How to Have a Sugar-Free Summer Party
#SugarBalancedLiving
A complete beginners step-by-step guide on how to have a reduced sugar or sugar free summer party (yes, I'm looking at you July 4th)! Here's how to do the seasonal tradition of pool parties, margaritas parties, cookouts, and barbecues - the healthy way - because going low sugar or sugar free doesn't mean you can't have yummy treats or fun in the sun!
Yep, summer is here! It’s time for pools, sunshine, barbecuing, ice cream, beaches, and quite excitingly its now the summer party planning season.
The seasonal tradition of pool parties, margaritas parties, cookouts, and barbecues are what give the summer such a seasonal charm.
Though, COVID-19 has changed life as we know it - with social distancing, most public facilities closed, and travel restricted, some countries are at least starting to finally open up slowly to small social gatherings, and the ones that aren’t still have people starting to get creative by limiting their celebrations to immediate family members in the household and hosting virtual parties online.
Just because you’re home – doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate.
But wait, usually this means a party full of food, and sadly this can sabotage our health efforts, which are especially important nowadays in the times of coronavirus when we’re trying to best protect our health and particularly our immunity.
During many parties we host, we serve foods filled with highly processed ingredients, chemical additives, and added sugar and refined carbs (like white breads and chips) that can wreak havoc on your body, affecting everything from our important immunity to the digestive system.
We can’t go eating barbecues sauce, cupcakes, and chips on a reduced sugar clean eating non-diet-diet lifestyle, let alone on a keto, paleo, diabetes-friendly, or sugar-free diet.
Tell me if this sounds familiar, ‘Letting events and parties turn into food splurge excuses, leading to that classic after-party affliction: food hangover?’
I mean come on: does anyone enjoy that nasty old bloating and discomfort that happens when you eat foods that don’t work with your body, or that poor mood, lack of energy, leading to the endless craving for more food, that happens the next day as a result of all of the sugar and junk food you ate? Yeah, nope, that's what I thought, right!?
Luckily a little pre-planning can help you to avoid those issues, which will keep you looking and feeling great!
You don’t need to avoid planning summer parties just because you care for your wellness! I’m going to show you how to easily plan not just a healthy and tasty, but fantastically fun and exciting healthy summer party so you and all your guests, family or friends can have a blast, enjoy, eat yummy foods and drinks and still feel great after the party.
I’m all about balance and moderation, and I believe healthy food can be good, fun, and even festive, just by adding healthy tweaks and hacks - making it certainly doable.
There are a lot of great food and drinks swaps, recipes and ideas out there that everyone will love eating.
Healthy food doesn’t have to taste bland. You’ll never even have to tell anyone that it’s healthy food!
Alright… let’s easily plan a fantastic healthy summer party, that not just you but everyone can enjoy, eat and still feel great after the party.
Healthy Summer Party Step #1: Reinvent Your Favorites
Just because you’re eating healthily, doesn't mean all you’ll have to eat is plain, bland veggies and rice or just salad. Not only will the guests feel disappointed, but more importantly, it’s your party to enjoy and if you can’t enjoy the food and drinks you'll find yourself discouraged and ready to throw in the clean eating or diet towel. Next thing you know, you’re ordering pizza and pulling out your chips stash.
Luckily, there is NO need to feel disappointed about missing out on summer food and drink favorites, you can still make those old classics just with a couple of healthy tweaks, and all without sacrificing taste.
How to Make Your Favorite Summer Foods Sugar Free:
I’m going to show you how to stay on track and map out your party planning meal plan with your healthy eating goals in mind, with simple classic summer picnic and party favorites swap-outs that’ll cut calories and cut sugar intake, while, of course, still tasting mouthwatering-ly yum.
For those of you who love to bake and cook (like me ✋), there is nothing better than cooking and baking for a party or summer picnic, so I've included options for both those of you who like to throw on their apron in the kitchen and those of you who just want to prep the party and need some swaps.
