Celebrate The 4th Of July With Health-Approved Food & Drinks The Whole Family Will Love — Shop Now
June 30 2022, Published 3:20 p.m. ET
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It’s 4th of July and like any solid birthday, this one warrants a celebration.
This year might look a bit different than the last few, so that means there’s even more reason to enjoy this holiday. Maybe for you it’s a BBQ, some quality family time or just some time to enjoy the day off hiking in nature, or whatever is your jam.
To help you celebrate this day right, we’ve got you covered with a whole slew of unique and super tasty, health-approved foods and drinks that the whole family will love, recommended by Dr. Christopher Mohr, PhD RD. And it’s not just the main meal that matters, snacks are huge too! Especially considering Independence Day is an all-day event.
Keep scrolling to shop OK! and Dr. Christopher Mohr, PhD RD's curation of our favorite 4th of July foods and drinks for this year's celebrations!
PREPARE FOR A RELAXING, LONG WEEKEND WITH CUTE & COMFY JULY 4TH ATHLEISURE — SHOP NOW
Nature Made Wellblends ImmuneMAX
First, we’ll start with hydration. And for us, that means a whole lot of water considering it’s early July! Registered Dietitian Dr. Mohr — who is a nutrition spokesperson and consultant to a number of media outlets and corporations including Under Armour, Reebok, Johnson and Johnson and more — tells OK! his biggest advice this holiday is to "hydrate, hydrate, hydrate." After drinking water, he loves to make a morning "cocktail" from Nature Made WellBlends, before any coffee or tea in the AM. This combo of Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Zinc compliments your overall nutrition, sleep and exercise routine to support your immune system. And, frankly, it just tastes great!
Nature Made's Wellblends™ ImmuneMAX® Fizzy Drink Mix retails for $16.99 at naturemade.com.
Athletic Brews Superfood Swell
Brewed in collaboration with surf legend Laird Hamilton’s very own Laird Superfood®, Superfood Swell is a refreshing tropical IPA. Big waves of mango collide with swells of pineapple and hints of coconut water to deliver a taste-bending brew that transports you to Hawaii’s shores. When the heat of the day might get to you, and more and more alcohol does not agree with your body, this non-alcoholic option will hit the spot!
Athletic Brews' Superfood Swell retails for $13.99 at athleticbrewing.com.
Clif Bar®
Clif Bar® provides sustained energy before and during moderate-intensity activity lasting over an hour. It’s purposefully crafted with a blend of plant-based protein, fat and carbohydrates to keep you hiking (or riding, climbing and skiing) all day long.
Clif Bar's Chocolate Chip Energy Bar 12-Pack retails for $16.99 at clifbar.com.
California Fresh Figs
Being right in the middle of fresh fig season (May – November), these gems not only taste amazing, but look even better. And when you think figs, think California! California produces 98% of the nation’s fresh figs and they’re the best quality figs in the world.
There are several varieties that range from green to black but they are all sweet and delicious. Try them all throughout the season to find your favorite! According to Dr. Christopher Mohr, PhD RD, "Figs are a good source of dietary fiber and provide calcium, iron, potassium and more and taste great on their own or in recipes, like this one we’ll be making this Monday."
Nutra Fig's Nutra Fig Golden California Figs retail for $13.50 at walmart.com.
Wonderful Pistachios Sea Salt & Vinegar
Chips seem almost as "American" as apple pie and beer, but sticking with the them, we’re mixing it up this year. The former consulting Sports Nutritionist for the Cincinnati Bengals and University of Massachusetts Athletic Program happily work with Wonderful Pistachios as they are "one of me and my family’s favorite snacks."
Wonderful pistachios are one of the highest protein snack nuts and offers you more nuts per serving — about 49 pistachios — compared to 23 almonds or 18 cashews. Pistachios also offer a good source of protein and fiber, and 49 pistachios is also a satiating amount. "I love all the flavors, but am partial to Wonderful Pistachios Sea Salt & Vinegar to help keep better-for-you snacking interesting," Dr. Mohr admits.
