Tag Archives: Labor Day

14 Patio Perfect Memorial Day Recipes Your BBQ Can’t Live Without

It’s officially the unofficial start to summer that we’ve all been craving! You know, that time of year when people start getting extra friendly with a neighbor or pal with a swimming pool. Memorial Day is here and, like most Americans, you probably have plans to spend the sunny day-off outside, on a deck, by the water, with good food, drink, and better friends.

Remember, these aren’t the cookouts of your youth; don’t allow your buddies to grill packaged weenies and frozen burger patties. This is a new era; your golden age of Memorial Day cookouts. We’ve compiled the very best of our cookout-inspired recipes — simple, delicious summer foods that may even be good for you (shhh!)

sam adams summertime lemonade

Sam Adams Summertime Slush

The flavor combination in this beer cocktail tastes exactly like summer is supposed to taste — light, sweet, refreshing, and maybe just a little bit boozy! We made our own fresh-squeezed lemonade, slushed it up in the blender, and topped it off with ice cold Sam Adams Summer Ale.

bayou kabobs

Bayou Kabobs

Add color, spice, and a little flare to your cookout spread with this Cajun-inspired recipe. We layered Andouille sausage with shrimp, peppers, and sausage for something like a shrimp boil on a stick! Serve with grilled corn and potatoes to really pull the theme together.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Roasted Tomatillo and Pineapple Salsa

Are you tired of bland, store-bought salsa, but intimidated about making your own homemade chip-dip? This roasted tomatillo and pineapple salsa is sweet and refreshing, with a perfect amount of spicy bite. It’s full of complex flavor notes and a breeze to make. The tomatillo is tangy, the pineapple saccharine, and salsa staples like cilantro, lime juice, garlic, onion, and salt strike a harmonious balance. Throw this salsa down with some blue corn tortilla chips and watch your guests lick the bowl clean.

frozen talenti sangria

Talenti Frozen Sangria 

With great entertaining comes great responsibility, so make sure your Memorial Day guests have a tasty bev to wash down your delicious food. The only thing better than a cool summer cocktail is a frozen summer cocktail. The Talenti Sorbetto in this recipe is brilliant in color and light in calories. All you need is your favorite bottle of cheap cab sauv, a little lime juice, mixed berries, and a blender. With only 222 calories per 8 oz serving, it’s the perfect summer cocktail. (more…)

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Health Buzz

Six Reasons to Start Your Diet on Labor Day

I’ve been writing for Diets In Review for a while, but I just found out recently that Labor Day is the second biggest diet day of the year; I am assuming following New Years Day.

With the rush of back to school and getting ready for the holiday season, I did not expect weight loss to be a high priority for many people. As the weather cools off and we look forward to boots and sweaters and layers, I expected fewer people to be concerned with dieting.

While I am slightly surprised to find out that Labor Day is the second biggest diet day of the year, there are reasons why it makes sense.

Back to school time, at least for me, brings to mind fresh notebooks and clean slates. If you grew up thinking of each fall as a new beginning, then autumn might be the perfect time for a habit change for you. (more…)

Posted on September 3, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

Road Trips Revived: Tips for Fun and Healthy Labor Day Travels

This weekend is Labor Day. For many families this is the final weekend of summer. Even if school has started, this weekend tends to be the last chance to get out of town and get one last memory in. If you’re also like my family this means time spent in the car; the necessary evil of travel. Thankfully, my crew has found simple some ways to enjoy our road trips and hopefully you can, too.

Our major road trip life savers have not been the portable DVD player, the satellite radio, or even classic road games. We’ve learned to let the trip be part of the vacation.

Traveling by car allows for some truly unique pit stops. There’s hilarious “world’s largest _____” sites all over. Just this summer we detoured to see the “World’s Largest Ball of Twine.” My son was able to officially add twine to his list of roadside oddities, we got to hear the history of the landmark, and we got to get out of the car for a nice change of pace. Plus, we took a million pictures and laughed the entire time.

We’ve had so much fun turning to the resource of Roadside America while we’re traveling. We loaded the app and just search for fun places to stop from our current location. Thanks to the app we’ve been alerted to sights like “Jurassic Art,” a small town resident’s personal welded art display in his yard. We stopped to see the “World’s Largest Mennonite,” a limestone sculpture in a public park. And one of our all time favorites was a place called “Prairie Dog Town,” a farm of sorts with prairie dogs running wild and a collection of five-legged cows. (more…)

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Lacy

Empty Calories Comic: Killing the Labor Day Buzz

See more Empty Calories right here in the blog each week, or receive one each month when you subscribe to our free newsletter.

Learn more about enjoying a healthier Labor Day weekend.

