This is one of those long weekends of summer that I truly look forward to. The county I live in has a fantastic fireworks show (the second largest display in our state, in fact). Plus it's just a great time to get together with family and friends. If you've got a 4th of July party to go to this weekend, consider bringing along a healthy and festive dish to pass. Some ideas:

• Blue corn chips and fresh salsa.
• A red, white, and blue veggie tray -- radishes, cauliflower, red pepper, purple pepper (it's close to blue anyway), cherry tomatoes, and so forth.
• Blueberries, strawberries, and star fruit make an all-American fruit salad
• Wrap turkey, tomato slices, low-fat cheese, and sprouts in blue corn tortillas -- cut them into small wedges for a tasty appetizer.

Lifescript has more ideas for healthy 4th of July foods.

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We Canadians just finished celebrating our country's birth on July first, and you folks in the USA will be doing the same this coming July 4th. And chances are you'll be celebrating by spending time with friends and family at a barbecue, where you'll enjoy plenty of goodies and maybe even a few adult beverages. Now, there's nothing wrong with indulging every now and then, but if you're watching what you eat, it's a good idea to get informed and know how many calories you're ingesting.

What foods will you be enjoying at your 4th of July barbecue? One item that's a staple at many of the events I've been to is hot dogs. Juicy, covered in ketchup and served on a fresh bun, few things say 'barbecue' like a dog. But my Spidey senses tell me they're not the best nutritional value out there. What do you think?

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If you've been elected to host this year's 4th of July party, you have only a few days left to get everything prepared. Sure, people will probably show up with some food and drinks of their own, but let's face it, it's incumbent upon you to make sure everyone's well fed.

As you endeavor to fulfill that obligation -- and while you rethink making the offer of having the party at your place -- there are steps you should also take to make sure your party is safe. Great ... just one more thing to worry about, right? No at all, because we've already got you covered. A tip of the hat to the folks over at HealthCentral.com for coming up with the following list of grilling do's and don'ts:

1. Be organized
2. Gauge your fuel
3. Direct grilling is a high heat cooking method
4. Keep it clean
5. Keep it lubricated
6. Turn, don't stab
7. Know when to baste
8. Keep it covered
9. Give it a rest
10. Never desert your post

I have to be honest, tips 4 and 5 make me wonder exactly what goes on at a HealthCentral barbecue. Nevertheless, you can also find tips on their site on how to keep your 4th of July party safe and fun for people with allergies. To find out more, click here (lubrication not required).

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Ah, the 4th of the July. Fireworks, patriotism, and hot dog eating contests. I have no idea what consuming mass quantities of ballpark franks has to do with the birth of the United States, but nevertheless, it's become quite the tradition this time of year. By far the most-famous eating contest -- the one in which the world's top eaters take part -- is the July 4th annual Coney Island hotdog eating competition.

This year there was some considerable drama, as the defending champion, 28-year-old Takeru Kobayashi had a jaw problem -- but persevered, and still managed to eat 63 hot dogs in spite of his injury. It was a valiant effort, but he couldn't beat Joey Chestnut, an American from San Jose, who managed to down 66 hot dogs -- and in doing so, set a new world record.

"It just feels awesome," Chestnut told Reuters.

Just to put that in perspective:

66 hot dogs with no buns = 7,260 calories of awesome
66 hot dogs with the average bun = 13,860 calories of awesome

In 12 minutes.

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