Few things are better on a hot summer’s day than a barbecue, as synonymous with sun and fun as swimming pools and ice cream cones. Unfortunately, hot dog and hamburger season coincides with bathing suit season, and while a calendar full of feasts adds fun to our social lives, it can end up adding a few numbers to the scale as well.
This is not to say that we should avoid barbecues for fear of gaining weight. As far as I’m concerned, a summer lacking Tofurky sausages and icy, carbonated beverages is no summer at all. However, there are plenty of ways to satisfy our savory and sweet teeth without splurging—it’s simply a matter of making the right choices and substituting healthier recipes when we can.
Make friends with the vegetable tray.
At barbecues, there’s usually a tray of bite-sized vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and celery perfect for snacking. They’re just overshadowed by the bowl of tortilla chips next to them. Fill up your plate with these crunchy goodies, but go easy on the ranch or sour cream dips usually accompanying them. Instead, opt for hummus, a yogurt-based dip, or low-fat versions of your favorites, like a healthier version of artichoke dip.
Know that all salads aren’t created equal.
The word salad shouldn’t automatically put a halo on certain foods, particularly if they involve copious amounts of mayonnaise, as most potato and pasta salads do. However, there are easy ways to make these sides less calorically dense, either by substituting yogurt for the mayo or by using a recipe that uses olive oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fats (the good kind).
Adding beans to green salads, like a summer salad with garbanzos or a white bean salad, or using fresh and flavorful ingredients like papaya and red onion, are also a good way to make them more filling and satisfying minus the saturated fat.
Volunteer to bring a dish.
This is the easiest way to ensure there’s at least one dish you’ll enjoy and feel good about eating. A quinoa salad is a terrific side dish that blends perfectly with other barbecue fare. Bring a tray of shish-kabobs loaded up with vegetable chunks and lean cuts of meat. You could also create nutritious variations of your favorite appetizers, such as guacamole made with avocado and peas.
