Spending time outdoors is a healthy way to enjoy a day with friends, family or coworkers. Typical outdoor picnic foods, such as potato chips, snack cakes, candy and soda can be high in fat, sugar and salt, making them unhealthy. When the family is at the pool, take your own healthy snacks instead of eating the nachos, hot dogs or other processed foods at the concession stand. Planning nutritious snacks can prevent between-meal hunger and prevent you overeating later.
Fruit
Because fruits provide vitamins and minerals your body needs, it is always a healthy snack to take with you outdoors. Preparing fruits ahead of time will make it easier to take on your way out the door. Wash, cut and bag fruits so they are prepared and ready to eat. Blueberries, strawberries or raspberries are a simple summertime choice, since you don't need to do much prepping. They are a great source of vitamin C and contain phytochemicals, which can help protect against cancer and heart disease. Try blending different fruits with yogurt or milk to create healthy smoothies if you're taking a cooler. Make a fruit salad with mandarin oranges, sliced bananas, apple wedges and blueberries.
Vegetables
Cut food costs down by bringing your own healthy snacks. Sliced cucumbers are a cooling snack to prepare ahead of time -- eat them on their own or with a low-fat dip. Create a beautiful picture on a plate using broccoli florets, carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes and cucumbers. Vegetables are handy finger foods that can be eaten outdoors without utensils.
Trail Mix
Nuts are a good source of protein and you can use them in variety of snacks. Make your own trail mix by tossing nuts, raisins, pretzels together with whole-grain cereals. Trail mix works well on longer trips as it stays fresh without the need for a cooler. Add cranberries, yogurt raisins, dried fruit or a small amount of chocolate chips for other variations.
Whole-Grain Snacks
People who eat whole grains as part of a healthy diet have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Try bringing whole-grain cereal to snack on outdoors. No milk needed, just your hands. Use whole-grain flour to bake snacks like muffins or cookies. These snacks are tasty, while providing fiber, which is necessary for different functions in the body. Popcorn is considered a whole-grain snack. Pop it and take it with you. Popcorn only gets a bad reputation because of the excessive butter and salt added to it. Low-fat microwave popcorn can be healthy and only provides 122 calories in 1 oz. or approximately 2 1/2 cups popped corn.
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