The Best and Worst Summer Picnic Foods

14 de July de 2011 Postado por Joyce Anne em Nutrition com Nenhum Comentário

You’ve got a summer chock-full of backyard cookouts and picnics in the park, but you’ve worked your cute little butt off to look smokin’ in your swimsuit (and, hooray, you do!). One way to maintain all that hard weight-loss work this summer is to know exactly what to eat and what to avoid. We put together the healthy eatingcheat sheet you need.

Burgers!

WORST: Chuck burger with cheese

(8-oz. burger: 450 calories, 23 grams fat)

BEST: Lean beef burger

(8-oz. 95-percent lean burger: 386 calories, 14.9 grams fat)

“One of the biggest misconceptions about burgers is that turkey burgers are always healthier—oftentimes if you don’t get lean ground turkey, they can have as many calories as a beef burger,”. Jackson Blatner, R.D, author of The Flexitarian Diet. For an additional healthy kick, Blatner suggests chopping mushrooms and mixing them into lean beef for big calorie savings and an extra-juicy burger.

Hot Dogs!

WORST: Chili dog

(Chili dog: 519 calories, 29 grams fat)

BEST: Turkey dog

(1.6-oz. turkey dog: 102 calories, 8 grams fat)

“A hot dog is portioned-controlled and generally a good choice,”. And if you use ketchup, she adds, “make sure tomato is the first ingredient, not high-fructose corn syrup.”

Chicken!

WORST: Fried chicken

(4-oz. serving: 363 calories, 25.1 grams fat)

BEST: Grilled chicken kebab

(4-oz. serving: 88 calories, 1 gram fat)

“If you feel that a regular skinless chicken breast with barbecue sauce doesn’t work, think about kebabs”. “They’re backyard-friendly, plus you get a dose of veggies along with it.”

Buns and Rolls!

WORST: Plain hamburger bun

(1.5-oz. roll: 129 calories, 3.1 grams fat)

BEST: Whole-grain sandwich thin

(1.5-oz. roll: 100 calories, 1 gram fat)

”Blatner says always choose a 100-percent whole-grain bun without high-fructose corn syrup that’s in the 100- to 120-calorie per bun range. For a heartier bun alternative, she suggests whole-grain English muffins—they’re her personal fave”.

Potato Salad!

WORST: Mayonnaise-based potato salad

(8-oz. serving: 324 calories, 18.6 grams fat)

BEST: Grilled potatoes

(8-oz. serving: 211 calories, 0.2 gram fat)

“Fingerling or mini Yukon gold potatoes taste creamy and buttery, and you don’t have to add any mayo,” “Jazz it up with fresh herbs like chives or basil—it’s easier by a landslide than making potato salad.”

Sides!

WORST: Pasta salad

(Half-cup serving: 197 calories, 11 grams fat)

BEST: Corn on the cob

(1 ear: 59 calories , 0.4 gram fat)

“A lot of pasta-salad recipes put in cheese and some type of meat and heavy dressing,”. Opt for corn instead: “It’s great side and a whole, unprocessed choice.”

Chips and Dips!

WORST: Potato chips with creamy dip

(1-oz. plain salted potato chips: 155 calories, 106 grams fat; 1-oz. French onion dip: 55 calories, 4.7 grams fat)

BEST: Corn tortilla chips with salsa

(1-oz. white corn tortilla chips: 138 calories, 6.6 grams fat; 1-oz. tomato salsa: 8 calories, 0 grams fat)

” Tortilla Chips because they tend to accompany the healthier dips, like fat-free salsa, as opposed to potato chips, which usually get dunked into something fatty”.

Drinks!

WORST: Lemonade

(12-oz. cup: 97 calories, 0 grams fat)

BEST: Lemonade spritzer: sparkling water with a splash of lemonade

(11-oz. club soda: 0 calories, 0 grams fat ; 1-oz. splash of lemonade: 8 calories, 0 grams fat)

“So many people think because lemonade is tart and light and refreshing that it doesn’t seem like soda, but it has many calories as a Coca-Cola,”A spritzer to still get that fresh flavor, while most of what’s in your glass is calorie-free. Bonus: No artificial sweeteners!

Dessert!

WORST: Strawberry shortcake

(1 slice strawberry shortcake: 314 calories, 7.75 grams fat)

BEST: Strawberries and whipped cream

(1 cup raw strawberries: 46 calories, 0.4 grams fat; 1 tbsp. whipped cream: 52 calories, 5.6 grams fat)

OK, so calorically, it’s not awful, but don’t be fooled into thinking strawberry shortcake is downright healthy just because it includes fruit: Blatner says the dessert can contain highly processed ingredients and hydrogenated oils. She suggests fresh strawberries with a dollop of whipped cream instead. Yes, please!

Have a Nice and Health Summer!