Advertisement We often get so busy with our lives that we don’t take advantage of the beauty surrounding us or the abundance of activities accessible to us. At the same time, I often hear people mention that gatherings with family and friends often focus on food.
This summer, why not make a shift in our thinking and plan the activity first and at the same time really enjoy our river valley and bluffs? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
For a family activity, you can plan a bike trip to a destination such as a park or swimming pool. At gatherings, bring family and friends together for a game of kickball, softball, basketball, volleyball, freeze tag, or plan a scavenger hunt or ultimate croquet tournament (you can use your imagination in making the course).
When the sun goes down, start the night games. Ask your kids and you’ll hear some great suggestions of “kick the can” or “ghost in the graveyard” and play along with them. Everyone seems to have their own directions for these games. For adult gatherings, try a biking or hiking trip, go canoeing, play Frisbee in the park or play ultimate croquet, volleyball, bocce ball or golf. The goal is to plan the activity first. For other ideas, visit the Web site www.childhoodobesitycoalition.org, and look at their summer 2007 newsletter. Remember to take a moment to admire the beauty of our region with eagles flying overhead, fireflies blinking on the hillside and the fresh summer air to breathe.
Eventually, we need to replenish our energy, and to make healthy food choices, we need to plan ahead. Any of the activities listed above could be followed with a picnic of sandwiches or by firing up the grill. The location of your activity will dictate the appropriate food selections. A great way to plan these eating events is to use the food guide pyramid. Run through each food group and offer something from each one; for example, chicken wrap (grain, meat, vegetable) grapes (fruit), yogurt/string cheese (milk).
If you are grilling, the host can provide the meat and ask the guests to bring fresh fruit, a vegetable tray or salad. The key really is to plan ahead and guide the menu to incorporate a wide variety of food groups and make a colorful display.
To help you get started, the following wrap recipe can easily be prepared and packed in a cooler.
Chicken Tortilla Wrap
10-inch flour tortilla
2 tablespoons low-calorie or light Caesar dressing
2 romaine lettuce leaves
2 tablespoons fresh sweet red bell peppers — chopped
2 tablespoons fresh carrots — grated
2 ounces broiled chicken or roasted turkey sandwich meat
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Place the romaine lettuce (as leaves or torn) in the flour tortilla. Next, layer vegetables and chicken. Add the dressing over the top. Then, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and roll it up! To add fiber, use a whole-wheat or whole-grain tortilla.
Makes 1 serving.
Nutrition information per serving: 193 calories, 13 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrate and 5 grams fat.
Diane Hinrichs Kelbel is a registered dietitian at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. The 500 Club is a healthy-eating program coordinated by Gundersen Lutheran registered dietitians, and its members include restaurants, grocery stores, delis and vending
companies.
