Summer BBQ Guide: 8 Healthy Eating Tips
This post was written by Cristina Cavanaugh, a registered dietitian on Amwell. Updated July 2020.
Who doesn't love BBQs, picnics, and pool parties. Quality time spent with friends and family and don't forget the hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream…oh my! It's easy to eat more calories than expected while attending a get-together. Here are some healthy tips and swaps you can make.
Hypothetical situation: You attend a BBQ and eat 3 buffalo chicken wings for an appetizer, a cheeseburger, a small bag of potato chips, one cup of potato salad for dinner, and a piece of cherry pie a la mode for dessert.
You would be consuming:
1,651 calories
89 grams of fat
18 grams of saturated fat
3,815 grams of sodium
And that is just for one meal.
Instead: Opt for hummus and carrot sticks for an appetizer, a black bean burger on a whole wheat bun, corn on the cob with butter, two cups of salad with two tablespoons of light balsamic dressing, and 2 cups of watermelon for dessert.
You would be consuming:
637 calories
15 grams of fat
2 grams of saturated fat
781 grams of sodium
That's 1,015 calories, 70 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, and 3,034 grams of sodium saved!
Healthy eating tips for BBQs, cookouts, and parties:
- Fill up on veggies first. Nibble on carrot sticks and hummus instead of chicken wings and potato chips.
- Eat with a smaller plate. Trick your mind into thinking you’re eating more by putting food on a smaller plate.
- Make half your plate vegetables. A simple way to reduce your calorie and fat intake without feeling deprived!
- Sit down while you eat. Prevent mindless munching by sitting down and eating slowly so you can enjoy your meal.
- Skip the liquid calories. Sip on flavored seltzer water instead of a strawberry daiquiri and save yourself 300 calories.
- Choose fruit for dessert. Watermelon, cherries, strawberries, and kiwi are all so naturally sweet! If you still really want that piece of cake, consider sharing with a friend.
- Pass on the buns. Forget the white processed bread products and put your burger, chicken, or veggie burger on a salad instead!
- Bring a healthy dish. Worried there won’t be anything healthy to choose from? Bring one of your healthy summertime favorites!