Eating a healthy diet doesn’t mean you need to die from boredom.
Staying cool while temperatures soar can be challenging at times. You may have no other choice but to spend time outdoors. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t do things to help regulate your body heat. One reasonable option is to enjoy something cool to eat or drink. It can satisfy your need for nutrition and be guilt-free.
Incredibly Satisfying Snacks You Can Have When the Temps Rise
Snacks help you stave off hunger. They’re a welcome sight after an intense workout, too. Choosing the right snacks helps you stay within the guidelines of your diet regimen and prevents you from overeating at mealtime by keeping you from becoming famished. If you opt to eat low-calorie options like those listed below, you’ll also get a boost of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, too.
The following 10 refreshing low-calorie treats are most enjoyable during the dog days of summer:
- Watermelon slices or cubes. The fresher the melon, the juicier it is. Nothing beats fresh watermelon on a hot day. You can even make watermelon juice and drink it whenever you’re craving something naturally sweet to drink. It’s low-calorie, brilliantly colored, sweet, and packed full of fiber which helps you feel full longer.
- Frozen bananas. Low-calorie and creamy in texture, they’re akin to popsicles but without the artificial flavorings, sugar, and calories. You can pop them out of their skins, skewer them with a popsicle stick, and put them in a plastic bag until you’re ready to eat them. They’re highly portable, too, making them something you can enjoy on the go if you elect to eat them that way. Thanks to the popsicle stick you inserted before freezing, you don’t have to handle the cold fruit in your hands.
- Cranberry lime slushy. Combine all-natural cranberry juice with pure lime juice and some ice in a blender. Blend until it reaches your desired consistency. Pour into a cup and garnish with a mint leaf for the ultimate flavor combination. You’ll enjoy a zesty treat whenever you feel the need to cool down and relax.
- If you love tomatoes and soup, you’ll enjoy cold tomato soup. It’s light, refreshing, and packed with vitamins. It’s even easy to make and something you can enjoy for a meal or a snack. Make a big batch and freeze it so you’ll never be without it when you crave it.
- A handful of blueberries. Great on their own or as a topping on low-calorie yogurt, this form of berry is packed with vitamins and full of cancer-fighting properties. It’s an excellent way to up your intake of antioxidants and fiber without blowing your calorie counts for the day. Best of all, blueberries are highly portable meaning you can put them in a reusable container and snack on them wherever you go. A handful of nuts go great with fruit like this because the protein in them balances out the carbs in the berries.
- A cup or bowl of Greek yogurt. Packed with protein, you can’t go wrong with this delicious snack. There are a million ways to top it, too. You can use fresh fruit, nuts, hemp seeds or even drizzle some local honey in it. Plain Greek yogurt can be made into delicious dips and dressings, too, for your fresh vegetables.
- Mashed avocado on whole grain crackers. You don’t need to be of the avocado toast generation to enjoy this delicious snack. It’s creamy, delicious, and crunchy. You can make your own crackers or find an organic variety that you enjoy. If you do decide to DIY, look for recipes on the internet.
- Hummus with freshly cut veggies. Think carrots, celery sticks, cucumber slices, radishes, grape tomatoes, and sliced zucchini. You’ll get a satisfying amount of protein and an ample amount of crunch. Drizzle some fresh lemon juice across the top of the hummus for an incredible burst of bright flavor. You’ll love the layers of flavor you get with this snack.
- Cantaloupe soup. Make good use of summer melons by making them into a soup you can lap up with a spoon. Find the ripest cantaloupe available. Then blend it until it’s the consistency you love and pour it into a bowl to eat. It’s cooler than your average soup but just as satisfying.
- Sliced mango. Full of fiber, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C, this tropical delight is something you probably don’t have often. You can eat it on its own, combine it with other fruits such as pineapple and bananas or add it to a smoothie. It gives you a lot of flavor and options to choose from. That means less time thinking about what you’ll eat and more time enjoying the food instead.
There are plenty of ways to cool down during the hottest days of summer. You don’t need to eat a bunch of excess calories to do so, either. The list above provides plenty of inspiration for your next trip to the grocery store or farmers market. You’ll know exactly what to buy to satisfy your desire for something cool, refreshing, and low-calorie going forward. After all, you’ve got 10 suggestions right here to jumpstart your creativity!
Let Yourself Be Indulgent Without Feeling Guilty
Enjoying a low-calorie treat every now and then allows you to be indulgent without consuming excess calories. Now that you have multiple options to choose from, you’ll never be without ideas for how to beat the summer heat. You can cool down fast by eating one of the items from the list.
It has been said that “Variety is the spice of life.” Change up what you eat and add new treats to the list once you’ve discovered them. You’ll be glad to have additional options to choose from once you’ve made it through the list. By nature, you’ll add your favorite refreshing snacks to your shopping cart or shopping bag when you visit your local grocer or marketplace.
