6 surprisingly healthy swaps for summer snacks and sips

We’re already halfway through the summer and many of us are deep into "summer eating." All of our favorites are now a regular part of our backyard or beach eating, and healthy summer eating might be a distant memory. Let's take a baby step back to better eating by making these easy and tasty swaps.

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Chicken wings or burger sliders? Find out which summer foods are better to eat

Play Video - 3:39

Chicken wings or burger sliders? Find out which summer foods are better to eat

Play Video - 3:39

What you usually drink: A margarita, about 375 calories (standard size)

Try: 12 ounce beer

When it comes to calories, a regular beer has about half the calories (about 150 calories) of a margarita (that’s in comparison to a standard — not souvenir glass — size). Beer also is lower in total alcohol and sugar. And it’s a myth that drinking beer gives you a "beer belly." Plus, the fizz allows you to drink slower and make one drink last longer. A trendy tip is to add a few ice cubes to the beer, also reducing the carbonation. A bottle of beer is built-in portion control for one standard serving of alcohol.

What you usually eat: Hamburger slider, about 170 calories

Try: Fried chicken wing, about 120 calories

For an indulgent appetizer, you’ll save about 50 calories with the chicken wing. And the wing has 20 percent more protein. You’ll also avoid the processed carbohydrates from the slider’s bun. Portion control matters: Stick with one wing, and enjoy with some colorful raw vegetables.

What you usually eat: 10 popcorn shrimp, about 250 calories

Try: Two pigs-in-a-blanket, about 120 calories

Those bite-sized popcorn shrimp are tiny, but those calories add up fast: With about 25 calories per bite, a serving weighs in at 250 calories. And it’s hard to stop that hand-to-mouth activity! Two mini pigs-in-a-blanket are about 60 calories each, and a two-piece serving is lower in fat, calories, and sodium than the shrimp.

Cook time:

30 minutes

Prep time:

20 minutes

Yield:

40 pieces

Get the recipe

What you usually drink: Medium lemonade (20 ounces), around 220 calories

Try: Sweetened ice tea

While both drinks have added sugar, the iced tea has about half the amount of sugar of a lemonade. That makes sense, because lemons are naturally super sour. Stick with a small, for further sugar and calorie savings, or share your medium with someone. Sometimes the tea is so strong, you can also add extra ice, or even water to cut the calories further.

What you usually eat: Chips and guacamole, around 250 calories

Try: Two bruschetta, about 100 calories

With a handful of chips weighing in at about 100 calories, and a few dips of guacamole providing about 150 calories, it’s true you’re getting a heart-healthy nutrient rich boost from the guacamole — but with high calories. Try a similar healthy boost with the bruschetta, with a swipe of olive oil on a small piece of toasted bread topped with a colorful (and nutrient-rich) blend of chopped tomatoes, basil and garlic.

What you usually drink: Aperol spritz, around 165 calories

Try: Bloody Mary, around 130 calories

Not only lower in calories, the Bloody Mary has much less sugar. Plus, you’ll get the boost of one serving of a fruit (tomatoes are a fruit, not a vegetable!). Stick with reduced-sodium mixers to keep the salt at a minimum.

Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD is NBC News Health and Nutrition Editor. Follow her on Twitter.

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