(NC) - Skip the snack-bar line-up at the park this summer by planning ahead and packing nutritious meals and snacks that even the kids will enjoy. Here are some quick tips to help you pack a healthy picnic or snack for your family outings.
Leaving early in the morning for a family car trip? Pack a picnic breakfast to enjoy on the road. Whole wheat muffins, orange slices and juice boxes of flavoured milk are easy to eat on the go and will give you the energy you need to enjoy your trip.
Instead of ice cream, freeze a Tetra Pak carton of juice or low-fat chocolate milk for a nutritious frozen snack. Simply cut the top off the carton, grab a spoon and enjoy.
Be sure to include protein in your picnics. Meat, eggs, nuts and cheese help make meals and snacks satisfying because the protein gives you energy by slowly releasing glucose into the bloodstream.
Treat the family to a fruit fondue by sealing a handful of chocolate chips in tinfoil and letting it sit out in the sun while you enjoy your picnic lunch. Carefully unwrap the tinfoil when you're ready for dessert and dip chunks of your favourite fruit into the chocolate. Yum!
Keep the entire family hydrated before and during outdoor activities with 100 per cent juice and low-fat milk in Tetra Pak cartons. Fill a cooler with your family's favourite drinks and include some frozen cartons that can be used as a cold source. The frozen cartons will thaw by afternoon for an icy treat on the drive home.
