Downhill or cross-country – skiing can be an enjoyable way to get outdoors and exercise during the winter months. According to MayoClinic.com, skiing can burn anywhere from 365 to 763 calories an hour, depending on skiing style, personal fitness and overall exertion. Packing your own healthy lunch provides the nutrients required to keep you going strong all afternoon. A homemade lunch can also cost less than buying a meal at a resort store or restaurant.
Main Dish
A healthy entree with protein and carbohydrates helps provide enough energy for you to go skiing after lunch. Easiest for a packed lunch is a hearty sandwich. Try lean turkey lunch meat, thinly sliced cheddar, tomato, avocado, onion, cucumbers and lettuce on whole-wheat bread for a deli-style sandwich. Pack low-fat tuna salad and whole-wheat bread in separate containers for a creamy sandwich you can put together right before lunch.
Side Dish
Side dishes can serve as extra nutrients for a hearty lunch or as light snacks while you’re skiing. Pack carrot, celery and cucumber sticks in a lidded container for a light nibble. Add a small container of light salad dressing if you prefer dipping your veggies. Place a fresh apple, pear or orange in the lunch for a naturally sweet side packed with vitamins. Fill a plastic baggy with granola or trail mix for a fiber-filled snack that helps keep you feeling full.
Dessert
A small, light dessert is a healthy way to treat yourself at lunch without overindulging. An individual serving of low-sugar gelatin or low-fat pudding provides a treat with a smooth texture. Low-fat oatmeal raisin cookies provide a chewy sweet and a boost of fiber. Low-fat yogurt mixed with honey and fresh fruit offers a natural sweet treat and a boost of calcium.
Drink
Skiing is a physical sport that can help you work up a sweat, which means your body loses water. Sweating can also make you feel warm and thirsty. A cool drink at lunch helps you replace the lost liquid. Pack bottled water for the healthiest cool beverage choice; it gives your body the nutrients it needs without extra chemicals or calories. Hot drinks can help warm you up when you’re out in the winter air, but they can also make you feel even warmer when you’re sweating from exertion. Hot drinks also require a sturdy thermos to remain warm, which can add extra weight to your backpack. Limit the hot drinks, such as apple cider, to only what you need to warm up if you’re worried about space or weight. Leave the remaining beverage space for cool drinks.
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