Healthy BBQ Tips!!

Barbecue is mos def a favorite with people everywhere, all year round. It's not just for the summer! Trust me, I know how worried you are about how healthy your BBQ really is. They tend to be very focused on meat, and there can be plenty of other unhealthy things tossed in there too. If you want to avoid fatty salad dressings and marinades full of sugar, you can make your BBQ healthier. I love getting out my grill when I have some friends over, and I enjoy finding ways to make it less of a meat-fest. If you want to have a BBQ that's a bit less artery-clogging, here are top tips.

Non-meat Options

You need meat if you want BBQ, but that doesn't mean it all has to be meat. I need something colorful to balance it out! When you're thinking of what you can make, don't just pair some vegetables with your meat options. Kebabs and some lettuce in your burger are great, but try to think of something that's purely veggie too. Then you have options for any vegetarian friends. I like to lightly char some bell peppers, and you can then peel off the skins if you don't like the charcoal taste. Corncobs are a classic too - you can wrap them in tinfoil to help them steam up. You could put some fish on the grill too.

thebittenworld.com

Go for Meat on the Bone

Burgers, chicken breasts and pork chops are all delicious. But they can be great big chunks of meat, which are a bit much for some people. If you want to serve some leaner options, choose some cuts on the bone. If you cook with chicken drumsticks or a tasty rack of smoked ribs, people won't get quite as much meat. It will be just as tasty, but it will help you avoid the temptation of eating too much.

Jessica Spengler

Get the Salads Out

As well as putting some veggies on the grill, try to offer some salads too. And don't just stick to a boring potato salad or mixed leaf. Think of some creative ways to give everyone options to choose from. You don't just have to stick to salad leaves and vegetables. Try making a salad with couscous, quinoa, pasta or rice. I like having something fresh on the plate to cut through the BBQ taste. Something zingy with tomatoes or lemon could go down well among your BBQ attendees.

Rob Bertholf

Offer Healthier Drinks

You need something to drink with your BBQ, and more often than not it's beer, wine and cocktails. I'm a lover of all of these things, but they're not the healthiest drinks out there. If you want to offer some healthier options, you could make up a fruit punch. Homemade lemonade could be a hit too, and you can even flavor some water. But if you want to stick to alcoholic drinks, pick something with a lower alcohol content.

BBQ doesn't have to be super unhealthy. Follow my tips and you'll be able to enjoy your food without worrying about your health.

Stay hungry my friends...

Ray B.