Eating in the Heat: Light Meals, Smart Fluids and Cooling Habits for Hot Weather

When temperatures climb, few of us want a heavy stew. Appetite often falls, we sweat more, and the kitchen feels like the last place to be. A few simple adjustments help you stay comfortable and nourished without turning on the oven.

Drink early and often

You lose more fluid in hot weather, through sweat and breathing. Keep water with you and sip regularly instead of waiting until you feel parched. Pale yellow urine is a rough sign of good hydration. Tea, milk, soups, coconut water and diluted juices also contribute. Sugary soft drinks and large amounts of alcohol are not good choices for hydration.

Water-rich foods

Watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, oranges, berries, lettuce and yoghurt all contain plenty of water and are easy to eat when appetite is low. Cold soups such as gazpacho or cucumber-yoghurt soup are popular in warm places for good reason. Chia pudding made with fruit and coconut milk makes a refreshing, no-cook dessert.

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Light, no-cook meals

Salads with beans or chickpeas, wraps, sushi bowls, cold noodle salads and sandwiches give you balanced nutrition without heat. Add a sprinkle of toasted seeds for crunch and minerals. Prepare ingredients in the cool of the morning or evening and chill them.

Salt and electrolytes

Sweat contains salt as well as water. For most people eating normal meals, the salt in food replaces losses. If you exercise for long periods in the heat or sweat heavily, rehydration drinks or salty snacks can help. Do not overdo salt if you have high blood pressure or kidney or heart conditions.

Cool ideas for hot days

Try a chilled cucumber and yoghurt soup with mint, a watermelon and feta salad with toasted sunflower seeds, a fruit smoothie frozen into ice lollies, or overnight oats eaten cold. Frozen grapes and banana slices make a simple dessert.

Using the oven less also keeps the house cooler. A slow cooker, microwave, salad bowl or barbecue can all stand in for the oven.

Food safety and who needs extra care

Heat helps bacteria multiply. Keep cold foods cold, use a cool bag for picnics and discard perishable food left out for more than a couple of hours, or about an hour if it is very hot outdoors.

Babies, older adults, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses are more vulnerable to heat and dehydration. If you take medication such as diuretics or have heart or kidney disease, ask your doctor how much to drink. Seek urgent medical help for confusion, fainting, a very high temperature or no urination.

This article is general information, not medical advice.