Choose Healthy and Nutritious Foods for Summer eating

Throughout the summer grilling months, you can still choose healthy and nutritious foods, says Mary Elizabeth Mariani, a nutritional coach at Lettuce Live Well, the nonprofit that challenged Lansing area residents to lose a collective 1 million pounds not that long ago.

To reach that goal, Mariana and other Lettuce Live Well staffers have been meetiong with individuals and groups, hosting workshops and doing grocery store tours to help area residents learn how to choose their food.

Here are several healthy summer eating tips from Mariani:

Instead of mayonaise, use plain nonfat Greek yogurt for the pasta salad.  Opt for grilled chicken instead of hot dogs.  Mariani said chicken is higher in protein, lower in fat and generally better for you.

Drink water with lemon instead of sugary, high calorie drinks like pop or alcohol.  Enjoy cut up fruit for dessert instead of cake or pie.  Here's more from the Lansing State Journal.