Kids' Nutrition Summer Foods That Are Healthy, Hydrating, and Easy By Natalie Monson, RD Natalie Monson, RD, is a registered dietitian and owner of Super Healthy Kids, a website dedicated to teaching children healthy lifelong habits. Learn about our editorial process Natalie Monson, RD Reviewed by Reviewed by Willow Jarosh, MS, RD on December 02, 2020 instagram Willow Jarosh is a registered dietitian and nutrition coach specializing in intuitive eating. She is the author of Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook. Learn about our Review Board Willow Jarosh, MS, RD Updated on December 10, 2020 Print We all know summertime is hot, especially for those who live in southern or desert climates. It’s important to get plenty of fluid when temperatures are warm. Luckily, there are some healthy ways to enjoy summer and stay hydrated at the same time. How to Stay Hydrated in Hot Weather Hydration Recommendations How much do we need to drink every day to stay hydrated? It depends on many factors, including your age. Here are the basic recommendations for daily fluid needs by age. These estimates include fluid consumed via both food and beverages. Most people get about 80% of their fluid intake from beverages and 20% from food. Toddlers: 5.5 cupsChildren (up to age 8): 7 cupsPre-teens: 9 cupsTeen boys: 11 cupsTeen girls: 10 cupsAdults: 11.5 to 15.5 cups How Much Water Do Kids Need? Choosing foods that are high in water content can help you stay hydrated, though you'll still want to consume enough fluid through beverages. For the most part, focus on water. Otherwise, choose low-calorie drinks or calcium-rich beverages, such as milk. Sugary drinks like soda and fruit-flavored beverages do provide hydration, but are recommended in smaller quantities than water or milk. Drinks containing 100% juice can provide some of your fluid needs as well, but focusing the majority of fluid intake on water and opting for whole fruits and vegetables can help make meal and snack times more satisfying and contribute to daily fiber needs. Hydrating Foods Improving your hydration can be as easy as choosing more fruits and vegetables—many of which are 80% to 90% water. Item Percent Water Item Percent Water Apple 84 Broccoli 91 Banana 74 Cabbage (green) 93 Blueberries 85 Carrots 87 Cantaloupe 90 Celery 95 Grapes 81 Cucumber 96 Peach 88 Lettuce (iceburg) 96 Pear 84 Peppers (sweet) 92 Pineapple 87 Spinach 92 Strawberries 92 Zucchini 95 Watermelon 92 Tomato 94 Hydrating Food Ideas Common fruits and vegetables pack a hydrating punch! Filling your plate with these nutritious choices not only adds essential vitamins and minerals, but helps you stay hydrated. Wash and pre-portion individual servings of fruits and veggies and keep them in easy reach for a healthy, hydrating, grab-and-go friendly snack. You can also add fruits and vegetables to your water bottle to make fruit-infused water. The combination possibilities endless, but here are a few ideas to get you started: Cucumber, lemon, and mintStrawberries and blueberriesOranges and blueberriesStrawberries, lemons, and blueberriesCucumbers, strawberries, and kiwi Add water, then give them some time to cool and let the flavors combine. Making water extra tasty will make it even easier to stay hydrated all day. The 7 Best Water Flavorings of 2021, According to a Dietitian Here are a few other ideas for easy, healthy, and tasty meals to keep your family hydrated all summer. Cold soups. Many feature vegetables as the base and are high in water content. Try a gazpacho-style dish.Fruit popsicles. There are plenty of 100% fruit juice-based popsicles on the market or you can even make your own! Kids love to get creative with their ingredient combinations and enjoy eating the healthy creations.Salads. Combine just about any fresh fruits and veggies together and you can make an appetizing, interesting side salad dish. Use some of the higher water content fruits and veggies to pack in even more hydration. Why You Should Set Summer Health Goals Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Water: How much do kids need?. Updaed January 22, 2020.