Let's take a look, shall we?!:
Summer Food And Drinks Healthy, No-Sugar Swaps & Alternatives:
Marinades:
Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or omnivore, I'm sure you’ve used or eaten marinade before at a cook-out, be it on chicken or veggies.
Here is the thing: salt and oil are the two basic ingredients of any marinade, but many people add soy sauce or sugar as an additional taste booster.
Adding a sweetener adds to the complexity of the marinade you’re making - whether it’s ketchup, honey, agave, barbecue sauce, molasses, or soft drinks.
This means that when you decide to eat those marinated chicken or veggies, you could be consuming a bottle of soda, excessive amounts of hidden sugar or bucket loads of high sugar sweeteners. Big NO, NO!
Instead, opt for low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, chives, and cilantro over meat, fish, and/or roasted veggies. If that still doesn't excite you, don’t worry, I've got you covered.
You can still make a delicious marinade without it having ANY added sugar. I’ve put together some yummy marinades for both meat and veggies over in my FREE 7 Sugar-Free Summer-Ready Recipes Guide.
Ketchup:
Summer isn’t the same without a drizzle of tangy and sweet ketchup on everything?
Unfortunately though, most store-bought and homemade ketchups are packed with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and salt. While mostly all ketchups contain added sweeteners, artificial sweeteners (avoid artificial sweeteners as they can have toxic effects and act like sugar in the body) or sugar alcohols (can cause craving spikes and digestive issues), after a lot of careful label reading I have been able to find two brands that are completely unsweetened and made with pure ingredients:
Primal Kitchen Unsweetened Organic Ketchup and True Made Foods Veggie Ketchup.
However these brands can be quite expensive depending on where you live, so I do like to make my own homemade Unsweetened Sugar-Free Ketchup Recipe, which is again sugar-free, low carb, vegan, and gluten-free. After many days testing recipes, this ketchup recipe tastes just like the real thing (for Heinz fans like myself), so it’s just as healthy as it is tasty!
Chips:
A summer gathering with a big bowl of crunchy chips is always a smash hit.
That's exactly why you’re gonna swap out the bagged version for something healthier! Don’t worry it's still going to be just as tasty and crunchy. Opt for baked or dehydrated sweet potato, beet, carrot, or kale chips, and if you must have regular ol' potatoes, then baked sweet potato (or white potato, just be sure to moderate) wedges with low added sodium will still go down a treat with your guests!
Dessert:
In general, I like desserts recipes that are not only healthy & no-sugar, but also void of white flour and high-sugar natural sweeteners (think: maple syrup and honey). Instead, I usually use pure natural stevia drops, or for something more decadent and sweet; dates, applesauce, bananas, or just fruit. For some sweet (+ healthy) summer desserts opt for:
• Ice Cream –
Yes, making your own no-sugar ice cream may sound impossible, but this alternative dessert is practically made instantaneously and shockingly creamy. My super creamy, rich, and scoop-able sugar-free chocolate ice cream recipe is made with no added sugar, and with vegan, keto, and low-carb variations, this dessert is the perfect sweet cold summer treat! Click here to check out the recipe.
If looking for some ice cream that’s store-bought, unfortunately, there aren’t really any good store-bought options for something free of added sweeteners, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols.
• Whipped Cream –
Whipped cream is a total smash hit at any party or picnic. Everyone loves a dollop of it on their fruit salad, am I right?! Luckily we can swap out the sugary, artificial store-bought stuff easily at home.
Make it sweet and make it tasty - all you need to do is add 1-2 Tbsp. of Pure Natural Stevia Drops to 1 cup of whipping cream (or coconut cream) then add a tsp. of pure vanilla and whip. Mix a bowl of freshly sliced fruit (no-canned stuff) and dollop some of this on top… and voila!
