Is spring fever pulling you away from your desk and into the great outdoors? Enjoy! A survey conducted by The National Outdoor Foundation found that participating in at least one outdoor activity can improve mental as well as physical health.1 Eighty percent of those surveyed said that outdoor activities help them decrease stress, strengthen family relationships, and promote fitness.
Over 140 million Americans enjoy camping, hiking, and biking each year. But you don't have to be an outdoors enthusiast to enjoy outdoor activity—consider walking anywhere, anytime - on a trail, along the beach, in the park, or around your own neighborhood.
Springtime draws us outdoors for ballgames, outdoor celebrations, and picnics. Nothing compares to the sensation of eating delicious food, while basking in the warm sunshine with a cool breeze blowing. But outdoor eating also calls for taking extra care and planning to provide nutritious, safe fare for everyone.
Whether you're headed to the park, the beach or the mountains, be sure to pack nutritious foods that travel well. Traveling without a cooler? No problem. Stock up on portable, nonperishable foods. Take a small backpack filled with finger foods that stay safe for the outing without refrigeration. For example, grab a variety of nutritious snacks: orange slices (already peeled and stored in a small plastic bag works great), fresh whole apples, bananas, tangerines, dried fruit and popped Healthy Choice Popcorn. For refueling during and after a day of hiking or biking, trail mix, beef jerky, sunflower seeds, peanut butter spread on Healthy Choice Bread, and cereal bars can satisfy hearty appetites until the next meal.
If you have access to a refrigerator or freezer, for example in an RV, you have more options. Consider including Healthy Choice Deli Meats for a quick sandwich, or Healthy Choice frozen meals or entrees, such as Cheese French Bread Pizza or Mesquite Chicken Barbecue—delicious, handy options between rounds of golf or breaks from the beach.
As much fun as outdoor activities can be, the outdoors presents a few challenges… ending up with blisters, sunburns, or dehydration can sap the fun out of any outing. Taking simple precautions will keep your time outdoors this spring both fun and safe. Learn more.
1 www.outdoorindustry.org. Study conducted by Harris Interactive®
