Hot fun in the summertime typically involves lots of cookout gatherings that center around culinary temptations. BBQ offerings tend to be loaded with fats, salts, sugars, and loads of calories that can really derail your healthy eating goals. If you are surrounded by mouth-watering eats, how can you stay committed to your weight loss plan?
Bring a few waist-friendly dishes. Why not volunteer to bring a dish or two of foods you can nibble on that are not fatty-filled. A fresh veggie tray with a low-cal dip is one healthy option you can load up on sans the guilt. Arrange your veggie tray with fresh bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, celery, zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, and squash; these healthy offerings are always welcomed. Grilled veggies are also delish. Offer to bring raw veggies and shrimp that your host can throw on the barbie for you.
Take a pass on the mayo-based coleslaw. Instead, try making a healthy vinegar-based slaw that is tasty and low in calories (see our recipe below).
Fresh fruits are always a hit at any gathering. Arrange a tray of summer faves you can nosh on that include strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, cherries, peaches, and watch how fast they all disappear.
Load up on green salad. Go ahead, fill up your plate with a green salad, it is a crowd-pleaser. Don’t be afraid to jazz up the green stuff with healthy offerings like sliced raw almonds, black beans, chickpeas, or raw veggies like broccoli, cabbage, and carrots,
Green salads can be satisfying and healthy, but you can undo the healthy part by going overboard with those fatty store-bought dressings. Folks will typically use more than a standard serving of dressing when eating salad, and the calories, added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat, can undoubtedly add up. So, if you plan on bringing a green salad to a cookout, why not bring your own dressing too. (see recipe below)
Stick to a healthy dessert. It takes willpower not to indulge in the various pies, cakes, and cookies that folks tend to bring to a BBQ. There are several ways to satisfy a sweet tooth without putting your health in jeopardy:
- You can always opt for a slice of fresh juicy watermelon or a bowl of fresh mixed fruit.
- Frozen fruit bars made with real fruit and no added sugar are a guilt-free treat.
- Dates are highly nutritious and very sweet. Even though they have been dried, they are a great source of fiber, potassium, iron, and beneficial plant compounds. Having one to three dates instead of a rich dessert, will satisfy your sweet tooth, and also provide you with healthy nutrients.
- Munch on a piece of sugarless gum. Research has found that chewing gum can really help suppress a desire for sweets.
Limit your libations. Limit alcoholic beverages to two per party at the most, and choose club soda, water or low-calorie juices as mixers.
Bottom line, before you attend a BBQ, you must plan ahead. Make sure to have the right ingredients on hand, and you’ll enjoy great meals all summer—while still eating right.
Vinegar-based coleslaw:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 thinly sliced head of green cabbage
- 1 cup of thinly sliced red cabbage
- 2 whole shredded carrots
- 3 thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of celery seed
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
Instructions:
- In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, mustard, cayenne pepper, honey and olive oil and set aside. In a separate bowl mix together cabbages, carrots, green onions, and celery seed.
- Next, pour a small amount of the dressing on the cabbage mixture and mix together until combined and until the desired amount of dressing is achieved.
- Season with salt and chill before serving.
Homemade healthier salad dressing:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cilantro leaves, stems removed
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic minced very fine
- 1/4 cup lime juice (from 2 limes)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and mix until smooth.