Caryn Zinn's Top 5 Portable Summer Snacks

Caryn’s Top 5

Portable Summer Snacks

If you’re in the throes of organising your holidays, you might be struggling to think of portable LCHF items to take with you to the beach or on the boat during fishing or diving trips. My advice? Forget the packed lunch, go with these top 5 easy, nutritious foods for these summer trips:

1. Sparkling water

If you didn’t manage to get yourself a soda stream for Christmas – unlucky, but I would recommend parting with some money and buying one, as they’re super handy to have around and a lot cheaper than buying sparkling water from the shop. Water in general is a must, as dehydration when out in the sun all day is a risk, but sparkling water just takes the edge off the thirst and is super satisfying when on the water.

Add some ice or keep in the freezer overnight to ensure it stays cold through the day. Better still take a portable cooler bag. Added lemon or lime is great too.

1. Fruit

Summer fruits like strawberries, watermelon and other melons don’t stick around for a long time, so make use of them in the season when they’re cheapest and most tasty. Grab a punnet of strawberries and a melon to chop up when you’re out there.

1. Biltong

As a South African, I tend to make my own, to get it just how I like it, but if you’re not as fussy as I am, you can buy it at lots of places. Having a ready-to-eat protein source at the beach or on the boat means that your meal prep is much less and you don’t have to fuss around with knives and forks. Plus chomping away on biltong is quite social; make sure to take plenty with you as everyone loves it.

1. Ready Veg

Let’s not forget the veg. Cherry tomatoes, chunks of cucumber, button mushrooms, florets of cauli or celery sticks are handy to grab and throw into the cooler. Bring along a cream cheese or guacamole dip for added fat.

1. Nuts

Another handy and easy to grab great source of protein and fat; mix them up to get a variety of nutrients, making sure to include some walnuts for omega 3 fats and some brazil nuts for selenium.

I could go on…. as there are lots of other options, you just have to use your imagination, but hopefully these 5 ideas will see you sorted for beach / boating outings. Just as an important aside, remember your sunscreen and make sure to be safe beachies / boaties!

What are some healthy alternatives to chips and crackers for summer?

Healthy alternatives to chips and crackers include baked vegetable chips such as kale chips, baked zucchini chips, beet chips, sweet potato chips, and carrot fries. Roasted chickpeas offer fat, fiber, and protein, while apple slices with nut butter provide a whole-food snack. Baked banana chips and baked apple chips supply a sweet crunch, and jicama slices with salsa are another option. These choices replace traditional chips with less fat and more nutrients.

Source: ucfhealth.com

Which portable snacks are kid-friendly and healthy for summer?

Fruit is a kid-friendly and healthy portable summer snack. Summer fruits like strawberries, watermelon and other melons are best in season when they are cheapest and most tasty. Grab a punnet of strawberries and a melon to chop up when you are out there. Ready veg such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber chunks, button mushrooms, cauliflower florets or celery sticks are also handy to grab and throw into the cooler, with a cream cheese or guacamole dip for added fat.