It seems like Quebeckers wait for summer all year, but when the dog days of July and August wear on, the black flies and mosquitoes emerge at the lake, and the humidity rises, it can feel like you need a break.

Extreme heat can cause havoc in our bodies, changing our appetites and making us feel dehydrated. It’s why light, cold meals like salads, cold meats, and lots of fresh vegetables feature prominently in the summer. But that light eating can often leave you feeling hungry early in the afternoon or at mid-morning.

While Quebec offers a wide range of tasty authentic dishes, it’s a cuisine not exactly known for it’s light-weight, healthy snacks, preferring instead hearty, fulfilling meals like tourtière, poutine, and creamy local cheeses. Not exactly made for a scorching summer day.

If you’re looking for healthy snack ideas that can satiate, you can check out these recipes and read on for more tips about fresh and healthy summer snacking.

With summer often focusing on crudités and raw fruits and vegetables, we’re taking a look at summer snacks that make you feel full. A study on satiability in food found that, calories being equal, certain qualities made food more filling, such as being high in fibre, high in protein, high in volume (including more air and water), and low in energy density (food that has few calories compared to its weight). If you want a summer snack that makes you feel full afterward, incorporate some of these foods:

#1 Apples

Full of both water and fibre, apples are the perfect fresh fruit to fill you up and keep you hydrated when the heat starts to rise.

#2 Avocado

Avocados are incredible at making you feel fuller and they’re widely considered a superfood for their health benefits. They’re easily enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time between meals. They can make any salad feel that much more satisfying without having to add meat or cheese.

#3 Eggs

High in protein, eggs will make you feel full and energized for hours, part of the reason they are so popular at breakfast. In the summer, you can incorporate chilled, boiled eggs into plenty of meals, or eaten solo.

#4 Greek Yogurt

A thicker, more protein-rich type of yogurt, it also makes an excellent vehicle for fresh fruit like summer-time berries. 

#5 Nuts

Need something with more protein to add to a snack of fruits and veggies? Nuts make the perfect accompaniment and are rich with proteins.

Any of these foods and more can elevate your next tea-time snack. Even in the heat, drinking tea has plenty of benefits; click here to learn how tea can benefit your health.

Great Food Is Important in Retirement Living

We take food seriously at All Seniors Care Living Centres. If you’re looking to expand your culinary horizons, don’t miss our monthly “Taste Of” series, which features dishes from across Canada and the globe. We host them at all of our retirement residences, including the Château Symmes retirement residence and all our retirement homes Quebec seniors are proud to call home. Red Seal chefs bring consistent quality and passion to the food that makes comfortable retirement living in Aylmer Quebec and around the province a treat, both every day and on special occasions.

Stay cool this summer and don’t let the heat affect your appetite. Enjoy satisfying snacks that are made for the season.