Safe Summer Fun!

As I said last week, summer is the perfect time for family fun for Baby Boomers and seniors–especially this year.  We’ve got lots of sunshine, opportunities to play outside, reasons for hope with regards to the pandemic, and plenty of excuses to eat! 

Here are a few precautions you can take to help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy this summer.

  1. Protect family members and friends, especially youngsters and older adults, from the heat with hats, umbrellas, sun screen, sun glasses, portable canopies or shelters, and light-colored cotton clothing.
  2. Pack plenty of water and encourage everyone to drink often, even if not thirsty.  To make water more eye- and taste-appealing, add strawberries, orange slices, mint leaves, or sliced cucumbers.
  3. Beware of bugs you can see by packing an insect repellent, keeping foods covered, bringing along a fly swatter, and watching for ants.
  4. And be particularly mindful of “bugs” you can’t see by following proper food safety guidelines (see previous blog).
  5. If a cooler chest is not an option, choose foods that won’t wilt, melt, or spoil easily in the heat. Consider taking whole raw fruits instead of cut ones, dry cereal, whole-grain bread or crackers, peanut butter, raw nuts, your favorite protein/snack bar, or baked chips.
  6. If you can keep foods cold, a fun activity is to make your own fruit or vegetable kabobs. Bring melon balls, strawberries, canned pineapple chunks, and bananas (slice just before skewering). Vegetable options include zucchini and bell peppers chunks (the more color, the better!), small mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes.
  7. Bring lots of hand sanitizer and wipes to clean your eating area, utensils (or use disposable ones), and hands.

Enjoy! And for more ideas to eat with health and safety in mind, contact me.

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