How I lost 100 pounds: Summer holiday party recipes for weight loss and summer BBQ survival guide

Hello my friends! So I've written a great deal about how I lost 100 pounds with calorie restricting and without GLP-1 drugs or weight loss surgery. And lemme just say, holidays are hard for me, especially in summer. Graduation open houses, Memorial Day parties, 4th of July BBQs, beach picnics, holiday cookouts. I'm hungry just thinking of them. Here's how I lost 100 pounds using diet grill recipes, low calorie picnic foods and summer weight loss tips. 

* Eat a light, filling snack beforehand. Eat a tomato-turkey or tuna sandwich. .Here's the recipe: two slices light bread-- 70 calories plus 2 ounces of meat--60 calories, lots of fresh vegetables and a smear of spicy mustard--5 calories for the kick! Save enough calories so you can enjoy some of the foods, but don't arrive starved.

* Take two green tea, apple cider and/or garcinia cambogia tablets to curb hunger pangs. Coconut oil works well to curb hunger pangs too. 

* Drink for a diet detox of water with lemon or apple cider vinegar. Or bring your own flavored seltzers. My personal favorites are Ice Mountain mixed berry and raspberry lime. I also like LaCroix cranberry and Target Good and Gather any flavor but the watermelon lime which tastes like watermelon rind, IMO. 

* Avoid soda, punch and alcoholic beverages. Or choose red wine over cocktails or beer. Or make homemade sangria with dry red wine, diet grapefruit soda, sugar-free raspberry lemonade, fresh strawberries, lemons, limes and oranges, 

* The Salad Bar Secret. Fill up on vegetables. Before you go for the entree, make a heaping salad. Serve or bring a salad bar as your dish to pass. Bring an assortment of cut vegetables like colored pepper strips, fresh mushroom, broccoli and cauliflower florets, matchstick radishes and carrots, shredded cabbage, chopped onions, pea pods, diced baby cucumbers and grape tomatoes. I also add chopped hard-boiled eggs, dried cranberries, pepitas and bacon bits. Not a fan of avocados myself, but bring them if you wish. 

* Don't Fear the Cheese (yes cheese!): Old diet wives' tales shunned cheese. But certain kinds of cheese, like Parmesan, are good fat burners. I also like Laughing Cow Swiss light wedges, Babybel light rounds, and 50-calorie mozzarella cheese sticks. These all make for portable party and picnic snacking. 

* Grill alternatives: Serve diet grill entrees at picnics. Bring your own and ask the host to grill it. Swap red meat for lean pork loin (140 calories) chicken breast, salmon, trout and tuna. Trade sausage or hot dogs for 70-calorie turkey dogs or 100-140 calorie Al Fresco chicken sausage links. Switch out burgers for homemade veggie burgers or large portobello mushrooms. Trim any fat and skip the bun. Eat breadless, gluten-free burgers. 

* Baked over roasted, fried or deep-fried. Grilling is actually a diet-friendly way to cook. Marinate fresh pork or chicken breast in olive oil cooking spray, lemon juice, basil, rosemary, sage, fresh garlic for to-die-for low-cal souvlaki. Spray fish cooking olive oil or high-heat avocado oil and lime juice. Season with curry powder, wasabi, cumin and ginger. 

* Swap baked chips for fried. Got a salty snacks craving? Pack a serving size of baked pita, corn or potato chips. Or make no-oil popcorn. Or munch on veggies and light dip. 

* Desserts: Serve or bring Weight Watchers or Skinny Cow ice cream treats. Opt for fruit. Have a small sundae with a half-cup of vanilla ice cream and berries (about 200 calories). Nibble on dark chocolate (a Dr. Oz suggestion). 

* Keep moving. Host the party so you're too busy to think about food all the time. 

