The 4th of July is an incredibly festive time for people and an alcoholic beverage is typically within arm’s reach at any picnic or barbecue. For people in recovery, especially those new to the program, July 4th can be a difficult time to remain sober. Independence Day is a joyful holiday, but the reality is that it can remind you of old habits and the occasional unexpected emotions. How you navigate those emotions when they surface can influence how you handle the holiday. 

The primary goal is to direct your focus to things that you can do, not what you can’t do. You can have a lot of meaningful fun, enjoying outdoor activities, the beach, the lake, the pool, basketball with family, and the impressive spread of food. If, however, you are new to recovery and feel that you may succumb to the temptation, consider avoiding parties where drinking is prevalent. Get together with some sober friends or consider going to a 12 Step meeting to discuss how to manage urges, boredom, and loneliness. Below, you’ll find four expert tips to help you stay sober through 4th of July celebrations. 

Be Creative

If you get your creative juices flowing, the fun never stops! There are many opportunities to let your creative spirit lead the way on this holiday. You can engage in arts and crafts projects with your children, or nieces/nephews, or make sand castles with them on the beach. Experts say that an actively creative mind is the best defense against resisting the temptation of drugs or alcohol. If you find an art project or creative outlet that you enjoy, consider making it a 4th of July tradition! One possible tradition is to make mini movies, which you can save and rewatch each year. 

Hang Out With Sober Friends

Some people with years of sobriety under their belt have no problem hanging around substances. They have things under control and they know what to do if they get uncomfortable. If you are new to sobriety and don’t feel like testing the waters with friends who drink or use drugs, consider hanging out with sober friends this year. You can plan a picnic, watch fireworks, or have a barbecue with everyone and enjoy the day. Spending the holiday with sober friends eliminates drugs and alcohol from the equation because nobody will use them. If you do want to go to an event that will have drugs or alcohol, consider taking a sober friend as a support system. Plus, you’ll be personally accountable for both of your actions. 

Don’t Be Afraid To Say “No” 

If your friends know that you are sober and understand why you are committed to that lifestyle, they will most likely not offer you any substances. Better yet, true friends will do their best to ensure that you’re having a great time without alcohol, and they may even hold you accountable for your actions. However, some people may offer you drinks or drugs after imbibing for a while. If you attend a party as a solo sober person, don’t fear the word “no.” If you don’t feel confident in your ability to resist alcohol, though, don’t put yourself in a compromising situation yet. This is especially true for newly sober people. 

Have An Exit Strategy

Whether you are at a sober party or not, make sure to have an exit strategy in place before arriving. Holidays can occasionally be overwhelming, bringing back old memories of your past life. These memories may spark feelings that can be hard to deal with in your newly sober life. This is why you always need to set yourself up with an easy exit, no matter what the reason. You may need to drive separately, even if that means struggling to find parking. The best way to feel good about an exit strategy is to let your friends know ahead of time that you may leave at any minute. Finally, enter into the situation knowing that you need to do what’s right for you because that is the best way to live your life.

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With the 4th of July knocking at the door, you’ve most likely gathered ingredients to create an impressive spread. Are you going to fire up the grill and char some vegetables or impress the skeptics with some meatless burgers? The fact of the matter is that so many traditional meat-centric dishes have vegan alternatives nowadays. That said, grilling some Impossible patties or Beyond sausages is not the healthiest way to eat. In fact, it’s just as unhealthy as eating a plateful of burgers and hotdogs. 

Independence Day cookouts commonly revolve around food because food brings people together. People can share stories, laugh, cry, and have a great time cooking and eating together. Much like music, food is a universal language that seems to unite complete strangers. You don’t need words to communicate how delicious a meal is. Hand gestures and facial expressions can reveal the truth!

If your goal is to enjoy delicious food and be a little healthier this Independence Day, head to the grocery store after perusing the following recipes. All of the recipes are vegan-friendly and they range from savory to sweet. After all, you need everything from appetizers and snacks to entrees and desserts for a successful 4th of July celebration. If you end up making one or more of the following recipes, post a picture and tag us @dherbs on the Gram! Stay safe and eat well, everyone!

Watermelon Cucumber Basil Lemonade

A perfectly refreshing drink recipe for warmer weather! This watermelon cucumber basil lemonade is free or added sugars and will enhance your hydration efforts at your sunny 4th of July party.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Frozen Lemonade

Do you love lemonade but hate the excess sugar and calories that come with it? You’re in for a treat with this healthier, frozen rendition! Make a big batch because it’s a surefire hit that’ll quench everyone’s thirst!

Click here to make the recipe. 

Rainbow Carrot Slaw

The unfortunate reality of the 4th of July is that people don’t consume a lot of colorful fruits and vegetables. This dish is a beautiful, colorful slaw that has fantastic crunch and sweetness from the rainbow carrots, but the dressing is the star of the dish.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Tomato Sweet Onion And Parsley Salad

Add some more color and vibrant flavors to your holiday by indulging in this light and refreshing tomato, sweet onion, and parsley salad. The best part is that the flavors only intensify after you mix everything together. 

Click here to make the recipe. 

