Community Corner

Fourth of July Healthy Alternatives

Jessica Hochman of Whole Foods suggests a healthy Fourth of July menu from beverages to dessert and everything in between.

Whole Foods Marketing and Community Outreach Specialist 
Jessica Hochman covered all the bases for her Fourth of July menu
recommendations. From healthy beverages to dessert, Hochman has healthy and 
delicious alternatives for all your Fourth of July cravings.

“Typical fare is ribs and burgers and brats,” Hochman said. “We 
[Whole Foods] have all those things … but we know that a lot of people are 
looking for something lighter and something healthier.”

Beverages:

Find out what's happening in Evanstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Most people grab a sugary soda on the Fourth of July, but to get the same sweetness and carbonation without the extra sugar, Hochman suggested making your own drink. Just combine your favorite juice with sparkling water and mix your own blend!

Appetizer:

Find out what's happening in Evanstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Veggies and Salsa or Guacamole

Ditch the chips and dip veggies into your salsa instead. Cucumber, zucchini and peppers crunch, like a chip, but they leave the salt and oils behind. For the guacamole, broccoli and cauliflower is a great dipping pair.


Main:

Burger or Sausage

For an alternative burger or sausage, Hochman suggested buying or making veggie, turkey, chicken, bison or salmon burgers. Whole Foods Prepared Foods team makes Hochman’s favorite veggie burger, and the in-house Meat Team makes popular burgers and sausage as well.

Want more tips for a healthy Fourth of July? Read our story on Healthy Grilling Tips For Fourth of July.

Kabobs

Kabobs are a great way to portion yourself with the same grilling flavor while you get your veggies and proteins all at once. Whole Foods will be selling beef, chicken, veggie and seafood kabobs for this Fourth of July.


Sides/ Vegetarian-Vegan options:

Hochman suggested salads that Whole Foods offers to get more vegetables over the holiday. Pick one up at the store or make your own!

The Yucatan Black Bean Salad with Mango has ingredients like jicama, red pepper, cucumber, corn and cilantro.

Or, try preparing the fan favorite from Whole Foods June healthy-eating event, Tangy Black Bean Salad with Carrots and Green Onions.

And, the Whole Foods newest salad, Heirloom Tomato Onion Salad, is light and fresh for summer.

 

Dessert:

For a lighter alternative to American flag cake, Hochman suggested homemade popsicles with your favorite kind of juice.

Another idea is grilled fruit like pineapple or stone fruit. Grilling the fruit caramelizes the sweetness that’s already there, so the fruit is sweet enough to be dessert without adding extra calories.

A salad of cool fruits also works as a light dessert. Hochman said you can dress up the fruit salad with a bit of lemon juice, honey and mint leaves.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here