Grab those beach balls and pool games, it’s time to celebrate the summer heat in the pool! Pool party menus typically star burgers, hot dogs and speciality ‘party’ beverages. In these situations, we can easily drown ourselves with added calories, carbohydrates, and fat. We start off our parties with amazing intentions, firing up the grill and preparing our lean cuts of meat and gorgeous vegetable kabobs. But as the party continues, we find ourselves getting a second helping of chips and dips, the kids’ brownies, and a few too many refills of our adult beverage. There are easy ways to lighten up your fun-filled summer days. Follow these five simple steps to skinny your pool party celebrations.
1 Go for seafood.
Chicken and sirloin patties are incredibly popular on the grill, but don’t forget about shrimp. Ounce-for-ounce, shrimp contains fewer calories than chicken. Three ounces of shrimp contains only 84 calories, whereas three ounces of chicken contains 130 calories.
2 What’s on tap?
Reach for sparkling water varieties, such as Zevia, and lower calorie adult beverages. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc yield 85 calories and 2.6 grams of carbohydrates. Merlot and Pinot Noir yield 88 calories and three grams of carbs per serving. Looking for a speciality beverage? Below is the recipe for my Skinny Louisiana Pomegranate Sparkling Mimosa.
Skinny Louisiana Pomegranate Sparkling Mimosa
8 strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
Champagne
Diet ginger ale
- Split strawberries between glasses.
- Pour equal parts of pomegranate juice, champagne, and diet ginger ale in each glass.
- Serve.
3 Think fiber.
Fiber fills us up without filling us out. Look for burger buns, wraps, and chips with 5 grams of fiber or more. My favorites include Mission Carb Balance Wraps, a staple for all Skinny Louisiana clients, as well as Beanitos chips.
4 Make and take a ‘skinny’ dip
Choose fresh salsas and prepare your own ‘skinny’ dip, like my Skinny Louisiana Red Bean Dip – you will wow the crowd and stay on track with your nutrition.
I joined forces with Borden® Cheese to create this fabulous dip to make your summer celebrations better. Starring a fiber-rich Louisiana superfood, the red bean, this dip keeps us full; plus it contains calcium (bone-health) and protein (promoting satiety) from the Borden® Cheese and Greek yogurt. Pull out your food processor and look for Borden® Thick Cut shreds giving a thicker yet smooth consistency. Serve this winner with Beanitos chips.
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 6oz. container of plain Greek yogurt
1 cup salsa
1 packages light cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (we used Borden® Thick Cut Shreds)
- Place all ingredients in food processor.
- Process until smooth.
- Serve with Beanitos or any chip with 5 grams of fiber or higher.
5 Bring a pre-portioned dessert.
Let’s be honest, fruit trays are incredibly boring. Ice chests are not only for our sparkling water, but also for our our favorite ‘sweet’ treats. Look for treats with 5 grams of sugar or less. My favorites include Outshine No Sugar Added Bars and Enlightened Ice Cream Bars. Satisfy your sweet tooth without guilt!
Shelly Marie Redmond, MS, RD, LDN is a culinary dietitian, recipe developer, and author of Skinny Louisiana…in the Kitchen. Catch her every Friday at 12 noon on her Facebook Live Cooking Show, LIVE with Skinny Louisiana in the Kitchen.