Sticky heat and heavy meals don’t mix. Try these refreshing swaps that cool you down, aid digestion, and keep flavor front and center.
| Instead of… | Try this | Why it works |
| Mayo-based potato salad | Greek-yogurt herb potato salad | Doubles protein; probiotics support gut health |
| Sugary soda | Sparkling water muddled with berries & mint | Cuts ~140 calories per can and adds antioxidants |
| Ice-cream every night | Frozen yogurt bark with sliced peaches | 1/3 the saturated fat, plus vitamin C and fiber |
| Char-broiled burgers | Mediterranean-style grilled salmon pitas | Omega-3s aid heart health; Med-diet cuts stroke risk New England Journal of Medicine |
Hydration heroes
- Cucumber & lettuce: 96 % water each, virtually edible hydration Better Homes & Gardens.
- Watermelon: 92 % water plus L-citrulline, linked to better blood-flow and workout recovery ScienceDirect.
- Toss chunks into salads or blend into a no-sugar slushy.
Snack smarter
- Trail mix 2.0: swap half the nuts for dried tart cherries, studies suggest they curb exercise-induced inflammation.
- Pop-in peppers: raw bell-pepper “scoops” deliver vitamin C without the tortilla chip crash.
Many BHT plans include Employee Assistance Programs and wellness resources that offer recipe libraries and grocery-saving tips, handy when you’re stocking up on produce .
Small swaps compound quickly: trade one dish, one drink, one snack, and you’ll cruise through the hottest months energized, not sluggish, while still savoring summer’s best flavors.
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