by Debbie N

Created on: July 01, 2007

When I think of going on a picnic, I think of all the yummy food I get to indulge in. Potato salad, hot dogs, watermelon, and some kind of pie, whether it be fruit pie or cream pie, all come to mind as popular picnic foods. Of course, other than the watermelon, each of these foods has an enormous amount of fat and calories, and, unfortunately I am not skilled at portion control. Where as some people can have one hot dog and one helping of potato salad, I'm just getting started at two servings of each. And, the pie; well, everyone else will be lucky if they get a slice at all. Thankfully, these days picnic foods do not have to be fat laden. There is a low fat version of almost all picnic foods, and although they may take a bit more preparation, it's worth the work to be able to partake in the enjoyment of eating foods that would normally be considered unhealthy.

Hot dogs and hamburgers are picnic staples. When choosing hot dogs, try the lower fat varieties. Hebrew National, Oscar Meyer, and Ball Park all make low fat hot dogs, and Jenny O has a tasty turkey hot dog that has 70 calories and 5 grams of fat. Now, keep in mind these versions are not huge, but when dieting, portion control is an important factor, and we have to learn to master it. Don't eat three turkey dogs to compensate for the size. If you're going to do that, you are probably not serious about following a low fat diet.

Hamburgers can be made with turkey meat or extra lean beef. If someone is trying to stay away from meat all together, Boca and Morningstar Farms make several different varieties of garden and veggie burgers with fewer calories and fat, as well as the addition of fiber, which meat does not have. Low fat or fat free cheese slices can be added to hot dogs and burgers for a richer flavor. And, don't forget, there are other types of meats that can take the place of beef at picnics. Grilled chicken and even lean pork can be a healthier alternative to beef and still taste great.

Potato salad is typically made with potatoes (obviously), mayonnaise, relish, mustard, and eggs. Other ingredients are sometimes added in for flavor, but those items are the staples of most potato salad recipes which means that there are very few items in the salad that contain fat. Eggs cannot really be substituted, but instead of regular mayonnaise, low fat or fat free can be used to substantially cut fat and calories. A tablespoon of regular mayonnaise is 100 calories and 11 grams of fat. But, a tablespoon of

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