Healthy summer snacks with MYPLATE

By Brooke Loeffler, Registered Dietitian Food and Nutrition Services, Alomere Health

With summer comes cookouts. During the summer months, we like to enjoy our Midwest favorites with those close to us.

Using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate can help you build healthy snacks with nutrition-rich foods. As we age, we need to focus on optimizing our nutrition to lower our risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, some cancers and weight gain.

Maintaining energy levels and stabilizing blood sugars are a couple of benefits of having two healthy snacks per day for seniors.

Focusing on having fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can help us make healthy snack choices.

Here are a few snack ideas to help you commit to a healthy style of eating, as you grow older:

 Change your dip. Try using hummus with whole grain crackers for a high-fiber option or mix Greek yogurt with a packet of ranch seasoning to pair with vegetables.

Get fruity. By adding fruit to your routine, you are providing your body with a fiberpacked food that provides you with essential vitamins and minerals. Toss in strawberries or blueberries to low-fat cottage cheese. Top fish or chicken with a fruit salad for a fresh summer meal.

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 Vary your veggies. Swap chips for vegetables with dips. Slices of bell peppers, baby carrots, cucumbers or cherry tomatoes can help you increase your fiber intake with chip dips.

 Rethink your drink. Beverages are an easy way for unwanted added sugars and empty calories to enter our body. Try adding frozen fruit for a sweet way to keep your drink cold. Toss in citrus fruit or mint and cucumbers to your water or sparkling water for a low-calorie sweetener.

Pack protein. Adding protein to our snacks can help us feel fuller longer and can help stabilize blood sugars. Add unsalted walnuts or pecans to summer salads. Look for lean proteins such as poultry, lean cuts of pork and beef, and salmon or tilapia to put on the grill.

For more information, visit myplate.gov for recipes and quick tips for healthy eating.