Post-Labor Day Detox Plan

Labor Day Recipes

 

Posted on September 2, 2023 by Health Buzz

5 Low-Calorie Drinks for Labor Day

By Jenn Walters for FitBottomedGirls.com

Summer may be winding down with Labor Day weekend, but there’s still time to squeeze in some summer fun, whether it’s throwing a barbecue or swimming in the pool. If, along with your final summer hurrah, you’re looking for something to drink that won’t derail your diet, read on for the five low-calorie beverages we’re sipping on—in moderation and with a designated driver, of course!

5 Low-Calorie Alcoholic Summer Drinks

1. Michelob Ultra Lime Cactus. While lime in a beer seems a tad weird in, like, January, in June it’s pretty much perfect for summertime drinkin’—light with a little refreshing citrus. Plus, a 12-ounce serving contains just 95 calories.

2. Bella Bella Bellini. This bellini recipe is a peach—in a good way! Only 94 calories and with enough fruity flavor to make you feel like you’re vacationing in the tropics even if you’re just in your backyard, it’s easy to make, too!

3. Skinnygirl Margarita. After getting hooked on Bethenny Frankel’s reality TV shows, we just had to try her Skinnygirl Margarita. You won’t be fooled into thinking this is the margarita from your favorite Mexican restaurant, but it is just sweet enough to please, and it definitely satisfied our margarita tooth (like a sweet tooth for margaritas, obviously). At 100 cals for a 4-ounce serving, it’s perfect treat for a summer day. Don’t want to spend the dough on the pre-made stuff? Make this skinny margarita recipe yourself!

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Posted on August 31, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Five Healthy Labor Day Recipes Beyond the Barbecue

If you feel like your diet is stuck in a summer rut, don’t wait until after Labor Day to detox. Similar to Memorial Day parties and the Fourth of July cookouts, Labor Day often means an indulgent outdoor gathering featuring rich grilled meats and high-fat side dishes.

This year, to keep things on the lighter side, think beyond the barbecue when you’re planning your menu. Since Labor Day typically marks the unofficial end to summer and the beginning of the school year, it’s a great time to celebrate the season with some of your favorite fresh summer fruits and vegetables.

If you’re tired of turning on the grill to entertain, spend this Labor Day with five delicious healthy recipes for your Labor Day party from food bloggers across the country who plan to get in touch with their patriotic side using plenty of seasonal produce.

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Posted on August 20, 2023 by Maris

Your Emergency Post-Labor Day Detox Plan

Despite your best intentions for Labor Day, you partied your butt off, which means you downed more drinks and hot dogs than you can remember.

The ideal situation would have meant you nibbled on watermelon wedges and sipped club soda with a twist of lime all day, but it didn’t happen. So, instead of beating yourself up, let’s move forward, shall we?

I usually don’t like to use the word ‘detox’ because I feel it insinuates that your kidneys and liver need help to cleanse your body, which they don’t: they’ve been doing it since the beginning of time. After a few days, weeks or even years of filling your body with junk, however, sometimes you have to get a little strict with your diet and exercise to filter it out.

In order to bounce back from your BBQ indiscretions, you are going to have to start now, scale it back and keep reading. (more…)

Posted on September 6, 2023 by Kelly

Healthy Recipes for Your Labor Day Party

As the summer draws to a close, Labor Day is the perfect time to gather all of your loved ones and celebrate the last days sunshine with relaxation, fun and, like any get together, food.

Labor Day doesn’t have to make or break your diet. By taking advantage of the fresh produce in season this summer and offering healthy, fresh and delicious dishes to your guests, you’ll be able to enjoy your party, guilt-free, without worrying about busting anyone’s swim suit seams.

Running low on ideas? Here are a few of our tried and true recipes that will satisfy your guests’ taste buds without expanding their waistlines.

Barbecued Corn What’s a summer celebration without corn on the cob? Instead of drenching it in butter, try topping your corn with a bit of Parmesan cheese, pepper or a little garlic. (more…)

Posted on September 4, 2023 by Kelly

How to Have a Healthier Labor Day Picnic

Picnics, especially on a work-free holiday such as Labor Day, are great fun. Hanging out with family and friends, spending time together, enjoying one last day of summer before the reality of school and sports: what’s not to love?

Sadly, many traditional picnic options are unkind to your diet and do nothing to support a healthier lifestyle. Why not try some of these tricks to help you throw a figure-friendly picnic this weekend?

  • Instead of grilling red meat or hot dogs, try chicken breast or pork tenderloin. There are some great marinades available, and both of these lean choices cook up well. Prepare extra for the coming week to make dinner time a cinch. (more…)
Posted on September 3, 2023 by Carmen