• Watermelon Pizza –
Fruit pizza is always a smash hit at my summer bashes! Seriously folks it's super easy, with so many varieties. This truly is the sweetest no-sugar, no-bake dessert for summertime. Top a 1” thick slice of watermelon with a whipped mixture of 1-2 Tbsp. of Pure Natural Stevia Drops, 1 cup of whipping cream (or coconut cream), 1/4 of cream cheese, and 1 tsp. of pure vanilla. Garnish with fresh berries, mint, toasted coconut, and voila, fruit pizza ready to serve.
Sugar Free & Low Carb Finger Foods:
If you’re not serving a full dinner, most likely you’ll turn to store-bought trays of processed foods that are void of nutrition and leave you and your guests hungry and snacking all day.
Luckily there's a variety of healthy finger foods that taste fantastically yummy, keep portions small, and that’ll actually help keep all you’re guests full thanks to the pure and natural fueling ingredients and nutritional makeup. Here are some great options:
• Baked Green Beans and Yogurt Dips
• Veggies and Dip (Like: Hummus, tzatziki, or Other Yogurt based dips), and you can even give some oldies a new twist. Instead of the tired old veggie slices... use blanched or roasted veggies
• Fruit Trays (no canned fruit, only fresh)
• Meatballs made from Turkey, Beans or Veggies make fueling and nourishing options (Just be sure to use unsweetened, no-sugar sauce)
• No-Sugar Salsa and Baked Chips
• Sliced Cucumber topped with hummus and topped with tomatoes, briny olives, and hemp seeds
• Easy Caprese Salad Bites (skewered grape tomatoes, mozzarella balls, fresh basil, and a balsamic drizzle)
• Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
• Serve Mini Shots of Smoothie
• California Roll Low Carb Sushi Stacks (Skewer cucumber, avocado, crab meat chunks, sliced sushi nori and top with no-sugar sriracha sauce and black sesame seeds)
Low Sugar & Sugar Free Summer Party Drinks:
Slushies are always a BIG hit when people want something sweet to cool down with. But your usual slush will normally be just a cup of sugary syrup and ice, spiking your blood sugar levels and leaving you even more dehydrated (just another nasty effects of sugar, again!).
For example, LiveLighter suggests that frozen sugary drinks can contain up to 30 teaspoons of pure sugar.
Furthermore… let's also take a look at your summer beach themed drinks, like Pina Coladas and Mojitos. By the time you’ve added all the syrups (which are processed) and flavorings, your summer drink could be clocking in at 21 grams of sugars and 242 calories per pitcher.
Thank goodness, we can cleverly swap. Try my Sugar-Free Boozy Lemon Berry Slushie Recipe, made with a wonderful bold-flavored combo of berry and lemon, or for an island-themed drink, you can skip the Pina Colada and instead crack open a real coconut, combine with vodka in a pitcher, and garnish with basil leaves for a real treat.
And even if none of these tasty and ‘healthy’ drink options strike your taste buds, you can still grab my Free Low Sugar Diet Guide to Alcohol + Sugar-Free Mocktail Manual, which has everything you need to know about drink alternatives and those better alcoholic choices for those of us with dietary needs or who generally want to live healthier.
Also, to make things even easier for you, I’ve put together a mini mocktail guide for those of you who want to avoid alcohol altogether or who are simply looking for some other fun and healthy drinks for that Sunday brunch.
We’re not done yet with creating the best healthy and stupendously delicious summer bashes… but I bet you’re already feeling a boost in confidence and support in creating fun in the sun with wellness in mind.
Pro-tip: Create A Menu With Variety, Flavor, And Color
Make sure all your important food groups are represented in your menu. Make sure you include at least fiber (preferably in the form of veggies), clean proteins, and healthy fats like in avocado, fish, and seeds.
When the meal provides well-rounded nutrition, it will keep you and your guests full for longer, keeping you on target with health goals without feeling deprived, and interested in healthy foods by adding a variety to the palette.
Here’s What You Should Do:
Stay away from repeating a flavor and main ingredient in more than one dish. For example, your food menu will include one recipe featuring fish, another with black beans and another with avocado, etc.
