Beach food doesn’t have to be junk food

Beach food doesn’t have to be junk food

By Christina Ross, Accredited Practising Dietitian

Many of us love our Summer days at the beach, but know all too well, how limited the food choices can be. If you’ve been caught out with no packed food and the beach kiosk is all there is, you might still be able to pick healthy food options if you look closely… 

• Swap your packet of Smith’s Cheese & Onion crisps (146Cal) for -> a packet of Cobs Natural Popcorn (95Cal), to save more than one-third of the calories. 
• Swap your Magnum ice cream (225Cal) for -> a Weis Bar (87Cal), to cut the calories by 60% 
• Swap your Super Slurpee (247Cal) for -> a bottle of Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling Lime Water (1Cal) for an almost calorie-free option 

If you do have time to prepare before your beach trip, try packing a cooler bag with an ice brick so you can enjoy your own healthy food at the beach! 

These are our top beach snacks and drinks: 

Snacks:

• Fresh fruit – a sweet and refreshing snack that is also low in calories
• Portion controlled packets of popcorn, pretzels or rice crackers – a great alternative to chips/crisps
• Ice cream – who doesn’t love ice cream on a hot summers day?! Our pic is a Streets Paddle Pop or a Bulla frozen yoghurt. You can pick these up from most corner stores and they will satisfy your ice cream craving while keeping the calories down. 

Drinks:

• Home-made Spritz: Staying hydrated is so important while you are getting your vitamin D fix. Try adding fresh fruit and herbs to your water to make it fresh zingy. You can prepare these at home with either still or sparkling water. Here are our favourite flavour combinations:  
  • orange, mint and strawberry
  • cucumber, mint and lime 
  • apple and cinnamon
• Flavoured Kombucha – a great alternative to soft drinks and juices!