20+ Easy, cheap Graduation Open House Appetizers and Snacks recipes

Oh, oh! You've been too busy and put off planning that graduation open house until the last minute? Or maybe you've been thinking about it for months and can't decide what to serve? Even if you need some last minute fillers for your graduation open house buffet, it's a good thing you clicked this article. Here are 25+ easy appetizers hors d’oeuvres, foods, snacks and recipes to make a nice graduation open house buffet. These can be used for wedding bridal shower recipes, first Communion receptions and other open house buffets also.  

cheese cubes with pretzels sticks poked in

nut cups--fill mini muffin papers  in school colors, with a nut assortment

trail mix cups--mix colored candies in school colors and serve in paper cups

rollups--spread tortilla with cream cheese, place large romaine leaf, cheese slices and deli meat flat and roll. Slice through roll to make pinwheels. 

PBJ pinwheels. Spread peanut butter and jelly on a pinwheel and voila! 

rainbow cut veggie tray with hummus--arrange baby cucumbers, radishes, broccoli and cauliflower florets, mini peppers and grape tomatoes on tray. super easy. See my recipe for homemade hummus. 

olives and feta cheese cubes (or any cheese cubes). Mix Spanish, Greek and black olives with chunk cheese

Puttin on the Ritz. Back the the 70s Ritz crackers put suggestions for dozens of Hors d’oeuvres made from Ritz crackers. Easy Ritz appetizers (or any cracker appetizers) feature a cheese spread or slice with pepperoni or lunchmeat circle and a veggie slice, or olive. 

Mini tea sandwiches. Make sandwiches with whatever filling or bread you like, and cut diagonally in triangles. You can use little deli rye bread too. 

Relish tray--serve in separated tray, different olives, pickles, cheese triangles and meat slices (Italian dry salami, prosciutto, pepperoni)

cocktail wienies--heat cocktail wieners and or mini smoky links in BBQ sauce (fruit jam, salsa, lime juice, smoked paprika or liquid smoke) 

Fairy cakes--make your favorite cupcake mix in school colors, in little mini muffin tins. Frost with a rosette of colored frosting using a disposable cake decorating tube with rose tip. 

fruit kebabs--using fancy toothpicks, spear watermelon or cantaloupe cubes, berries, grapes, pineapple chunks, canned  mandarin oranges, apple pieces, etc. 

hotdog penny kebabs--super easy dad recipe. Skewer pickle and hotdog slices plus cheese cubes on toothpick. Make hedgehog if desired (see below recipe)

open house hedgehogs: This comes from the UK Christmas traditions. Cover a large potato, or half melon with foil or colored plastic wrap. Poke your kebabs in to make quills. Make eyes and nose with frosting, raisins, whatever. Use matchstick veggies for whiskers. 

egg muffins or muffin cup frittatas. Mix different omelet addins with eggs and bake in muffin cups. My favorite is onions, mushrooms, colored peppers and bacon pieces topped with cheddar cheese. 

walking tacos--serve individual bags of Fritos or Doritos with cooked taco meat and toppings. Or mix into salad so guests can add to chips. 

graduation cap or mortarboard hat cookies (see recipe). 

deviled eggs--Cook hard boil eggs with salt. Shock eggs in ice water to loosen shells. Carefully peel and neatly cut lengthwise. Gently remove yolk. Mash with mayo and dijon mustard. Refill yolk cavity. Season with paprika and black pepper. Garnish with fresh dill and cilantro. 

Polish roses. Super easy: spread round lunchmeat (ham or turkey) with cream cheese and roll around a trimmed scallion. Fringe ends. 

Ants on a log. Fill cut celery with cream cheese or peanut butter and top with raisins or dried cranberries. 

Graduation Cap Candies and Cookies

Graduation Party Mortarboard Hat Cookies and Favors Recipes Sheet cakes for graduation open house parties are very expensive. And pretty though the cake may be, they usually taste like cardboard and sweetened shortening. So how

about a recipe for cheap, easy graduation hat cookies? Graduation hat cookies, also called mortarboard cookies, are the perfect graduation open house party dessert alternative to cakes. Make

enough for two per guest.

