Summer days are often portrayed in movies as a series of lazy afternoons laying barefoot in the grass, sipping iced tea. This may be the picture we wish we could snap everyday. But most of us lead a more chaotic lifestyle than that, unfortunately.

In fact, it often takes some serious planning and motivation to get to the part where you can simply snack in a lawn chair and kick your feet up. But it doesn't have to.

Although gluten-free snacking retreats may take a little planning and foresight, summer offers some simple solutions. So, if I do find myself with a few minutes to spare under the shade of my backyard tree, I plan to have some healthful and delicious snacks ready to feed my summer cravings.

Here are my top five favorite ways to snack away the afternoon without a second thought:

1. Easy and filling snacks are key to staying fed during those get-up-and-go summer adventures, or during long stretches outdoors. I like to munch on gluten-free peanut butter and apple slices (photo above), carrot sticks and hummus or Laughing Cow cheese with Glutino crackers to avoid hunger during those kinds of days. Tip: I like to cut my apple slices horizontally. It feels a little more like a chips-and-dip alternative this way, and looks like it belongs on a red checkered tablecloth.

2. You can't get more simple than a bowl of fruit. Right now, strawberries are in season (photo above), and soon the markets will be full of a wide variety of many other summer offerings. Right now, we are also living on watermelon. I like to take a giant orb right outside and cut it up on a cutting board atop my metal table. The kids get a treat, and I don't get a sticky mess in my kitchen!

3. Rice cakes. They may be the proverbial "diet" staple, but they should also be a gluten-free staple. From sweet, to salty, to BOTH, the convenient snack is found nearly everywhere you can buy food and meets almost every craving with every crunchy bite. A good summertime grab for long car rides or the beach bag. My favorite are Quaker's Caramel Corn cakes.

4. Yogurt parfaits. Oh my. With fresh berries in season, it's the perfect time to layer up and dive into this decadent treat. And with much less calories than other sweets, it's a good call during swimsuit weather. I recommend Stoneyfield Organic's fat free French Vanilla with blueberries and a sprinkle of gluten-free granola (above). Jessica's Naturals is a good granola choice. Check out store locations here.


5. Lunch for dinner. In the summer, we eat Ballpark hotdogs, grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken salad for dinner. The key here is we didn't turn on the oven. And light, quick "lunch" meals get us out the door quicker, so we can run through the sprinkler a few more times.

This recipe can be made ahead of time and uses a chicken boiling method that is quick, keeps the chicken moist and avoids turning on the oven:

Summer Chicken Salad
1 whole chicken breast (it looks like two pieces)
1 box (about 30 ounces) gluten-free chicken stock (such as Kitchen Basics or Pacific)
4 stalks celery chopped
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 cup green seedless grapes, cut into quarters
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup mayo (regular or safflower)
A splash of lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
Salt, pepper to taste

To cook the chicken: Separate chicken breast and cut into about four pieces. Place chicken in a medium saucepan and cover with stock/broth. Bring to boil over a high heat then turn the heat down. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes then remove a piece with tongs. Make a slit in it. If it is pink, it needs to cook longer. If it is white, it is done and you can remove the rest and chop into cubes or tear with a fork. Cool 10-15 minutes.

While chicken is cooling, chop veggies. Combine in large bowl. Cool in fridge for 1 hour or eat warm.

Serve on gluten-free bread as a sandwich, wrap in a large lettuce leaf (bib works best) or just put it in a bowl and enjoy.

Kick back and take in the summer. It will be gone before we know it!