Healthy Summer Grilling: Top Tips for Sizzling Summer Fun
Summer holidays like the Fourth of July are synonymous with barbecues and cookouts. But if you are caring for someone who is elderly, ill or impaired and needs to focus on healthy eating, how can you avoid the high-fat processed meats and fatty sides that often feature prominently on the grill-side picnic table?
Grilling can be a great way to try new recipes, feature fresh produce, seafood and lean meats and add flavor and excitement to a heart-healthy menu.
In this article we offer tips for healthy grilling including:
Feature Fruits and Vegetables for a Healthy, Colorful Plate
According to the Centers for Disease Control, adults should have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, to support healthy immune function, prevent obesity, type two diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and some cancers. Grilling is an easy way to add extra produce to your meals. Some options to try include:
- Zucchini, cut lengthwise into strips
- Sweet onion, quartered
- Bell peppers, seeds removed and cut in halves or quarters
- Peaches, peeled and halved
- Pineapple rings
- Portabella mushroom caps
Focus on Flavor: Lots of vegetables grill up great when seasoned properly. Fresh herbs mixed with a little olive oil or lemon taste summery. Try a low-fat salad dressing for a quick and flavorful marinade.
Cook to Perfection: Most vegetables cook better low and slow, so turn down the flame if you are using a gas grill or consider indirect grilling if you are using charcoal (pushing the charcoal to one side and grilling on the other).
Make the Cut: Make sure to cut the vegetables into wide or long enough slices so that they don’t fall through the grate. But remember to keep the pieces uniform in size so they cook evenly. Alternatively you can use skewers to hold the pieces in place, or a grill basket placed on top of the grill.
Keep the Flavor, Cut the Fat with Alternatives to Processed Meats
Cookout staples like hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages and pork ribs can add extra fat, nitrates and cholesterol to your diet. These delicious alternatives can offer a new twist on traditional cook out cuisine (and they often cost less, too):
Leaner Meats: Lean cuts of meat like chicken breasts and center cut pork loin provide all the savory satisfaction of meat without all the fat. Make sure not to overcook so they don’t dry out. Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165℉ and pork to 145℉ or until juices run clear when pierced or meat is no longer pink inside.
Fish and Seafood: Fillets of salmon can be cooked skin side down and then flipped until cooked through. Salmon steaks are another grill-ready option.. Both should be cooked until flaky and opaque. Dijon mustard, low fat mayonnaise, lemon juice and dill provide a timeless complement to salmon, or try your favorite barbecue sauce for a meatier flavor. (When basting with commercial barbecue sauces or other sweet glazes, apply towards the end of the cooking time to avoid charring). And shellfish like cohogs and muscles can be placed live (closed tightly) directly on the grill. They are done when they open.
Vegetarian Meat Alternatives: Vegetarian hot dogs and hamburgers can offer up the same experience as biting into their traditional counterparts, especially when topped with your favorite condiments. Impossible brand offers a delicious frozen hamburger patty and Morning Star Farms Veggie Dogs are the closest you can get to the real thing. Experiment with different brands to find your favorite. Try pairing with whole grain buns and rolls to add extra fiber and nutrients in every bite.
Healthy Sides Worth Asking for Seconds
Garden salad, fruit salad, pasta salad, couscous and grilled corn on the cob all serve as the perfect sides for your cook out without all the fat and sodium of mayonnaise-based salads and potato chips or snacks. Try these ingredient swaps to cut down on fat and empty calories in some of your traditional favorites:
- Low fat dressing or vinaigrettes instead of creamy versions to dress green salad or pasta salad
- Greek yogurt in place of sour cream in your favorite recipe for ranch dip or onion dip, served with a platter of fresh vegetables.
- Cucumber salad with vinegar-based dressing for a flavorful side with hardly any calories
- Popcorn popped over the stove on high heat in a covered pan with a little bit of olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pot) and lightly salted for a crunch just as satisfying as chips or bagged snacks without all the salt and fat
- Vegetarian baked beans for a high-fiber, cholesterol free side that goes great with veggie dogs
Summer grilling doesn’t have to be a vacation from healthy eating. Looking for more caregiver tips on diet and nutrition? Check out our resources section.