Crispy Potato Taquitos

Incredibly satisfying and easy to make, these potato taquitos are stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes and topped with salsa, pickled onions, and crema. People can pick them up and crunch on them all day long, so make sure to make a lot if you want to enjoy a couple!

Click here to make the recipe. 

Simply Vegan Quinoa Burger

This vegan quinoa burger recipe is easy to make, packed with protein, and incredibly healthy. The patties come together in one mixing bowl. Make sure to cook them in a pan because they may crumble and fall through the grates on your grill.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Strawberry Coconut Popsicles 

Strawberry coconut milk popsicles are dairy-free, cane sugar-free, and 100% vegan. This recipe is perfect for the hot summer weather. They are like healthier creamsicles!

Click here to make the recipe.

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The Fourth of July is a day for Americans to celebrate their independence by doing three things: drinking, eating, and blowing stuff up. Would it be America’s birthday if those three things didn’t happen? Some argue that this holiday is more about food than fireworks. Just because it is a holiday weekend that involves gatherings with friends and family, it doesn’t mean that you should completely let yourself go. 

It’s easy to let food and drink get the better of you during holiday festivities. Even if you happen to be on a diet already, hotdogs, ribs, burgers, beers, and the array of chips and dips can make you weak in the knees. Temptation exists on every picnic table, grill, and in every fridge. You don’t have to lock yourself away from the good times, though, because there are ways to make your Fourth of July weekend a little healthier. You don’t have to take wheatgrass shots and eat smoothie bowls (nothing wrong with that plan, though) this weekend, but you don’t have to ignore your health either. Stay healthy this Independence Day with the following tips. 

Swap The Soda For Seltzer

This is an easy way to limit your sugar intake during the holiday weekend. A common 12-ounce can of soda can contain between 35-42 grams of sugar. Depending on the beverage, the sugar content can be higher or lower. Since it’s common for the average person to crack open more than one can of soda during Independence Day festivities, it’s a healthier option to switch to seltzer water. There are so many seltzer waters in existence, some of which have crispy carbonation and subtle flavors with no added sugars. Enhance your bubbly water game by adding lemon or lime slices, muddled blueberries, or fresh mint to the glass. 

Keep It Light

Most food that people make for Independence Day festivities is very hard on the body. It can lead to sluggish digestion, dehydration, and fatigue, especially if you spend the day in the sun. Instead of feeling like you can’t even get up from a chair, opt for lighter food options that balance the main course. Make a collection of salads, a veggie tray, a fruit medley, or homemade hummus and salsa recipes. Just don’t eat an entire bag of chips!

Keep The Grains Whole

It’s hard to convince people to let go of the familiar and make healthier choices on a classically unhealthy holiday. Rather than white bread or buns that contain enriched flour and refined sugars, choose whole wheat or sprouted grain varieties. If you make pasta dishes like pasta salad, consider using one of the many gluten-free pasta options that exist. There are lentil-based, quinoa-based, brown rice-based, and spinach based pastas! You can also add cold barley or quinoa to salads in order to increase your fiber and protein intake. 

Protect Your Skin

While the focus of this article is predominantly on diet tips, the skin deserves equal attention and care. Don’t neglect your skin while grilling, swimming, or lounging out in the sun this weekend. In order to keep your skin sunburn-free, apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Ideally, the sunscreen should be water resistant and environmentally friendly. Apply sunscreen 15-20 minutes before sun exposure to reduce the risk of UVA and UVB damage. If you take a dip in the ocean, pool, or lake, or you simply sweat a lot, reapply every two hours or so for optimal protection.

You Can Grill Veggies Too

Do you want to know the craziest thing? You can grill more than meat! The flames that provide lovely char to your meats have the same effect on veggies. If you have a grill basket, load it up with a vegetable medley of zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Alternatively, grill some asparagus with olive oil and lemon juice. Portobello mushrooms also hold up incredibly well on the grill, and marinating them only enhances the flavor. Don’t forget that veggie kabobs are great options too!

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We all know that Independence Day is going to be different this year. Some cities have cancelled firework shows and beach access to limit the congregation of the masses. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, large social gatherings, outdoor festivities, and Independence Day block parties and parades are not going to happen. You don’t have to be sad about social distancing and isolating because there are festive ways to celebrate America’s birthday safely.

It’s tricky to navigate your way through the pandemic, especially when it comes to celebrating a classic holiday that brings people together. Some people aren’t worried and want to have cookouts, pool parties, and big beach day gatherings. Others worry about recent businesses that closed in response to rising COVID-19 cases. You can’t force a gathering if people want to act responsibly and be safe, and you shouldn’t shame them for that either. The beauty of modern society is that we have technology to bring us together while we are apart.

Attend A Block Party From Home

Grand Park and the Music Center in Los Angeles, CA puts on an annual block party downtown for the Fourth of July. This year, Angelenos can tune in to the event from home via Grand Park’s website and Facebook page. The entire event will feature comedy sketches, poetry readings, musical performances, and more. You can tune in to Bloomberg Radio or Bloomberg Television to watch the Boston Pops Orchesta performance. Philadelphia, PA will televise a weeklong virtual “Welcome America” festival that features workout sessions, children’s and cultural programming, and a performance by Jason Derulo and Cynthia Erivo to close the celebration at the end of the week.