Texture is also key here, as texture contributes to the sensory experience of eating food. You’ll want to make sure that you always have a balance of crunchy, chewy, and creamy.
Lastly… add appealing pops of color and flavor easily by using garnishes to spruce things up. Don’t worry it doesn't need to be anything elaborate, even simply chopping up some parsley and red bell pepper into tiny pieces, add flair to a dish. And you can have it prepped and ready ahead of time.
Healthy Summer Party Step #2: Building A Dinner Bar That Is Just As Nourishing As Delicious
Normally at a party, you’ll have burger sliders, pizza, chip bowls, and tacos, which are food classics that are bound to please a large crowd. However, at your summer picnic or party, we’re going healthy and creating new classics for all to discover a love for. But of course, at first, we won’t know how everyone will want their new-found healthy faves served. SO, why not set up a build your own bar, which generally works well especially for a larger group. This will allow guests to pick and choose foods and accommodate a variety of food preferences.
Here are my three favorite build your own bar ideas:
Salad Bar
Not everyone loves vegetables, but most people can get behind a good salad bar, because when served the right way veggies can turn even the biggest veggie hater into a fan, and a plate loaded with salad toppings are perfect a dinner to feed a crowd.
Greens such as Spring Mix, Romaine, Spinach, and Green Leaf Lettuce, make for a great base, but finding the right variety of toppings for tasty own combinations is key. Here’s what you should include:
• Veggies: Cherry Tomatoes, Broccoli, Carrots, Snap Peas, Cauliflower, Peppers, Purple Cabbage, Roma Tomatoes, Onions, Alfalfa Sprouts, Watercress
• Fruits: Diced Apples, Mandarin Oranges, Blueberries, Avocado, and Raspberries
• Seeds/Nuts: Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Chia Seeds, Crushed Walnuts, Cut Pecans, Sliced Almonds
• Proteins: Chickpeas, Black Beans, Navy Beans, Feta, Cottage Cheese, Boiled Eggs, Cooked Chicken, Tofu
• Dressing: Include a variety of different dressings like; Dijon dressing, balsamic vinaigrette, balsamic vinegar, basil lime dressing, mojito vinaigrette. BE sure not to use any recipes with added sugars or sweeteners. Also, I have a great recipe for you to check out; my Creamy Balsamic Dressing Recipe is creamy and tangy homemade AND sugar-free!
If you’re buying these dressings store-bought, be sure to read the label carefully and avoid added sugars and sweeteners. Oh… and you could also include hummus as a salad dressing topping. Not only will it add a touch of protein, but texture and that flavor we all love.
Healthy Pizza Bar
Why not spin a healthy twist on a party fave. By switching up the pizza crust and going easy on portion sizes, we can enjoy a really fun pizza party with health goals in mind. Create a bar with the toppings and each guest can build their own pizza and then bake them in rounds.
Here’s how to make a summer pizza party healthy:
• Crust: To cut calories and those nasty refined blood sugar level spiking carbs found in your usual crust, opt for Cauliflower Pizza Crust, Sprouted Grain Tortilla (toasted into a crust) or Socca Pizza (which is made from chickpea flour and is like eating pizza but without all the bread and grains).
• Cheese: We all love cheese and although it's often a main ingredient in unhealthy dishes, when eaten in moderation and paired with healthy foods, cheese plays a beneficial role in your diet. Great cheese choices include Fresh Mozzarella, Swiss, Feta, Ricotta, and Parmesan work as well.
• Veggies/Fruit: Make sure you include plenty of fiber-rich veggies. Great choices include: Onions, Arugula, Diced bell peppers, Green Onions, Cherry Tomatoes, Spinach, Diced Broccoli, Jalapeno Peppers, Diced Pineapple, Kale, Black Olives, Kalamata Olives, Egg Plant, Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Proteins: Diced/Shredded Chicken, Pepperoni, Nitrate-Free Sausage, Tofu
If using sprouted grain tortillas brush a little olive oil on the bottom and bake at 400-425°F for about 6 minutes or until crispy.
