It’s never a bad idea to balance any eating occasion with healthy options and fun treats. Choose one or two “treat yourself” foods and combine them with some healthy BBQ options listed below.
Healthy BBQ Ideas
- Have fun with hamburger alternatives. Grill up salmon burgers, chicken breast marinated in BBQ sauce or homemade black bean burgers. As a result, you’ll cut back on the lesser healthy fats.
- Ban the bun. Try lettuce wraps, use a whole wheat or corn tortilla or cook a few favorite ingredients together in a foil packet. Try this recipe for a chicken, corn and tomato foil pack that delivers a ton of flavor.
- Add a grilled fruit slice to your burger. Sweet options like peaches and pineapple add an unexpected twist that provides another huge layer of flavor.
- Try baking your own chips. Consider throwing potatoes, carrots or beets in the oven for a healthier alternative to bagged potato chips. Instead of heating up the whole house, using the air fryer is a great alternative if you have one.
- Grill up vegetables on a kebab or on foil for a smoky side dish.
- Have fun with fruit and keep it flowing! Create fruit salads with different colors and make sure there’s plenty for everyone to grab this nutrient-packed snack. Consider a fruit salad with strawberries, blueberries, and light honeydew for a red, white, and blue theme!
- Spice up your salads. Mix flavors and textures by combining romaine lettuce, avocado, strawberries, elbow pasta, and sharp parmesan cheese. Also, cherry tomatoes, freshly grilled corn, finely chopped red onion, black beans and lime juice make a delicious combo.
- Offer whole grains. A Greek quinoa salad with cucumber, feta cheese, and tomatoes is just as refreshing as a heavier pasta salad.
- Add a healthier dessert. First, grill up apple slices. Then, combine them in foil with cinnamon and a tbsp each of raw oats, brown sugar, and butter for a much healthier alternative to apple pie. Finally, enjoy it with full-fat plain yogurt or with whipped cream. As a result, you’ll save a ton of calories compared to ice cream.
- Make smoothie popsicles. The night before, make a few different three-portion smoothies. Maybe peanut butter banana sounds good to you? Or even a mixed-berry version? How about a lemon, pineapple cucumber version? Simply blend them up and pour them into popsicle molds for fresh, high-nutrient options without added sugar.
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