You Can Eat Healthy At The Family Barbecue

It’s time to fire up the barbecue and load up a picnic basket.

While there’s no better way to celebrate a nice day than a barbecue with family and friends, the food we serve is usually more tasty than it is healthy, according to one nutrition expert. With a few easy substitutes, though, that can change.

“When we think of a barbecue, we think of hot dogs, potato salad, macaroni salad and coleslaw,” said Nancy Copperman, RN, corporate director of public health initiatives for the North Shore-LIJ Health System. “Just like spring is here and we want to make over our yard, let’s think about how we can make over our barbecues.”

One way to eat healthy when grilling is to swap out meat for a more colorful, vegetarian barbecue, she says.

“One of the things we can think about is trying to ask ‘Can we grill things that look like meat, taste like meat, but aren’t meat?’ and a classic for that is Portobello mushrooms,” Copperman said.

Place the marinated mushroom caps on a whole wheat buns, add some lettuce, tomato, and onion, and you have yourself a burger substitute that tastes great and is healthy for you, she says. If you insist on keeping some meat on your plate though, Copperman recommends choosing your cut wisely.

“Prime meat actually looks a lot leaner than choice or select, which is what we usually get in our supermarkets, because the fat is really well-marbled within the meat,” Copperman said. “So, even though prime meat looks leaner, it has a higher fat content. One of the things to do is to choose meats that are choice or select, and not go for the prime meats when you’re going to do grilling.”

When grilling, how the food is cooked can be just as important as what’s being cooked. Eating a lot of charred or over-grilled meat, Copperman says, has actually been linked to a number of cancers. To play it safe, try cooking on lower temperatures or use indirect heat sources.

For sides, Copperman suggests swapping out mayo-soaked potato and macaroni salads with what is in season at your local farmer’s market. Grilled zucchini (green or yellow), peppers, and even asparagus can give your meal some color and taste, without all the added fat.

Drinks are also an integral part of the barbecue experience, and just for the taste.

“One thing to remember is that, when we’re out in the summer time and we’re having fun, that because the weather is so warm, we can dehydrate,” Copperman said.

While beers, wines, and sodas seem like the perfect way to cool off, they are also full of calories and sugars. Instead, she suggests cutting up fruits -- such as oranges, limes or lemons -- and placing them in water or unsweetened iced tea to create a naturally delicious and healthy drink.

Here are some other tips for a healthy BBQ:

• Salads, like a three bean salad with green beans, kidney beans and chickpeas, are a great choice for a side.
• Instead of butter and salt, use spices like tarragon and pepper to season corn.
• If you do have potato salad, swap out the mayonnaise for yogurt or another low-fat substitute.
• Melons and in-season fruits like strawberry are perfect for a red, white, and blue dessert to end the barbecue.