Celebrate With Food

Your menu doesn’t need to be patriotic, but it doesn’t have to include hotdogs, burgers, and cases of beer either. If you want to be cute and festive, then get some foods that correspond with the patriotic color scheme. Anyone interested in blue corn tortilla chips and red salsa? How about some beet and purple potato chips with a cashew cheese sauce to complete the red, white, and blue color trio? Treat yourself to refreshing summer berries by mixing strawberries and blueberries with coconut whipped cream.

Backyard Festivities For The Win

Most counties allow family/friend gatherings as long as they do not exceed ten people. Get in touch with your decorative side and set up cute individual tables for two so that people can social distance. If you have family over, set up a slip ‘n’ side, kiddie pools, and fill up water balloons to cool off in the heat. Perhaps you can set up outdoor games! Great ones to play include corn hole, horseshoes, and big Jenga.

Celebrate By Yourself

Just because the Fourth of July typically involves large celebrations, don’t feel pressured to show up if you get invited. If you are not ready to occupy a space with others in close quarters, then don’t do it. You can always respond to your friends or family and tell them that you are not ready for gatherings, and that you prefer to wait to meet up. There is nothing wrong with celebrating alone or with your significant other. Only do what you feel comfortable doing.

Use Technology To Your Advantage

Zoom culture is a thing now, but it is an amazing tool to bring people together while they are apart. Plan to get together online, show what dishes you are making, and virtually toast to a healthier future. Play some virtual trivia, too!

COVID-19 is still here, so please be safe as you enter Independence Day Weekend. Make sure to keep your distance, practice proper hand hygiene, and don’t forget to wear facial coverings if you are around strangers.

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The 4^th of July is a day for watching fireworks, grilling, and socializing, while celebrating our country’s history. Oh, who are we kidding? It’s a holiday that’s all about eating! Everyone gets together to eat, cook, bake, and showcase recipes that take your taste buds on a rollercoaster of flavor. Although most people associate this holiday with grilling ribs, steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, and even seafood,  you don’t need meat to have a great 4^th. You can actually have an incredibly healthy day with vegan dishes.

Let’s take a look at some facts. On average, Americans consume about 150 million hotdogs and buy about 700 million pounds of chicken and 190 million pounds of red meat and pork on the 4th of July weekend. That’s an extreme amount of meat. Aside from the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions that get used as burger toppings, vegetables are not the most popular items for Independence Day shoppers. Americans spend an average of $92 million on chips, $60 million on dip, $70 million on buns, $203 million on condiments, $341 million on beer, $86 million on cheese, and $167 million on watermelons. These prices vary from year to year.

Steering clear of meat this Independence Day may seem like breaking tradition. Is that such a bad thing, though? Maybe a vegan 4^th of July is a great kick-start to begin eating more plant-based foods. Eating meat is an easy habit that can be broken because there are many vegan alternatives that are nutritious and can absorb delicious flavors. Grilled vegetable shish kabobs with pineapple anyone? Baked cauliflower tossed in Buffalo sauce?

Most people eat meat because it is what has been taught to them and that there is no other way to eat. Additionally, people think that eating healthy is more expensive. This is a common misconception. Fruits and vegetables are readily available and don’t contaminate your body like meat does. Meat contains various drugs, synthetic hormones, increases the risk of developing diseases, can cause colon cancer, leads to high cholesterol, and is hard on digestion. While some fruits and vegetables are grown with pesticides or genetically modified organisms, organic produce is readily available at many grocery stores and farmer’s markets.

So the big question is: What will I cook this 4^th of July if I don’t cook meat? You want to know a big secret? Every day is a holiday when you eat plant-based foods, because you are celebrating a healthy lifestyle. There are many vegan options that will make you change your views about what you can do with food.

Bust out the grill and try our grilled eggplant recipe or make a refreshing watermelon juice to cool down on the hot day. There are many burger options that will take your taste buds on a trip to flavor town. There are black bean, quinoa, sweet potato, and portobello burgers that have endless flavor combinations. Don’t forget about making sweet potato or zucchini fries to go along with your burgers. You can make a tangy coleslaw or assemble a colorful, nutritious salad. And if you want to get fancy with an appetizer, try our stuffed mushroom recipe.

And don’t forget about the dips! Guacamole, salsa, bean dip, hummus, and many other dips are mostly all vegan. Make some kale chips or get some organic blue corn tortilla chips from the store and get to dipping! Dips are some of the most important dishes at a 4^th of July potluck, so check our dips section to make sure you bring bold flavors to wherever you go.

We can’t forget about dessert! Dessert is the palate cleanser you need just before the fireworks get started. Didn’t think that vegans got down with dessert? Oh, vegans know how to make a damn tasty dessert. Just take a look at our raw vegan ice cream, which is great for those on a cleanse, or try a sweet potato ice cream with a coconut milk whipped cream. See, having a vegan 4^th of July is a whole lot easier than you thought, and healthier too!

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