Oh, sweet patio season — that brief, glorious stretch when the sun is out, people are smiling, and patios fill up with pitchers of beer, sangria and indulgent snacks like nachos and wings. In Canada, summer feels too short, so we make the most of it. To help you enjoy patios without compromising your nutrition goals, I recently joined Marilyn Denis to discuss common patio pitfalls and practical strategies to make healthier choices all season long.

I covered several easy-to-follow tips on the show. Below are the key takeaways to help you save calories and make smarter choices when ordering drinks and appetizers on patios.

Common Patio Season Pitfalls (and tips to avoid them):

There are three main patio pitfalls to watch for: calorie-heavy cocktails, oversized appetizers and misleading “healthy” menu items. Recognize these traps and you’ll avoid a lot of excess calories and sodium.

Patio Season Pitfall #1:

Calorie-Loaded Cocktails

Many summer cocktails are high in added sugar and empty calories. Some examples:

Frozen Margarita
Approximately 500 calories — the equivalent of about an hour of running.

Strawberry Daiquiri
Around 700 calories — the equivalent of several hours of brisk walking.

Pitfall: Alcohol lowers inhibitions and makes it easier to abandon good intentions. The more you drink, the more likely you are to consume extra calories and overeat.

The Solution – Skinny Cocktails:

Try these simple swaps to reduce calories while still enjoying a drink:

Ask the bartender to make your cocktail “skinny” by omitting added sugar or syrups. For home, a skinny margarita made with fresh lime, tequila and a splash of orange liqueur or triple sec can be a lighter option.
Choose a rum and diet cola, or a vodka soda, and request extra lemon or lime wedges for natural flavor.
Order a skinny raspberry mojito — rum, soda water, mint, lime and fresh raspberries provide natural sweetness without the syrup.
Between alcoholic drinks, sip sparkling water with lemon or unsweetened iced tea to slow your pace and stay hydrated.

Patio Season Pitfall #2:

Enormous Appetizers

Appetizers served on busy patios can be enormous — sometimes totaling thousands of calories. Even if you share plates with friends, combined with drinks you could easily consume 800–1,000 calories or more without realizing it.

Examples from typical patio menus illustrate the problem: a large plate of chorizo nachos can approach 2,600 calories with excessive fat and sodium; poutine can reach around 1,200 calories with high fat and sodium counts.

Pitfall: High-sodium appetizers make you thirsty and encourage faster drinking, which can quickly drive up your calorie intake.

The Solution – Best Patio Menu Picks

Choose lighter shareable options to save hundreds of calories without missing out on the social experience:

Edamame
Chicken skewers
Fresh spring rolls
Grilled shrimp
Grilled calamari
A garden or Greek salad with dressing on the side — eat it first to feel satisfied before sampling share plates

Patio Season Pitfall #3:

Health Hoaxes

Not everything that sounds healthy actually is. Be careful with menu descriptions that can be misleading:

Dips such as bean dip or spinach dip can be high in fat and sodium despite appearing wholesome.
Hummus can be prepared with extra oil and may not provide as much protein as you expect.
Sweet potato fries lose many nutritional advantages when deep-fried; they can be as calorie-dense as regular fries.
Tapas encourage sampling, which is great — but take only one plate at a time and fill your plate once. Multiple trips make it harder to judge how much you’ve eaten.

The Solution – Scope Out the Menu

Plan ahead and reduce impulse choices:

Check the menu before you go and decide what you’ll order. When possible, look up nutrition information to make informed choices.
If you’re unsure, order a salad with a lean protein and dressing on the side to fill up first, then enjoy a few small bites of shared plates.

With a few mindful swaps and a little planning, you can enjoy patio season without undoing your nutrition goals. Sipping smarter, sharing wisely and spotting health hoaxes will help you stay on track and still have fun outdoors.

Enjoy your time on the patio!

XO Christy