Wonderful Pistachios No Shells, Sea Salt & Vinegar Nuts retail for $15.98 at amazon.com.
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Whisps Cheese & Pretzel Bites
A fun snack to have out and available for snacking throughout the day, Whisps Cheese & Pretzel Bites are made with 100% real cheese as their first ingredient, and clean label pretzels! These uniquely poppable snack bites have 6-8g of protein, 0g of sugar and 100% crunch per serving.
"I’m admittedly partial to the Honey Mustard flavor," the nutrition consultant and expert for the NY Times Bestselling book "LL Cool J’s Platinum Workout" explains, "but our girls are big fans of the other flavor, Cheddar." Whisps had the idea to put real cheese back in cheez snacks; these are made with real aged cheddar cheese, making them richer in protein and will take you down to flavor town! They're certainly a fun swap from the basic bowl of pretzels that are so every day.
Whisps' Honey Mustard Cheese & Pretzel Bites retail for $4.49 at amazon.com.
Jackson’s Carolina BBQ Flavor Chips
For those interested in a different yet extremely tasty chip option this 4th, opt for Jackson’s. Their line of sweet potato chips –—which includes their southern-inspired Carolina BBQ flavor — are made with heirloom non-GMO sweet potatoes that are cooked low and slow in premium oils then tossed with chef-inspired seasonings for a flavor experience like no other. You couldn’t ask for a better side for your BBQ spread, regardless of what you’re serving.
Jackson's Carolina BBQ Sweet Potato Chips with Avocado Oil 10-Pack retails for $20.89 at amazon.com.
Chilean Salmon
For the 4th of July, your food has to be top notch as well, but burgers are so … typical. How about mixing up your 4th of July fare with a beautiful slab of Chilean salmon on the grill! Why Chilean? Because it’s responsibly raised, high in omega-3 fats, low in mercury and considered a best choice according to the FDA for the entire family, including pregnant women and young children.
This consistently cold environment in Patagonia allows fresh (and frozen) Chilean salmon to be available year-round. You can likely find it at the fresh fish counter or freezer section of your local grocer, so check the packaging and choose this option that’s packed with health benefits for the whole family. Try the Plank Roasted Chilean Salmon with Citrus Cilantro Salsa pictured below!
Secret Island's 12 Pack Atlantic Salmon retails for $79.99 at secretislandsalmon.com.
Planet Based Foods Original Hemp Burger
Feeling burger-esque without the meat? Planet Based Foods’ The Original Hemp Burger is the first and only plant-based burger with sustainable superfood hemp as its number-one ingredient, followed by pea protein and brown rice. The Original Hemp Burger serves up 21g protein, 6g fiber and omega 3-6-9 fats with no cholesterol, soy, gluten or GMO ingredients.
Perfected based on feedback from diners at Stout Burgers & Beers restaurants in California, you can feel good about grilling up Planet Based Foods’ tasty burgers because they are better-for-you and better-for-the planet. Hemp requires less water than traditional crops, regenerates soil, filters carbon dioxide from the air and can thrive in the face of climate change. Planet Based Foods burgers come in two delicious flavors: The Original and Green Chili Southwest, and the brand sources 100% of their hemp from the United States as part of their commitment to support American farmers and reduce their carbon footprint.
Planet Based Food's The Original Hemp Burger retails for $19 at planetbasedfoods.com.
Applegate Do Good Dog Hot Dog
Alright, maybe you’re feeling like meat is your jam. According to Dr. Mohr, "Our youngest does love salmon, but also loves a solid hot dog and we are partial to this." Made with regeneratively-sourced beef that is 100% grass-fed, the Applegate Do Good Dog is Applegate Humanely Raised with no antibiotics ever, is gluten free and has no chemical nitrates or nitrites. And, best of all, it tastes great too and cooks up perfectly on the grill!
Applegate Naturals' The Do Good Dog Uncured Beef Hot Dog retails for $8.59 at freshdirect.com.