We all know that along with vacations, summer comes with many opportunities for sugary treats, family barbecues, and more. However, many teens (including myself) hesitate to enjoy such food out of guilt.
Typically, these negative feelings stem from outside sources, such as social media, unrealistic body standards, and peer pressure. So, if you struggle to relieve some of that guilt, don't worry!
There are several ways to ensure you enjoy sweet treats while having a lot of fun during the summer. Primarily, you should remember to have fun and feel good about yourself. However, here are six other ways you can enjoy food over the break.
Image Credit: Lee Myungseong on Unsplash
Have Fun With Exercise
Exercise is proven to improve mental health in many ways, including increasing your confidence. Over the summer, it may seem like it's too hot to even go outside (depending on where you live), but there are still lots of ways to be active during heatwaves.
Image Credit: Archie Binamira on Pexels
One of my favorite ways to get exercise during the summer is by going to the pool. Go alone, with family, or with friends! Summer is the perfect time to show off that cute bathing suit you've had in your closet since November. Swimming is one of the most fun ways to get active during the summer.
Another couple of ways you can easily get exercise during the summer include:
- Going on a walk through the park! The weather is great, and you could even bring a towel to tan on!
- Doing a hike! On days that aren't obnoxiously hot and sunny, hikes are a great and fun way to get exercise.
- Go to an indoor gym! If you're normally the type of person who goes to the gym after school or uses your garage space, you can still go! Except now, you have all the time in the world!
- Pick up a fun summer sport! Try out tennis, beach volleyball, badminton, or even golf!
- Get a job! That might not sound like it gets you exercise, but if you look hard enough, you'll find people hiring for summer camps, day camps, and various childcare services, which will have you walking around a lot during the day. (I typically reach around 9,000 steps from work alone.)
Image Credit: Katya Wolf on Pexels
Pair Treats With Fruits And Veggies
Want to get frozen yogurt with your friends? Try topping your yogurt with fruits for a delicious mix. You can also use a sorbet as your base if you're feeling more of a summer-fruity vibe.
Another great example would be a family or friend barbecue. If you're having lots of hotdogs and sampling all the tasty treats everyone brought to the potluck, add a plate of some nice cold watermelon slices and fruit kebabs on the side!
Image Credit: Jane Trang Doan on Pexels
Cooking a dessert for the family? Perhaps sneak some vitamins in there. Adding spinach to your favorite fruity smoothie or incorporating avocado into your chocolate cupcakes is a great way to balance that sugar.
You can look at vegetable or fruit desserts to find creative ways to add them to your snack. It'll give you more energy and make you feel happier and more energetic throughout the day.
While everything is healthy in moderation, pairing your more “unhealthy” foods with vegetables, fruits, and proteins can also help you enjoy the sugary stuff. This is because you get the added benefit of increased energy to get moving and feel your best.
Experiment With Different Portions
To savor every bite and make your treats last longer, try smaller portions. Whether that's just getting one scoop of ice cream versus two or cutting your homemade brownies into smaller squares, a smaller portion will allow you to better enjoy the food. However, it will also keep you from feeling too full afterward.
Image Credit: Dana DeVolk on Unsplash
If you are like me and have trouble only eating one small portion, but are worried about eating multiple small servings, try different recipes for single-serve portions. My favorite place to search for these recipes is Pinterest.
There are all sorts of single-serve recipes, such as single-serve edible cookie dough, chocolate chip cookies, or mug cakes and brownies!
Image Credit: Zdenek Rosenthaler on Pexels
Try New Alternatives
Do you need to satisfy your sweet tooth, but your anxiety is giving you trouble with sugar? Here are some of my favorite ways to have sweets if I need to cure that craving:
- Homemade Popsicles: Make your favorite smoothie and freeze it. Try adding fruits like strawberries and mangos to make it super creamy.
- Parfaits: Pair granola with strawberries and blueberries, all on top of a smooth Greek yogurt, to create the perfect parfait. I also love adding chia seeds and a drizzle of honey.
- Homemade Applesauce: A delicious way to eat apples. Mix in some cinnamon, and you've got a simple treat to eat cold or warm.
Image Credit: dbreen on Pixabay
Overall, trying alternative desserts is a great way to cure sugar cravings. However, don't forget that it's still important to eat regular desserts for your mental health and your taste buds. (I wouldn't be here without a good brownie!)
You can even have foods that aren't traditionally considered desserts. A fruit salad, for instance, is one of my favorite ways to satisfy my sweet tooth. Add some strawberries, grapes, blueberries, pineapples, and clementines for a delicious sweet salad. I also love topping my fruit salads with whipped cream or Cool Whip.
Enjoy It With Your Friends
Eating desserts with friends or family is a great way to enjoy them. Whether going out to get ice cream with a group of friends or making a homemade dessert with family, eating desserts with my friends and family never fails to make me happy. Here are some other great ways to enjoy your food with others:
- Have a picnic! Take a cute blanket, basket, and your favorite people down to the beach or the nearest park and spend some quality time with them while enjoying your favorite sandwich and cookie!
- Go out to eat! Find a nice restaurant with gorgeous outdoor seating and take that much-needed break.
- Order a pizza and have a fun movie night! Go buy your favorite pizza, sides, and candy, and watch a new release in your living room!
Image Credit: Dan Gold on Unsplash
Not only is it more fun to eat with friends, but sometimes seeing other people eat sugary treats can significantly help with any guilt you might feel. Allowing yourself to recognize that it's not just you who needs an occasional bowl of ice cream or slice of cake will greatly improve your mental health and confidence in yourself!
Image Credit: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
Know That It's Just Summer Break
Summer is when you get to indulge in lots of fun treats without worrying about a sugar crash at school the next day. Summer offers more opportunities to eat cold desserts such as ice cream, frozen yogurt, and gelato!
Take advantage of the readily available desserts in the summer, because some places won't bring them back the rest of the year! Summer is supposed to be a break. A break from school, a break from constant homework, and a break from worrying about what you eat.
Image Credit: Link Hoang on Unsplash
Celebrate Your Body!
Sometimes guilt can come from a place of embarrassment or shame in your mind. Trust me, we've all been there. That's why it's so important to celebrate and acknowledge all the incredible things your body can do!
Celebrating your body can look like many things. Whether you acknowledge your natural skills that sometimes get buried, features about your body that you love, or everything that your body does for you, there is definitely something that you can celebrate about yourself.
Your body does so much to keep you going every day. It moves all the muscles required to do basic tasks, digests your food, fights off illness and infection, and so much more. It needs you to eat enough food throughout the day to fuel all those important tasks.
Image Credit: Andre Furtado on Pexels
It's normal to be slightly worried about what you eat. In fact, it's natural for many teens. But don't worry because there are so many ways to have a great summer vacation without being riddled with anxiety the entire time.
From being a bit more active to hanging out with your friends, there are countless ways that you can minimize any guilt you might feel, and have a great summer. Going out and enjoying the weather and food is the best part of any long break, so make sure you take advantage of this extra-long one!
