Top Cool Summer Foods

In the heat of August, you probably aren’t tempted to make the same hot stews or baked vegetables as you might want to make in February to warm up the house. Many people avoid cooking and eating hot foods when they’re already feeling too warm, and with the blazing summer heat in full force, cool foods are an easier and more sought-after option. It’s hard to think of fresh ideas for healthy, yet cool meals, though, so many people stick to unhealthy ice cream snacks or sugary popsicles.

Here are some ideas for healthy, yet cool foods and beverages that you can enjoy for any meal without heating up your kitchen and home!

Yogurt and fruits

One of the best cool, healthy snacks is yogurt with fruits mixed in. Choose fresh fruits that you enjoy such as blueberries or strawberries and mix them into plain yogurt – not yogurt that has had lots of sugar added! Try Greek yogurt for an extra protein boost, too. This snack helps keep your fluid levels up, promotes gut health, and gives you a sugar boost. Try it in the mid-morning when you might otherwise reach for junk food or in the evening as an after-dinner dessert.

Eat your vegetables

You can listen to your mother’s advice about vegetables now. Avoid roasting or boiling vegetables and try lightly steaming or microwaving them to lock in the nutrients without heating up your home. Vegetables will help replace nutrients you might lose by not baking elaborate meals. Vegetables also contain lots of water, which helps maintain your fluid levels. Steaming vegetables is one of the healthiest preparation methods and also doesn’t require you to hover over a hot stove like stir-frying and other healthy methods.

Drink cold pressed juice

Don’t reach for sugar-filled sodas in the heat! They will deprive you of fluids and are the single unhealthiest item you can easily cut out of your diet today. Instead, try Skinny Limits cold pressed juice to avoid the extra sugars and heart disease-causing ingredients found in pop. Cold pressed juice gives you enough nutrients to replace a meal or even go on a short-term juice cleanse. Make sure you drink a raw juice, not a grocery store “sugar added” juice that doesn’t provide the same benefits as the fruits and veggies it is derived from.

Cool pasta salads provide bulk

If you’re craving something with carbs, reach for the pasta salad. Carbs will help you avoid heat exhaustion and boost your energy. You can also get carbs from yogurt, baked beans or potatoes, or rice. Small, carb-laden snacks like pita bread can help get you through the next few hours, too. One or two warm meals a day won’t hurt, but pasta salad can be eaten cold.

Don’t suffer in the kitchen when the summer heat is at full force. Hot foods and hot environments will only make your body work harder to stay cool! Instead, try eating these cool foods and drinking these cool beverages. This will help keep your body cool and give you the energy you need to make it through the heat of the day.