Our 6 Tips For A Healthy BBQ Cookout

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The smell of the grill firing up is a sure tell sign that summer is here. Check out these nutrition tips from The GetRealGurls to get the most from your BBQ this summer:

Burger beware. Burgers can be high in cals and saturated fat, plus eating too much barbequed red meat has been linked to certain types of cancer. Mix it up during BBQ season and opt for lean chicken burgers, fish or veggie burgs. Read labels and look for ones with less fat and sodium. Avoid blackening your red meats to prevent carcinogens from forming (aka cancer causing agents).

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Veggies meet BBQ. The BBQ ain’t just for meat lovers. Grilled veggies are a delicious way to enjoy more fibre and vitamins. Most veggies can be grilled. Try zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, potato, corn, etc. Top with a bit of olive oil, fresh herbs and enjoy hot off the BBQ or cold as a salad! Check out your local kitchen store for BBQ skillets – perfect for BBQ'ing veg. Bonus, unlike red meats, barbequeing veggies doesn’t form those nasty carcinogens.

Watch your starches. While the sweet golden kernels of the corn on the cob call for you this summer just remember that corn is a carbohydrate (aka starch). ‘Member the balanced plate? You want to keep starches to ¼ of your plate at meals. So you will have to choose between the bun on your burger and the corn on your plate. There isn’t room for both! That will leave room for half a plate of grilled veggies.

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Add fibre to your burgs. Homemade burgers are a perfect vehicle for sneaking some fibre in. When assembling patties, mix in some bran buds or oats with the meat – you won’t even notice it’s there.

Go for whole grains! Burger season is no excuse for not getting in your whole grains. Make sure to look for whole grain buns or pita buns or skip the bun altogether and enjoy some corn on the cob – it’s a whole grain after all.

Top up your burger with the right stuff. Burger toppings like cheese can really pile on the calories and unhealthy fats. Get healthy with burger toppings – go for standards like tomato, lettuce and onions or get creative by adding grilled veggies or grilled fruit (try pear or pineapple). Now that’s gourmet.

Happy grilling!


-A & M from GetRealGurls Nutrition 
www.getrealgurlsnutrition.com