The heat is on! It’s looking to be a scorcher of a summer which means plenty of al fresco dining, beach picnics and warm evening BBQs. Food plays such an integral part of the quintessential Kiwi summer experience so below are five cooling foods you may like to include in your diet to ensure you enjoy a physically and mentally refreshing summer!
Tips for enjoying them: Store them in the fridge and slice them into batons to dip into hummus or cut them into rounds and enjoy them as a low-carb alternative to crackers for your refreshing 5pm G&T + cheese and ‘crackers’! They also make a fabulous addition to summer green juices along with mint, pineapple, coconut water and lime juice.
Tips for enjoying them: Keep them in the fridge for the ultimate thirst quenching experience. Slicing them into triangles, inserting a popsicle stick into the rind and popping them in the freezer for a couple of hours is a fun and healthy take on ice blocks that kids love. Chopping them into a feta and mint salad is also a lovely way to enjoy them at a BBQ.
Tips for enjoying them: To make the most of this seasonal fruit, why not make a day of it and head to a strawberry farm for some fun strawberry picking (and perhaps add in a strawberry ice cream afterwards!). Berries are delicious straight from the fridge or mixed into yogurt or smoothies. Frozen berries are always a good option too and make for a lovely addition to a glass or bottle of water for additional hydration!
Tips for enjoying them: Bananas ripen quickly in the heat, so it’s a good idea to peel and freeze them as they ripen if you have a lot of them. Frozen or fresh, they’re a delicious base for refreshing smoothies incorporating some of the other cooling foods above such as berries and leafy greens. They’re a great on-the-go snack too, perfect for refueling in the car on the way home from a beach mission!
Whatever your plans this summer, I wish you all a happy holiday season filled with good food and good people. Stay cool and I look forward to sharing more with you in the new year!
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