KarenI’ve been trying to lose weight for a couple of months now and I’m just a couple of pounds away from having lost a stone. With the summer holidays coming up I am in the middle of planning an awesome summer for my family and I know that will involve several day trips with picnics.
Traditionally picnics in our house consist of sandwiches as the main event, but bread is practically a no-go for me when trying to lose weight so here are some healthier alternatives.
Salad
You can’t beat a good salad on a hot day. Forget iceberg lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes … salads don’t have to be boring! Sure, use those as a base but chuck in some spinach or rocket, add some radish, don’t forget the boiled egg and for heaven’s sake use a good dressing!
Frittata
An egg based dish, this can be eaten cold as well as hot and you can tailor it to your own taste.
The basic recipe is simple 4 eggs, a dash of skimmed milk, salt & pepper to taste and whatever filling you fancy!
Whisk the eggs, add the filling of your choice, season and bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes at around 180 degrees or gas mark 4.
Some of my favourite low fat fillings are:
- Smoked Salmon and Quark
- Salmon and Broccoli
- Chicken and Bacon
- Roasted Vegetables
but you really can use anything you like. This dish is excellent for using leftovers.
Chicken Salad Wraps
Fry up some chicken strips, sliced peppers and onion and add flavouring as you like. Garlic, ginger and soy is one of my favourite marinades though you can use ready made powder mixes for ease.
Once your chicken mixture is done, leave to cool before packing into a lunch box ready for your picnic.
When you’re ready, use iceberg lettuce leaves as ‘wraps’ and have yourself a healthy lunch!
Rice Salad
I love a good rice salad whether I’m dieting or not. It’s a really versatile dish that can take on a whole host of flavours. I like to add spring onion, chopped ham, sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes, peppers, radishes, olives, feta … and pretty much anything else I need to use up.
What do you take with you on a family picnic? Do you have any tips on keeping it healthy?
These are really great ideas. I am usually PROPER boring with picnics – ham butties and crisps ha ha, but to be fair, this is only if it’s last minute. We are planning on doing ‘proper’ picnics over the summer, so these ideas will come in handy for us. I especially like the idea of taking frittata – I have made frittata at home but would never think of taking it to picnic – great idea xxx
Frittata is brilliant – all of my older ones like it, and I can use up all the leftover bits and bobs from bags of veg 😀
Just be REALLY careful if taking rice salad on a picnic. Cooked rice needs to be kept below room temperature because bacteria spores are activated by cooking and once they turn into bacteria, they produce a toxin that cause food poisoning. And no amount of reheating will remove it. They are inhibited at fridge temp but can quickly divide if the rice reaches room temp.
Thanks Kate – I run a little catering business and am aware of the risks, but it’s a valid point – readers take note!
These are great ideas. I particularly like the idea of frittata- my kids will love that! I guess you can chuck in whatever you have left in the fridge, too. Happy picnics! x
It really is super easy!
What yummy ideas
Thanks 🙂
I love a fritata – I’ve got a recipe for a lovely one that’s all peas and tomatoes 🙂
Ooh, sounds gooood!
I LOVE frittatas! Also you could try a spicy noodle salad too, there are some delicious recipes in the Wagamama book 🙂
x