The days are finally long again, and the sun is coming out to greet us much more warmly and often. Summer is the time of year that most of us look forward to, and with good reason. The burst of color on trees and flowers and the warm weather brings a feeling of renewal and boosts all of our moods. After the past year we’ve all had, it seems they have an even more significant impact than they used to. Though it’s much safer to gather with friends and family outdoors, we still need to be in the mindset of keeping our bodies and immune systems in peak performing condition. Hopefully, doing this will become the silver lining of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that we all keep in mind for the rest of our lives. As we welcome more people into our homes and backyards to celebrate, we should offer delicious and, more importantly, healthy food options. Here’s a list to get you started!
Fun Fruits
One summer staple that is always at a summer gathering is a fruit salad. This year, people might not be as comfortable as they were in years past digging in for a serving from a communal bowl of salad. Some options to overcome the anxiety for your guests are cute individual servings (you could go small reusable cups or get fancier with tiny mason jars); who doesn’t love a fruit kabob? Skewer the rainbow and display them on a colorful summer serving tray; Serve them smoothie style! Smoothies are so cold and refreshing on the hottest of days, and they’re already individual in guest’s cups. Find a recipe that looks appealing and go for it! You could even add a tiny umbrella if you’re feeling extra festive.
Cute Cookies
Not all cookies are created equal. With so many culinary websites available to us, it’s easier than ever to find not only delectable cookie recipes but nutrient-dense ones too. Consider going gluten-free or vegan with your recipes for a more whole foods-based approach. You can add anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting additions like hemp hearts and flax seeds easily to baking recipes, and no one will be the wiser. Whether you go for an oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip or want to kick it up a notch with macarons, you can easily make all of these healthy and fortify them with added nutrients.
Simple Salads
We all know by now that the longer the ingredient list, the more processed the food is. Salads contain the most basic of ingredients and don’t even need a dressing many times. Are you deciding to go with a sauce? There are plenty of minimal ingredient ones on the shelves these days, or you can whip one up in a flash with your food processor at home. Though you want to be consuming greens and cruciferous vegetables daily, you don’t have to be married to a green salad alone. You also should spice things up and add seasonal fruits to your salads which will delight everyone at your get-together. Just like the fruit, as mentioned earlier, salads are easy to serve individually, so guests don’t have to share tongs or spoons while helping themselves. You may feel environmental guilt for using so many single-serve dishes, but you must weigh the risk-benefit for yourself in a pandemic.
Don’t Forget Spirits
You’re hosting a celebration after all! Parties are a great way to unwind and forget about things that have been on our minds, and we’ve all had a great deal on our minds lately. So, don’t forget to have a bar station at the ready! When you’re hosting a get-together, you don’t have time to be a bartender all day or night, so it’s wise to have one or two signature drinks the guests can choose from and then a cooler full of water bottles or cans of sparkling water. If people don’t want to partake in the livelier drinks, they have the option available. Use your favorite search engine to find fun cocktail ideas you know you could throw together easily for everyone in attendance. Create a cute little menu on a small chalkboard or handwrite on a piece of paper and set it at the bar. This way, there’s no confusion on what’s available. Give it a cute name that ties into the theme of your party if you have one.
The main point of parties this summer is to have a safe and responsible time, though. You need to double down on this sentiment if you are serving alcohol. Also, it’s worth setting up a small station at entry points to your home with sanitizer for guests needing to go indoors to use the restroom. If you’re hosting indoors, it’s an even better idea to have similar stations at entry and exit points and decide before sending out the invite if you want to request that attendees wear a mask indoors. Isn’t it so exciting we are getting to an exciting place where we can confidently gather again? Cheers!
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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