Smoothie Bar:
Summer is perfect to enjoy all the natural flavors of the season, thanks to the abundance of fresh produce in season. (sending a Lil’ thank you out to all the world’s farmers)
One of my favorite quick snacks/drinks to serve at gatherings that goes down a lovely refreshing tasty treat… is the smoothie. So, why not create a bar out of it? It's a fun, colorful, healthy, and an easy way to celebrate summertime spent together. With tons of choices to choose from, each person gets to make their perfect smoothie and have fun testing new recipes!
Just be sure to keep it balanced. Blending fruits can be a great way to enjoy a sweet healthy drink/snack, but be careful to consider nutritional balance.
Fruits and dairy milk still have a naturally high sugar content – which would be okay in single separate servings – but since the fruit is blended into a liquid, you probably need to add more fruits for drinking into your blender than you would eat.
Luckily… to help you out, here are 5 steps for creating a well-balanced smoothie. Set up your smoothie bar with these ratios in mind and you’ll have yourself a tasty and delicious healthy smoothie bar:
Start with a liquid base. Never use juice as your liquid base - use filtered water with a bit of yogurt for creaminess or your favorite milk substitute.
This might seem obvious but never add sweeteners, including ‘natural’ sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, and agave. Don’t add dates because, as you’re already eating fruit, you don’t need the extra sugar.
If you have to have a sweetener, only ever use a low glycemic organic stevia. Personally, I love Vanilla Crème Sweetleaf Stevia drops.
Use the 60/40 ratio. Use 60% greens and 40% fruits. Usually, it would be around 3 cups of leafy greens and 2 cups of low sugar fruit to make 2 servings in a recipe. I highly recommend using cucumber, because it’s high in water content – so it’s low in calories but still gives a smoothie some bulk.
Try and use low sugar fruits and if you do use a high sugar fruit – like a banana - try to make it your only fruit. I suggest that you use berries. They have less sugar than the average fruit and lots of fiber, and you may add one other low sugar fruit such as apple or some other kind of berry.
Healthy Summer Party Step #3: Be Prepared
Map out your grocery list as far in advance as possible and keep fresh produce on hand. By prepping and keeping healthy fresh greens and vegetables backups on hand you’ll be able to avoid a rush when you get a last-minute RSVP or guest showing up at the cookout.
This will help you avoid a panic to feed everyone by buying last-minute processed foods for your local grocery store or ordering fast-food takeout. If you have everything on hand you can quickly whip together a to die for salad loaded with creamy balsamic dressing or roasted veggie wraps with chicken or tofu, etc. Plus you’ll end up saving money because since fresh produce is plentiful around this time, it typically costs less.
Healthy Summer Party Step #4: Emphasize The Entertainment
Pump up the fun and vibrant health with some awesome summer activities.
Make sure your party, picnic or cookout encourages physical activity and games for not only the kids, but also the adults.
Include plenty of games like limbo, horseshoes, bocce ball, beanbag toss, or indoor dance parties. Queue up a summer-themed Spotify playlist and play some tunes and if the party keeps going all night long set up optic sparklers or glow sticks. Just be sure to lower the noise volume after 8 pm, your neighbors will thank you.
Healthy Summer Party Step #5: Create A Food-Free Space
Shift emphasis on to the company rather than the food, by placing food stations and tables in a separate place from where your guests will be socializing. Whether your guest list is big, small, or even virtual (thanks to COVID-19) shifting the food and drinks away from the socializing space will help you and your guests employ moderation, socialize more and avoid unintentional grazing!
Studies have even shown that close proximity and visibility of food and drinks will increase your chance of consuming food and drinks, and will help you save at least 100 calories per nibble.
Healthy Summer Party Step #6: Use Different Glasses
Set your bar or use only tall, skinny highball glasses instead of short, wide tumblers. A recent study of college students showed that as much as 30 percent more liquor was poured into tumblers than highball glasses.
