Martha Stewart’s Perfect Summer Picnic Recipes

For me a picnic spells ultimate freedom.

Think about it, you get to spend an entire day or afternoon with family and friends eating, playing games and doing not much.

Picnics are the ultimate celebration of summer.

There are a few other advantages to having a picnic during the summer when it comes to nutrition and I thought I’d take a look at that before sharing with you a feature from Martha Stewart that I found.

Why are picnics part of the Eat Smart Age Smart philosophy?

* Most people will actually take the time to prepare the sandwiches, salads and desserts for a picnic even if they never prepare during a work week.

* Picnic is a time when you don’t have to rush and that also means that you don’t have to eat in a rush or eat on the run.

* Most people will make the effort to include salads and raw vegetables in their picnic … which are two great healthy foods that are perfect for a day out.

* A lot of people will buy a watermelon for their picnic. Watermelons are filled with water (to help keep your body hydrate when it’s hot outside) and they are also packed with lycopene (a super antioxidant). Here’s another great thing about watermelons … everyone loves eating them!

* A lot of people will be willing to forgo the usual can of soda and will prepare their own recipes of homemade iced tea or flavoured water for their picnics!

* Picnics are a great time for people to play around with a Frisbee, play some touch football or kick around a soccer ball with their kids … that’s a much better alternative than sitting on a sofa/couch or behind a computer.

I’m not a huge fan of Martha Stewart because everything is so perfect in her world and in my kitchen things are less than perfect. Martha Stewart’s perfection is way too much pressure to live up to, if you ask me.

That said, Martha is Martha and she does come up with great recipes.

Here’s her take on a summer picnic that is simple and healthy at the same time:

*	Favorite Summer Sandwich
*	Turkey Sandwich with Cherry Compote
*	Seasonal Burrito
*	Three-Bean Salad
*	Double-Cabbage Slaw
*	Watermelon Squares
*	Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Almonds