With the sunshine and warm weather of summer come more opportunities to get outdoors and stay active. For many of us, the summer heat also inspires us to eat a little lighter and focus on fresh ingredients. All of this makes summer the perfect time to adopt healthy eating habits that fuel an active lifestyle. Here are five ways you can start forming healthy habits this summer: 

1. Pack Snacks

Getting outdoors and being active can work up an appetite and leave your reaching for convenient, high calorie snacks. Stay on track by planning ahead and packing nutritious snacks that will keep you going without sabotaging your efforts to eat well. Nutritious snacks include fruit and veggies, unsalted nuts, hard boiled eggs, and whole grain crackers. If you can stop to snack, you can even bring a dip like hummus for your veggies or top whole grain crackers with protein-packed brisling sardines. 

2. Drink More Water

In Canada we relish those warm summer months when we can trade in our sweaters and boots for t-shirts and sandals, but the summer heat means that our bodies need to work harder to stay cool. As the temperature rises, our bodies work to keep us cool by sweating more. Failing to replenish the water we lose due to increased sweating can quickly result in dehydration. So, while that crisp glass of rosé might seem like the perfect way to cool off on a warm summer evening, it’s important to remember to drink plenty of water.  

3. Think Outside the Box… Errrr, Oven

When temperatures are soaring the last thing anyone wants to do is turn on an oven or stand over a hot stove. This is a great time to think outside the box and get creative with no-cook meals. Salads, cold soups, and platters of veggies, cheese, and cold proteins are just a few ways you can enjoy balanced meals without ever having to turn on the stove or oven. Even better, cold foods are much more portable making them a great solution for camping trips, picnics, hiking and other outdoor activities. Get started with no cook meals by stocking up on staples like fresh fruit and veggies, a variety of cheeses, lean cured meats, olives, nuts, and canned protein like our brisling sardines. 

4. Enjoy Summer Fruit and Veggies

The variety of sun kissed fruits and veggies available during the summer months can be almost overwhelming, but it’s important to 

take advantage of them while you can. Incorporate different fruits and veggies into meal and snack time and you’ll fuel your body with healthy nutrients and fibre.

5. Get Your Omega-3s

Omega-3s are important all year round, but if you’re establishing healthy eating habits this summer it’s the perfect time to incorporate these essential fatty acids into your diet. One of the best ways to get omega-3s is by eating at least two servings of fish per week. If you find cooking raw fish intimidating or you’re following our advice and enjoying no-cook summer meals, try canned fish like our brisling sardines. These tasty little fish are not only a good source of omega-3s but they’re also rich in protein. Brisling sardines are great on top of toast and crackers and can turn a light summer salad into a complete meal. Brisling sardines are also a convenient, nutritious way to add a punch of flavour to salad dressings and pasta sauces. With these tips in hand and the sun beckoning you to get outdoors, this could be your best summer yet for adopting healthy habits