Your Self: Nutrition

A Picnic to Be Proud Of
Arthritis Today, JULY-AUGUST 2006
by Mary Margaret Chappell

Nevermind the ants. The real problem with traditional picnics is the food. Here’s how to do better the next time you prep for an outdoor feast.

Sunshine, fresh air and a stroll to a pretty spot all make a picnic a classic summer outing. But if you fill your wicker basket with traditional picnic fare, you’ll wind up bloated from high-fat, high-calorie foods. Instead, break tradition by packing lighter, more nutritious foods alongside your red-checked tablecloth and sunscreen. Here’s how to make the trade:

Trade fried chicken for tuna pouches. Instead of loading up on saturated fats from fried chicken, load up on inflammation-fighting omega-3’s found in tuna. Put tuna dressed with lemon juice and lemon pepper rather than mayonnaise on sandwiches or sprinkle on a bed of greens.

Trade cheddar cubes for mini mozzarella balls. Part-skim fresh mozzarella balls are lower in fat and cholesterol than cubed hard cheeses like cheddar and Swiss and are an excellent source of calcium and protein, says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, registered dietitian and anesthesiologist at Altoona Regional Medical Center in Pa.

Trade regular chips with baked chips. “I’m a big baked chip fan,” says Susan Krantz, chief dietitian at Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point, N.J., who says baked chips are OK in moderation. “They taste great, have only a little fat and absolutely no trans-fats.”

Trade deviled eggs for hard-boiled eggs. Squeeze a small dollop of mustard on halved hard-boiled eggs for deviled flavor without the fat and calories.

Trade pickles for sugar snap peas and grape tomatoes. For crudités you don’t have to chop, crunchy sugar snap peas and grape tomatoes just need a quick rinse, says Sarah Barts, registered dietitian at Holy Redeemer Health Center in Philadelphia. They have lots of fiber but no fat, and very little sodium compared to pickles.

Trade soda for frozen containers of tea. Not only does iced tea contain healthful antioxidants and less sugar than soft drinks, you can freeze all or part of a jug so it doubles as an ice pack to lighten your load, says Dr. Gerbstadt.

Trade cookies and brownies for S’more sandwiches. Spread graham crackers with Marshmallow Fluff, sprinkle with unsweetened cocoa and top with more graham crackers. “High-fiber graham crackers are a great picnic option because they are plenty sweet, but still low-fat and low-cal,” says Barts.