Warm summer weather is conducive to picnics and outdoor recreation. I want to gather the whole family and quickly go out of town! How to arrange an interesting and, no less important, useful picnic for your loved ones - read our material.
Picnic without harm to he alth
First of all, fried meats, sauces and soda are too high in calories. And in hot weather, our body spends less energy on heating the body, respectively, the caloric content of the diet must be reduced so that the weight remains normal. On average, with an increase in air temperature by 10 degrees, you should reduce the daily amount of calories by 5-10%.
In addition, in the heat, such products quickly lose their freshness. In particular, if meat or fish have lain warm for about 4 hours, they can no longer be eaten - there is a risk of poisoning. The same applies to salads with mayonnaise and sour cream, appetizers with pate, soft cheeses and eggs. Yoghurts and other fermented milk products are also not the best choice for a picnic. In the heat, bacteria will quickly multiply in them and make them unsuitable for food.
Easy barbecue
If your plans still include barbecue, we advise you to choose lighter meat - chicken or veal, not pork. The marinade is important. You should not use mayonnaise for it: barbecue cooked on kefir or whey, vinegar or lemon juice is easier to digest. In addition, a fish kebab will be an easy and he althy dish: for example, mackerel or salmon.
Balanced picnic
Meat and fish go well with vegetables. It is not necessary to make a salad, so the vegetables will quickly lose their juice and spoil. It is better to simply cut them beautifully and arrange them on plates or wicker baskets. In addition, include greens, fruits and seasonal fresh berries in the menu. Wash them thoroughly at home and pack them in containers. Note: fruits should not be eaten immediately after a meal, as many are used to, but half an hour before a meal.
If you're building a fire, take potatoes and bake them in coals - the kids will love this idea! But keep in mind that you should not eat potatoes and meat at the same time, because the digestion of protein and starch requires a different composition of gastric juice, and eating them together will slow down digestion and create heaviness in the stomach. Potatoes and meat foods should be eaten 3-3.5 hours apart.
It's also great to bake foil-wrapped apples in the coals. It turns out very tasty, and for sure this simple recipe is familiar to many since childhood. In addition, even bananas and pears can be fried on the grill or wire rack - this way they will acquire a special piquant taste.
Nuts, sweet dates and other dried fruits, light cookies and cupcakes are perfect for a dessert in nature. The main thing is to avoid perishable creams and creams.
Great for a picnic - hearty foods that keep well, weigh little and don't require cooking. For example, you can take the Formula 1 Express bar and Herbalife Protein Bar to nature. The first of them contains 20% of the daily protein requirement (13.4 g), so it saturates for a long time with a minimum of calories (206 kcal). Another plus - in the Formula 1 Express bar, in addition to protein, there is fiber and more than 20 vitamins and minerals, which makes it a complete balanced meal. In the Protein bar, in turn, the optimal ratio of proteins and carbohydrates and only 135 kcal. Due to the balanced composition and low calorie content, such bars satisfy hunger for a long time without harming the figure. Yes, and to taste, they may well become a worthy replacement for the usual sweets.
Drinks
In addition to tasty or balanced food, be sure to stock up on water - at least a liter per person. In nature, in the heat, the body actively consumes moisture, in addition, water is useful in order to wash the faces and hands of your children: they will surely find where to get dirty in the forest.
Even at the picnic, both children and adults will be delighted with fruit drinks and homemade lemonades, which perfectly quench their thirst. Here is one simple recipe: in 1.5-2 liters of water, brew half a tablespoon of green tea, add half-ringed lemon and mint. Separately, dissolve honey in warm water, combine with tea and refrigerate overnight. You can vary the ingredients and come up with your own recipes, the main thing is that you and your family will like it!
Family picnic as a holiday: outdoor activities
So that you and your loved ones, and especially children, do not get bored at the picnic, do not forget to think over exciting games and grab sports equipment.
Quest
If time permits, try organizing a small quest. Be sure that this will delight not only children, but older family members. To do this, you need to inspect the area for a future picnic in advance - a summer cottage, a clearing, a park - and find interesting objects there. Then come up with a list of tasks or puzzles and place them on these objects so that participants run from one to another in search of a finish line or a prize. There are many options and topics for such quests, choose the most suitable ones. Time is guaranteed to be fun and unforgettable!
Crafts
In the forest or park you can find a lot of interesting items - cones, twigs, acorns, by the river - shells, etc. They are perfect for spending time on a picnic: make woodmen, make stylish bouquets of branches and dry herbs, build huts - a real scope for imagination!
Exploring the Forest
If your child is not often in the forest, give him a short tour: tell about tree species, mushrooms and berries, wild animals and birds. Children are very curious and will be happy to hear from you interesting facts about the world around them. It will be useful for you too - refresh your school knowledge.
Sports games
After resting after a delicious lunch, be sure to play outdoor games with your child - badminton, volleyball, frisbee.
Smart Games
Fun and informative you can spend time playing a board game like "Activity" or more traditional "hat", "crocodile", "mafia", "charade".
Family Cinema
If you have a projector and can find a surface nearby to point it at, after an active day it's a great idea to watch a movie with the whole family. Blankets and delicious hot tea brewed over a campfire will create a cozy and relaxed atmosphere.
Of course, picnic options are not limited to this. Search, invent together with your loved ones, and the reward for your work will be the happy smiles of children and the good mood of the whole family.
Final chord: some tips
Finally, here are some tips to help you plan your family outing better.
- For outdoor trips, it is better to have a cooler bag. If it is not available, bottles of cold water will help: put them on the bottom of baskets or picnic suitcases, and food on them. This will keep them fresh longer.
- When choosing a place, be guided by hills and open meadows: there are fewer mosquitoes here, because they are blown away by the wind, and more sun than in the lowlands.
- But even then, don't forget repellents so that mosquitoes don't annoy you in nature.
- Also, there may be ticks in the forest, so be sure to check yourself and the children after the picnic.
- Just in case, don't forget a small first aid kit with antiseptic, band-aid, painkillers, medicines for indigestion and bowel disorders and antihistamines.
- Take an antiseptic gel into nature and use it before meals. Make sure that children do not forget about it and do not take food with dirty hands.
- After the picnic, try to leave the place in the same condition as you found it: do not forget to remove the garbage and put out the fire.
Family vacation in nature is a great opportunity to spend time with loved ones, forget about problems at work for a while and devote yourself completely to those who are dear to you more than anything else. Don't miss out on a family picnic on these warm summer days!