low calorie summer lunch boards

It’s time to move past the sandwich. There’s a healthier low-calorie solution – the lunch board – and it’s perfect for hot summer months. Plus, it’s easy to pack for a picnic or to take to work. These aren’t the classic charcuterie boards filled with crackers and high calorie dips.  Instead, they are made with more nutritionally dense options like fruit and veggies alongside high-protein ingredients that will keep you feeling full after eating. Start by grabbing a cutting board and add your favorites from the following:

Cheeses

• Choose low-calorie varieties such as Feta, Parmesan, and Goat Cheese. Try cutting a whole block of feta into small bite-size squares, or slice parmesan into thin slices. Serve goat cheese with a cheese spreader to spread on the veggies. There are flavorful options like Garlic Herb Goat Cheese to add a little more flavor to the board without adding extra calories.

Meats

• When it comes to choosing meats, we recommend limiting cold cuts like turkey or ham, which can be high in sodium and saturated fat (not the best if you’re following a heart-healthy diet). Instead, look for meat that is leaner or labeled reduced or low sodium.  Instead of hard salami, look for chicken meat sticks and cut them into bite sized pieces.

Veggies

• Baby carrots, celery sticks, and large diced bell peppers are all low-calorie veggies perfect for serving with goat cheese for spreading and hummus for dipping.

Hummus

• There are so many flavors of hummus to choose from. Pick your favorites and fill 3-4 small bowls to serve on the board.

Fruits

• Summer is for berries and strawberries, raspberries and blackberries make the list of the top 10 low calorie fruits, making them perfect for your lunch board.

If you’re packing lunch for just one, it’s worth it to invest in a Bento box type container that you can use to separate everything until you’re ready to eat.  While it’s best to take a break from your computer and step away, if you can’t, these lunch boards make it easy to eat and work at the same time. As an added bonus – most kids love the idea of a variety of snack type foods for a meal, so you can easily please the whole family.