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8 Quick and Easy Summer Snacks and Meals

Do you feel like your busy schedule keeps you from buying and eating fresh fruits and vegetables? It turns out that you don’t have to let healthy eating fly out the door on hectic days. Here are just a few tips to help you include more fruits and vegetables in your meal plan - even when you are pushed for time:

• Blend a smoothie with fresh (or frozen) fruit and 6 ounces of light vanilla yogurt or non-fat Greek yogurt. Take it with you for breakfast during your morning commute. Use a combo of summer fruits like strawberries and peaches, blackberries and raspberries, or banana and blueberries.
• When eating out for lunch, ask for extra tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce on your sandwich or wrap. Be open to trying vegetarian items – they are often lower in calories and are usually a cheaper option.
• Order a fruit salad or vegetable side instead of fries or onion rings (a lot of fast food restaurants have apple slices, carrots, side salads, etc.).
• Choose salads that have a variety of vegetables and low-fat dressing when ordering out. Beware of salads that include fatty meats, lots of cheese, or fried ingredients. Check out which veggies are in season and keep that in mind when choosing from the salad menu.
• Keep whole fruit around the house that you can grab easily on your way out the door (bananas, peaches, oranges, dried fruit, cherries, and nectarines all keep well and are easy to transport.
• Plan ahead by cutting up and portioning fresh fruits and vegetables the night before a busy day. Your snacks will be ready to grab-and-go the next day. Try snacking on sugar snap pea, summer squash or zucchini sticks, cherry or grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, or bell pepper slices are all great seasonal options.
• Keep frozen fruits and vegetables in your freezer at home. They have a longer shelf life than fresh produce and are convenient when you don’t have a lot of time to prepare meals. Frozen fruit can also make a delicious, refreshing snack or dessert during the hot summer months!
• Make a quick caprese wrap with a whole wheat tortilla, tomato slices, an ounce of fresh mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves. Wrap it in foil to hold it together, and bring it with you on the go. 

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