It’s time to celebrate Dad and all he does for you! Forget the ties, shirts, and socks – chances are he has plenty of those. Focus on giving dad the gift of health with some of the following health-oriented ideas. We’re not talking the fruit of the month club, rather, fun gifts that inspire healthy habits!
- What sport does your dad enjoy? If it’s golf, how about a gift certificate for a round of golf or a new club. Or, if it’s football, how about a football and his favorite team’s hat.
- Does you dad hit the gym? Sign him up with a personal trainer or buy him a pair of the latest running or cross-training shoes. Or, if dad has little ones, try a jogging stroller or trailer for the bicycle.
- Is dad into grilling? Maybe it’s time for a new barbeque? Or, shower him with barbeque accessories such as grilling cookbooks, a new barbeque tool set and a cool (and manly!) apron.
- Dad working too hard? Maybe it’s time for him to relax with a weekend get away, massage or new lounge chair for the back yard.
- Plan a family outing. Spending time with family means a lot to dads. What can you do together? How about hitting up a baseball game, going to an outdoor concert or fishing for the day? Whatever the outing, I’m sure dad will appreciate it!
Backyard BBQ Menu- Prepared Especially for Dad!
The Menu:
BBQ Chicken
Classic Potato Salad
Tossed Green Salad
Vegetarian Baked Beans
Melon Wedges
BBQ Chicken: Marinate an assortment of boneless skinless chicken breasts and drumsticks (skinned) in your favorite bottled barbeque sauce. Spice up the mixture by adding chopped green onion, garlic powder and crushed red pepper to taste. Just throw on a heated grill and cook until chicken is done (no longer pink in the middle).
Classic Potato Salad (He’ll never know it’s low-fat!)
2.5 pounds red potatoes, cut into cubes
1 hardboiled egg (optional), chopped
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
4 green onions, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. In a large bowl, combine chopped potatoes and eggs. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, green onion and celery. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well. For best taste, cover and refrigerate for several hours or over night.
Servings: 7-8
Nutrition Information: 162 calories, 4 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 229 mg sodium, 3.8 g fiber.
Tossed Green Salad: Toss red and/or green leaf lettuce with tomatoes, carrots and your (or his!) favorite light dressing.
Vegetarian Baked Beans: Taste just as great as regular baked beans. Just heat and serve!
Melon Wedges: Lay out an assortment of melon wedges for dessert such as cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon.
Portion Tips
Quite an assortment! Use the following example to help portion your plate:
1 BBQ Chicken Drumstick (sans the skin): 171 calories
1 serving Classic Potato Salad: 162 calories
1 cup Tossed Salad: 28 calories (based on 1 tbsp light dressing)
½ cup Vegetarian Baked Beans: 118 calories
2 Melon Wedges: 48 calories
Total: 528 calories
Happy Father’s Day!
Please note: The information in this article is not to be followed as
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your physician
or primary health practitioner for information regarding your own personal
health and necessary treatments.
