KEEPING cool can be difficult in even the mildest heat in sans-aircon Britain.

And while the natural reaction is to gravitate to the cold section of the supermarket and grab the nearest ice cream or fizzy drink, there are healthier ways to tackle the heat.

Drinking plenty of water is the most obvious solution, but it is also important that you keep hydrated through savvy food choices.

Eating water rich food is just another way of keeping the heat at bay, but that doesn’t mean tacking on a piece of fruit to every meal, and forcing down more in between.

Why not try something different and instead incorporate fruit and veg together into your main meal?

You may be dubious, but I’ve picked out three fresh and colourful salads.

One with strawberries and ricotta, another with watermelon and feta-like cheese and the third with pomegranate and blue cheese.

For the stars of the show, head to Powells Greengrocers, Sedbergh, to pick up English strawberries at two 500g punnets for £2.50 and a ‘very’ large Spanish watermelon at £3.60. (You will also need to buy a pomegranate from your nearest supermarket).

Go by Cartmel Cheeses where they have a Westcombe ricotta (priced by the kilo) to sit perfectly alongside your strawberries on a bed of spinach with sliced avocado, plus a crumbly feta-like Appleby Cheshire cheese at about £25 per kilo to sprinkle over cubed watermelon.

They also have a runny Italian gorgonzola at about £25 per kilo to crumble onto your pomegranate, also on a bed of spinach. Add pear and walnuts to add flavour and texture.

Bowland Bridge Stores has the ideal dressing in a locally made Woods damson vinegar at £3.80 for a 300ml bottle to add a sharp and sweet kick.

They also have a 90g jar of Crespo black pitted olives at 95p to slice and mix in with your cubed watermelon salad. Just add mint and a squeeze of lime juice to finish.

Over in Carnforth, Greenlands Farm Village has some luxury dressings for your salads.

Ideal for drizzling over the pomegranate, try their Wildly Delicious Fine Foods blackcurrant shallot and Chardonnay vinegar or cranberry and walnut dressing at £6.50 per 375ml bottle.

To add some protein, head to William Peat (formerly Steadmans), Sedbergh, where they have traditional pork and herb Westmorland sausages at £7.61 per kilo to enjoy on the side.

Alternatively try their lamb loin chops at £15.85 per kilo - marinate in herbs of your choice and lie over the top of your chosen salad.

Peter Hutchinson Butcher, Greenodd, has chicken supremes at about £1.60 per 7oz. Chop up and skewer for kebabs on the side.

Or, make your own Middle Eastern-inspired lamb kofte using minced lamb at £9.50 per kilo.

Experiment on your meat with the new range of mini 60g seasoning grinders from Country Harvest, Ingleton, at £1.99 each.

The range includes Persian blue salt, Himalayan pink salt, White Muntok pepper, Danish smoked pyramid salt and black lampong pepper.

Finally, make crutons with tin loaves from the Staff of Life, Kendal, where they have white sourdhough, deli rye and wholemeal all at £1.80.