Yes it is that time of year again!
Time to call your friends and family and plan a BBQ out at the park or at the lake. Just because it is the holiday does not mean you need to ditch your healthy eating habits for the holiday celebrations. There as SO many HEALTHY options you can incorporate into your BBQ that will be tasty for you and your guests.
Here are a few things to consider when planning your menu:
- Lean Turkey Burgers
- Grilled Vegetables
- Boiled Shrimp (or you can grill it!)
- Watermelon (or other types of melons)
- Chicken Kabobs/Veggie Kabobs
- Corn on the cob
- Frozen Fruit bars (chop up fruit get a low calorie fruit juice and freeze it!)
- Strawberries and Berries with Light Cool Whip
Here are some other tips that may help you out:
- Watch what condiments you eat with! Try to stay away from ketchup, mayo, and BBQ sauce! Try mustard, salsa, or spices to help add flavor to your meals.
- Chicken and fish are some of the best choices of meats you can cook/grill for the BBQ.
- This may be a far stretch but try the hamburger WITHOUT the bun! You can have it with mustard (or salsa) and put some lettuce on it (or you can wrap it in lettuce!). This can help cut out the calories that are found in the bread.
- Grilled veggies are ALWAYS a good option. Try some onions, bell peppers, and squash (you can even add fruit like pineapple or mangos to add some great flavor!).
- Try to stay away from the macaroni salad and cole slaw! Those are jam packed with mayo and other ingredients that make it a high calorie side dish. Try some seasoned corn on the cob, grill mushrooms, or even some grilled sweet potatoes.
- Fruit salad can be a great dessert! Combine some of your favorite fruit with a dash of honey (or splurge and get some low fat whip cream) and you have a sweet healthy treat to snack on while you light your sparklers! You can even try Jell-O or frozen fruit popsicles!
Like I said there are dozens of healthy options you can still have at your BBQ that will be delicious and nutritious! Try not to forget your salad… and drink lots and lots of water! It is supposed to be hot in most parts of the country and you do not want to get dehydrated!
This is Stephanie with Infinite Life Fitness. Please feel free to stop by my site, Infinite Life Fitness, for more health and fitness tips.
Hope you have a happy and safe 4th of July!
