So you've got your plans set for the perfect Fourth of July with your family: a picnic on the beach or at a local state park, swimming and playing in the sand followed by fireworks at night. Have you thought about what your picnic will entail? This year, focus on smart foods for the day in the sun.

A good picnic can include snacks that taste great and keep you energized, while also helping your family develop healthy eating habits. These days, so many of us are used to eating the wrong types of foods throughout the day, such as soda, chips, etc., that we can often forget to choose something more sensible. By bringing healthy snacks for eating both indoors and out, we get into the habit of eating the right foods. Use fun activities such as weekends at the park or beach to teach your kids that snacks don't have to be sugar and fat, and to eat in moderation.

For drinks, bring bottled water. Nothing is a better drink for a hot, summer day to quench your thirst, and it doesn't have all the sugar and salt of sodas and juice. Water is also good because it actually does quench your thirst, rather than making you want to drink more, like soda does. Water also won't weigh you down like soda and juice, so you'll have much more energy to run around on that beach!

For snacks, fruit is best. Also light and not too filling, they are great foods to eat on a day when you're walking around, swimming, and having fun in the sun. A fruit salad made of anything from grapes, cherries, pineapple, melon and more is a good assortment for a picnic. Or you can bring along individual bags of grapes, and berries, and throw a couple of apples and oranges in the picnic basket.

If you still want to bring along some chips, popcorn or other snacks along these lines, there's no need to cut them out entirely. Place them into small baggies, one for each person. Bringing along big bags of chips can lead to eating too much. Small baggies will help your family get in the habit of eating these types of snacks in moderation. Use the same technique with desserts such as cookies or brownies.

For the main course, home made sandwiches with plenty of lettuce and tomato, green peppers, cucumbers and onion make a great meal for a picnic. Sandwiches with lots of vegetables are light and still filling, and they won't weigh you down like hamburgers and hotdogs.

Eating healthy meals and snacks when going out is a good step to keep the family from eating the wrong types of foods every time you leave the house. Find sensible choices for picnics, holidays and other days out can help your family make the days better because you'll feel better, lighter, and happier! Plan your picnic for the Fourth of July with these healthy food choices and enjoy the day in the sun.