Graduation Mortarboard Cookies ingredients

small Reese's' Peanut Butter cups or any 1-inch diameter chocolate cup-type candies (mix it up with

caramel cups). Rolos work well too.

small square vanilla or chocolate covered cookies: chocolate mint cookies, Keebler Fudge Shoppe

Deluxe Grahams, Lorna Doone, Pepperidge Farm Chessmen or generic equivalent.

M&Ms in one of graduate's school colors

can of decorator cake frosting in the other school color

To Make Graduation Mortarboard Hat Cookies

Remove wrappers from peanut butter cups.

Invert peanut butter candy and "glue" cookie to base of candy with a dab of frosting.

Make frosting tassels with by using narrowest round tip on frosting can.

Place M&M on frosting tassel for center button of mortarboard hat.

Options:--Buy M&Ms and frosting in both school colors and alternate.--Frost plain square cookies in school colors.

--Add candy numbers in school year. Write numbers with frosting.--Use graduation hat cookies as edible place cards.--Use large Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or Mallo Cups and frosted graham cracker halves

Easy, Inexpensive Graduation Open House Party Planner

Hosting a graduation open house and need easy, budget-friendly tips? Use this party planning guide

to throw a cheap, nice backyard bash for your graduate! Here are recipes, tips shopping lists for

groceries, supplies, decorations and equipment. DIY alternatives save you money and hassle!

Graduation open house menu: Buy enough food for one serving per guest. Shop dollar stores, Aldi's,

Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco, Gordon Food Service and Target. Don't fuss with outdoor electrical

outlets. Prep ahead, chill or warm, and serve. Here's a cheap graduation open house buffet menu

under $100.

* Diploma roll-ups appetizers--flour tortilla shells --cream cheese --sliced ham --spray cheese

Spread cream cheese on tortillas, Place ham on top. Roll thin. Slice in half lengthwise. Draw "tie" with

spray cheese (or use licorice ropes). Arrange on serving tray. Chill.

* Watermelon basket: Cut watermelon in basket shape. Make two cuts two inches apart in center. Cut

one-third of the way down on each side. Cut a horizontal line around each side (connecting with the

vertical. Remove cutaway portions, leaving handle. Clean out fruit with melon baller (save melon

balls). Cut a scalloped or zigzag edge if desired. Carve "Congratulations Class of ____" on side. Mix

melon balls with partially thawed 4# bag Walmart frozen tropical fruit (reserve two cups). Fill basket.

* Hawaiian meatballs. Blend and heat in large disposable foil pan:--16 ounces ketchup --5# frozen meatballs --16 ounces grape jelly 

--reserved tropical fruit

* Veggie tray:--baby carrots --celery stalk --cucumbers --green peppers --dip

* Mac and cheese: Mix in large disposable aluminum pan and bake:--3# cooked mini seashell pasta --2 large cans mushroom soup --2# Velveeta cheese (cubed) --French friend onions (top with)

* Mortarboard graduation hat cookies (in lieu of cake).These went over crazy-well at our youngest

son's open house. Here's my tutorial and recipe for graduation cap cookies. You'll need:--peanut butter cups (Reese's, Palmer, generic) --chocolate covered graham cookies --M&Ms (school colors) Set extras out for party favors. --spray frosting (in one school color)

Additional groceries and supplies: For dual purpose decorations/ utensils, buy serving supplies and

paper products in school colors.--assorted chips/pretzels --assorted 2-litre bottles of soda (clear, cola, fruit-flavored, diet, caffeine-free) --water --instant coffee --tea assortment --creamer --sweetener --2 disposable rectangle aluminum pan (turkey size) for meatballs and mac and cheese --2 large plastic serving trays (for veggies and Diploma roll-ups) --large plastic bowls (for chips or pretzels) --2 plastic tablecloths (for buffet and gift table-guests don't need to sit at tables) --plastic spoons and forks --napkins --paper plates --congratulations banner 

--streamers (hang in trees) --balloon bouquet (cheap at Dollar Tree)

On-hand or borrowed supplies--2 picnic or outdoor buffet tables --folding chairs (campfire chairs work great) --portable awning or large umbrella (for food) --30-cup coffee pot or large carafe (for hot water) --2-gallon insulated beverage cooler --2 coolers (for ice, pop)

Decorations:

Make a memory table of your graduate. Arrange memorabilia, artwork, photos, projects, mementos,

awards, instruments, sports equipment, ribbons, trophies, scrapbooks, baby pictures. Place box

discreetly for cards.

