilli with a bun or a breakfast English muffin with an egg, cheese and ham. Stay away from super-sweet flavoured coffees as these are also usually made with trans fats and loaded with sugar. Hot chocolate or chocolate milk is always a great stand-by for kids (or adults!) as it is full of calcium, vitamin D and protein. A plain latte or iced latte made with skim or 1% milk is a great addition to a meal or a great snack for coffee lovers. Blended cold coffee drinks tend to be quite high in sugar (and often high in fat as well), so if you choose these, skip the whip cream on top and go for a "low-fat" version if available.

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