Picnic Foods That Won't Pack on Pounds

Photo: langalex, Flickr

When the weather is beautiful, why not escape to the outdoors? Enjoy lunch at a local park, bring along a picnic spread on your next bike ride, hike along a trail until you find the perfect spot or just enjoy your meal in your own backyard. There are plenty of options for picnic foods that won't pack on pounds:

• Veggie wrap. Load a whole-grain tortilla with a little cheese and as many veggies as you can fit. Try a mix of sprouts, tomato, cucumber and shredded carrot. Dress it up with mustard and some freshly ground pepper and then roll it up. It's a healthful and easy to eat sandwich.
  
• Hard-boiled eggs. Perfect for packing, hard-boiled eggs come in their own container. That means less waste to take home with you. Plus, they're tasty and high in protein -- energy for the bike ride, hike or walk back home.
• Your choice of dip. Salsa and hummus are both healthful alternatives to dip. You can bring some baked chips or, better yet, dip strips of bell pepper and cucumber instead.
• A better slaw salad. Tanya Zuckerbrot's take on an Asian Slaw Salad isn't just a lighter alternative to this favorite, it's also picnic friendly.
• Fruit. Convenient and easy to pack, fruit is a sweet ending for your meal.
• Sweeter yet. Does your summer meal feel incomplete without a brownie-like treat? Modify a favorite recipe to make it a bit healthier. For example, you can try zucchini brownies or you can make Toll House pan cookies but use whole-wheat flour instead of white and applesauce instead of the butter/oil.

For more ideas, check out these eight picnic treats under 80 calories.