And now, you wonderful parents you, relax, visit and enjoy. You've earned it! 

Graduation Open House Buffet Recipes for Bridal or Baby Shower too

May and June are busy with graduation open houses. If you have a graduating child, here's a guide to plan a graduation open house party cheap and easy. This festive budget graduation party guide has tips on purchasing, preparation, serving and clean-up tips for a perfect open house that even a busy DIY parents can enjoy!

--Set up self-maintaining buffet and drink areas.

--Serve simple appetizers and finger foods that people can graze from and don't require you to manage (aside from putting out a fresh tray possibly).

--Beverage bar: arrange variety of pop, water or juice, ice bucket and cups. Or buy canned soda in bulk cheap and fill a cooler. Set a box lined with plastic for returnable cans. Serve one each: cola product (Coke, Pepsi, RC), clear soda (7-Up, Sprite, Squirt), diet soda, non-caffeinated pop (root beer), bottled water, lemonade and juice boxes. If you serve alcohol, have a bar tender. Put bottled or canned beer in cooler. Monitor casually but carefully.

--Use disposable utensils, plates, cups and napkins. Get cheap paper products at Dollar Tree, Walmart or Family Dollar in your school colors. Serve food from large disposable foil roasting pans. Use the turkey size. Buy rectangular pans as they store in the refrigerator better. Fill roaster pans the night before and reheat before serving

--Cheap, easy open house buffet foods: These don't need to be reheated.

BBQ meatballs: Mix and heat thoroughly: 5# bag of Armour frozen meatballs and 16 oz jam or frozen fruit, 16 oz ketchup, envelope French onion soup mix, cup molasses, smoked paprika, garlic and lime juice.

Sausage and Sauerkraut: three 32 oz bags of refrigerated sauerkraut and 4# fresh bratwurst, sweet Italian or Polish sausage. Bake until sausage is thoroughly cooked about an hour.

Tuna Salad: Mix 2# cooked small seashell pasta, four 12 oz. or eight 6 oz. cans of drained tuna, 1 whole stalk of celery pared, cleaned and sliced, 1 large sweet or Vidalia onion, cleaned and chopped, 3 T. dill, 32 oz jar mayonnaise, 4 hard cooked eggs sliced and arranged on top, pepper or paprika for garnish

Chicken Salad: Mix 2# cooked small seashell pasta, four 12 oz cans cooked chicken, 32 oz jar mayonnaise, 1 # chopped walnuts, 1 stalk cleaned, pared chopped celery, 2# washed seedless purple grapes, 1/2 c. chopped sweet onion (optional), parsley for garnish.

Baked Beans: Mix 8 cans of pork and beans or 3 jars of great northern beans, two 3# bacon cut into bite-sized pieces, 32 oz ketchup, 2# brown sugar. Bake on low until beans and bacon are browned and bubbly.

Vegetable tray: For color variety use: cucumbers, grape tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, yellow pepper strips, mini ir baby portobella fresh mushrooms, cauliflower. Serve dish in hollowed out green pepper or use ranch dressing for dip.

Fruit bowl: canned pineapple chunks, fresh strawberries (washed and pared), fresh washed green grapes, canned mandarin oranges, fresh blueberries. Serve individually in disposable drink cups topped with whipped cream for a smaller party. You can also make a watermelon boat.I don't care for all the cutting up of a melons, though.

Cupcakes: Cupcakes are much easier to manage than a huge cake that messy and ends up all over your yard. You can buy bulk decorations like little diplomas, Class year or graduation. You can buy them from any party supply store or Walmart. Put one on each cupcake. Our local Meijer grocery superstore makes decorated graduation cupcakes. I paid $30 for 72 cupcakes, a big savings over a cake.