4 FOODS THAT A DIETITIAN ALWAYS PACKS IN HER PICNIC
At last – picnic season is here! Instead of indulging in picnic after picnic, however, it’ll pay to pack a picnic that’s on the healthier side … at least some of the time. To give you some nutritious picnic inspo, here are four foods that I, as a dietitian, always have on my picnic menu.
1. PRAWNS
Not only are prawns delicious, they’re an excellent picnic option because they’re super satisfying thanks to their high protein content. With just over 100 calories per 100 grams of prawn meat, prawns make for a light picnic course – and the fact that you have to carefully peel them slows you down and means you’ll have more time to savour the flavour of every mouthful. Plus, prawns provide a raft of essential nutrients, including the energising B-group vitamin niacin, vitamin B12 for healthy blood and even a boost of bone-strengthening calcium.
2. KOMBUCHA
Sugary soft drinks and alcoholic bevvies might be tasty, but they add a whole lot of unnecessary kilojoules to your picnic spread. Kombucha, on the other hand, is a tasty, effervescent refreshment with far less kilojoules – and it might even be good for your gut thanks to the probiotics it contains. If you’re not into kombucha, you could try soda water flavoured with citrus, fresh herbs and berries, or experiment with zero-alcohol wines or spirits.
3. BERRIES
Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries – whatever is in season, I always pack a punnet in my picnic basket. Sweet and juicy berries are rich in vitamin C to support a healthy immune system, provide hunger-busting fibre for a healthy digestive system and pack a punch in terms of disease-fighting antioxidants. They’re a wonderful way to satisfy a sweet tooth without opting for added sugar, and again are super low in calories so are very hard to overeat. An entire 250-gram punnet of strawberries, for example, contains just 65 calories.
4. VEGGIE STICKS
Baby cucumbers and cherry tomatoes are my go to – but anything from carrot sticks to sliced radishes to baby capsicums are a go. While I don’t expect anyone to go to a picnic and just eat veggie sticks (how boring!), having them available is a wise idea to balance out traditionally heavy picnic foods. Swapping just a few crackers with dip or mouthfuls of cheese for veggies is a simple way to lighten the load and boost the goodness of your picnic spread.