Six Low-Calorie Recipes for Picnics

When I think of picnics, I think of intimate settings, with a small group of people. So naturally, in my head, it makes sense to have smaller portioned snacks, instead of full blown fried chicken, mashed potatoes, Cole slaw... you get my drift. Here are Six great Low Calorie Picnic ideas, and they're probably less messy too.

1) Quick and Easy - Lunch Meat Sandwiches & Pickles

This one is basically a no brainier. It's quick, it's easy, and if you make the right choices, healthy. Now, go grab your cooler, or whatever your packing you picnic food in:

Find a loaf of low-calorie whole wheat bread - Wheat bread is healthier for you than white bread. It's more nutritional, has more vitamins, and it is high in fiber.

Grab a pound of lean turkey breast lunch meat - Going with a lean white meat, will cut your calories and fat intake enormously.

Grab "toppings" - Get some tomatoes, lettuce, or whatever raw veggie type toppings you want on your sandwich.

Skip the cheese OR skip the condiments - Cheese is high in fat, and can be hefty in calories. Condiments are deceiving, the label says 20 or 30 calories per serving. Those servings are table-spoons! Besides that most people use Mayo, which is extremely high in fat.

Grab a jar of pickles - Pickles are low in calories and go great with sandwiches. They'll make a great "side dish".

Extra Tips for this meal: Add herbs or spices to your sandwich for extra flavor. Only put the condiment of your choice, on one side of the sandwich.

2) Fruit Lover Combo.

This is pretty easy. It doesn't hurt that fruit tastes good, and is good for you. Now, grab some kind of serving dish, like a platter-ish type tray or a bowl. You'll probably want to keep this dish cool, so throw it in a cooler as well. Now for the goods...

- I've selected this particular fruits based on they're lower calorie contents.. feel free to substitute

Cherries
Cantaloupe
Cranberries
Grapes
Peaches
Plums
Strawberries
Apricots
Watermelon

- Cut up individual fruits (if necessary), into cup serving sizes. (Adjust for amount of people).
- Now neatly display these fruits on that platter-ish type tray.
- Grab some fat free Cool Whip, (which is 15 calories per 2 tablespoons) and place it in the middle of your tray.

Now you're ready to go! Eat the fruit raw or take a dip in the cool whip for extra flavor. This one is all up to you.

Extra Tips for this meal - To make your fruit sweeter, use an artificial sweetener like Splenda or Sweet 'N Low.

3) Strawberry Short Top

This one is more of a desert type dish, and actually would work will with the Fruit Lovers Combo.

Grab some strawberries - Cut up as many as these 'lil guys as you'd like, and throw them into a bowl.
Grab the artificial sweetener - Sweeten these babies up to your liking. *Remember by using artificial sweeteners you're saving on your calorie intake.
Get some Fat Free Angle food cake - Cut the cake into circular sizes, about the size of a CD or less. Try to keep the thickness a little less than an inch.
Grab the Fat Free Cool Whip! - This is going to be, literally, the icing on the cake.

Now - Inside the serving dish of your liking. Put the Angel Food Cake at the bottom. Scoop out those strawberries, throw them on top of the cake, and bust out that cool whip for a nice little topping of extra 'goodness'.

Extra Tips for this meal - Adding a little bit of vanilla may help add flavor. After adding sweetener to the strawberries, setting them inside the frig to absorb the sweetness may intensify flavor as well.

4) Veggies and Tuna Salad

Grab you favorite veggies and put together this easy picnic meal. Here's a list of some lower calorie picks.

- Zucchinis
- Tomatoes
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cucumbers

- Dip - Instead of buying veggie dip, go with a fat-free ranch salad dressing.

Cut up these guys however you like, and put them on a some kind of serving tray.

Now to prepare the Tuna Salad, the low-cal way:

- Make sure you get the Tuna that comes in water, not oil.
- Skip the Mayo or miracle whip! You won't need it.
- Instead get the relish, and add just a little more than usual for extra flavor.
- Add some pepper, garlic, or whatever else you like.
- If you use boiled eggs, use only the whites.

Now mix it together, grab the whole wheat bread, and start munching.

5) Veggie Wrap

- Grab your favorite veggies (refer to number 4)
- Finely cut them up and mix them together
- Grab a skillet, spray it with PAM (no calories), turn on the stove, and throw in the veggies
- Cook for a short amount of time. Add whatever spices you like.
- Put the veggies in something with a lid. This will help them 'steam' while you get to your picnic destination.
- Grab a low-fat, low-carb tortilla wrap.
- Place veggies in the wrap, fold, and consume.

6) Wine and Cheese

Here is one for all of your romantic picnics.

- Grab a dry white wine. (Most dry White Wines are under 100 calories per glass).
- Get some fat-free Feta cheese. (Feta cheese should go well with almost any dry wine you choose).

You may substitute to your liking. Remember cheese is naturally high in fat, by going fat-free you are cutting many calories. Also, be careful what wines you substitute here. Some wines can put you around 140 calories.

*If you add crackers to this, go whole grain, reduced fat.

Drink, Eat, and Enjoy!