Healthy girl summer is officially on the menu!
Chef Emily Susman is telling ET about the feel-good habits she’s embracing this season, from alcohol-free sips and easy weeknight dinners to the simple hosting philosophy she swears by.
With more than 25 years in the food and beverage industry, Susman knows a thing or two about bringing people together. Her latest venture, Navi Mocktails, was inspired by a personal shift that changed the way she approached gatherings.
“I stopped drinking in 2021, and what caught me off guard wasn’t the decision itself, it was how weird social situations suddenly felt,” Susman shares.
“You show up to a party and someone hands you a water or a Shirley Temple, and you feel like a footnote. I wanted something that actually belonged at the table and something you’d be excited to drink.”
The result is a line of functional mocktail blends in take-anywhere sachets that give everyone something festive to raise a glass with.
“As a chef and someone who cares deeply about wellness, I’m always thinking about what food and drinks can do for you,” she explains.
“The collagen and protein add nutritional value, and I love L-theanine because it promotes a sense of calm without leaving you feeling foggy the next morning. You can be present, enjoy the moment and wake up feeling good.”
That balanced mindset doesn’t stop at happy hour.
“I used to treat healthy choices like I was white knuckling my way through something, and it was exhausting,” Susman recalls. “Once you stop framing it as restriction and start framing it as taking care of yourself, it stops feeling like a sacrifice.”
When it comes to summer eating, Susman is all about keeping things fresh, flavorful, and low maintenance.
“I grill everything,” she shares. “It’s my summer philosophy. The flavor is incredible, it’s naturally lighter, and it requires almost no fuss.”
This year’s warm-weather lineup includes grilled skirt steak with bright chimichurri, grilled shrimp tacos topped with mango salsa, and Mediterranean chicken bowls loaded with fresh herbs and roasted vegetables. On the side, she’s serving up watermelon feta salad, grilled corn, and cucumber salad with lemon and dill.
But summer isn’t all backyard barbecues and outdoor dinners. For days packed with errands, travel or beach trips, Susman keeps easy staples within arm’s reach.
“Healthy eating becomes so much easier when you make it convenient,” she notes. “I always keep hard-boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, grilled chicken and quality deli turkey on hand. For snacks, I love fresh vegetables with hummus, fruit or something protein-based that actually keeps me full.”
When entertaining, her approach is equally relaxed.
“Have great food, great drinks and make sure every person there feels included,” she recommends. “Set up a drink station with options for everyone and lean into simple, seasonal dishes. Summer produce is so good that you really don’t need to do much to it.”
For Susman, the secret to a great summer gathering has less to do with what’s on the table and more to do with who’s around it.
“The parties people actually remember aren’t about being perfect. They’re about the people.”