Healthy Summer Party Step #7: Remember Food Safety
While food safety doesn't necessarily have anything to do with nutrition or diet goals, staying safe is all a part of well being. Since you’re the host you need to be sure not to let unwanted foodborne illness crash your party.
A great way to keep nasty foodborne illness off the guest list is to simply make sure your foods are at the proper temperatures while you enjoy your party of fun.
What do I mean by proper temperatures you may wonder?
Firstly, make sure all food is thoroughly cooked, to the recommended temperature.
And… make sure hot foods must stay hot (above 140°F) and cold foods must stay cold (below 40°F). Food items which are left between 40 and 140°F, can grow bacteria very quickly, to levels that’ll cause you and, or friends to get sick. This temperature range is very scary, a BIG NO-NO!
Additionally, dirty grills contain a whole lot of yucky bacteria. Food particles left on the grill can spoil, leaving behind bacteria that can make you sick.
Meaning when you’re done grilling, make sure you do a quick clean up of any debris, and then turn on the heat a little, to let the grill burn off.
Lastly, folks, ensure that you wash your hands before eating, keep dishes and cups clean and hygienic, don’t contaminate foods with saliva, and in the case that there are allergies (like nuts, shellfish, gluten, etc.) be sure to label each dish where possible.
That’s It… Planning Healthy & Low Sugar Summer Parties
I know that party planning can be stressful at the best of times, let alone when you’re trying to something new by focusing on wellness. But, please just don’t stress - it can be pretty simple. By following these hacks and steps you can have a fantastic summer party that is healthy and keeps wellness a priority, leaving you feeling great before, during, and after the party, picnic, cookout, or celebration. #GoodbyeFoodHangover
And just remember this:
I know that sometimes it may feel like a lot to meet a variety of expectations (healthy or not) but just remember to let go and go easy on yourself. There is power in ‘breaking bread’ - the role that food plays in bringing us together is magical.
Plus, I know that food is not the only obstacle that can sabotage your healthy parties; people can too.
Although they care about you, friends and family may not understand and may accidentally make you feel “weird” for having a healthy party, and push processed junk food on you. Don’t let any of that get to you, you’re doing the best thing for not just you, but everyone attending. We are nothing without our health.
Shift anxiety and stress to focus the joys of eating together instead of the tiny comments by friends or details of party planning that are worrying you, and if you do slip up nutritionally, don’t beat yourself up. As long as you’re able to get back on track and don’t over-do it, just remember you tried your best.
Another thing before you go. I know we’re all feeling a bit lonely or missing certain family or friends because of coronavirus.
Times are tough. But let's choose to not let this define us, and instead use it as an opportunity to work on our relationships with people we can see in our small circles or even virtually. Take the time at home to learn to cook summer healthy recipes with family or virtually with friends.
Release bitterness, regret, anger, and frustration. I’m not saying that at times we didn’t experience fear, uncertainty, gut-wrenching stress, and shed tears, but we choose to honor those feelings: feel them and accept them, and finally move through them.
Alrighty guys, let's place the best foot forward, stay positive and place our best intentions on creating a super enjoyable summer with health goals and wellness in practice.
Let’s easily plan a fantastic healthy summer party, that not just you but everyone can enjoy, eat nourishingly well and still feel great after the party, without food hangover and endless after binge cravings.
These added sugars and refined carbs aren't a necessary nutrient in your diet, and they can cause serious harm if eaten in large amounts regularly. So, this summer we are taking a stand for our health and still enjoy all the scrummy good foods summer brings.
If you are trying to stop consuming so much sugar and have problems with sugar cravings head over to my post on When You Should Stop Eating Sugar + How To Do It, it’s full of the right advice to help you crush sugar and still enjoy life - with all the treats it has to offer!
And… don’t forget to pick up your FREE 7 Sugar-Free Summer-Ready Recipes Guide. It’s full of the yummy, actually healthy, and delicious sugar-free alternatives to some of your favorite hidden sugar ‘healthy’ summer foods.