6 healthy picnic ideas

Schools out, the sun is shining and many of us are planning some fun days out with the family. That often means packing up a picnic to take with us, which is a great way to stay in control of what we are eating throughout the day, as well as being a lot cheaper than eating in restaurants and cafes! But how do we keep our picnic's healthy? Here are my 6 healthy picnic ideas for you to try this summer:

1. Firstly every good picnic needs sandwiches. But steer clear of cheese or mayonnaise. Instead fill them with lean ham, chicken, prawns, egg or tuna.
2. Traditional picnic items, such as pork pies, scotch eggs, mini sausages, pasties and quiche, might be easy to throw in, but they are also packed full of fat and calories. Instead, go for small slices of veggie pizza or grilled chicken pieces.
3. Pack plenty of fresh fruit but don’t just stick to apples and pears – take along slices of melon, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, fresh apricots, nectarines and peaches.
4. Ditch the crisps and instead go for some chopped up vegetable sticks, cherry tomatoes,and pitta bread fingers and serve them with low-calorie dips such as salsa or tzatziki.
5. Salads are great to take on a picnic, but avoid the ones that are coated in mayonnaise such as potato salad or coleslaw. Try a pasta salad with lots of veggies or a tomato one with a little low fat mozzarella
6. Chocolate bars are likely to melt and won’t do your diet any favours so leave them at home. Try making your own fruity flap jacks or low fat treats rather than taking shop bought cakes packed with additives.