Healthy-Barbecue Basics
Posted by Stephanie Clarke on Mon, Jul 12, 2010
Fourth of July has come and gone, but there's still plenty of summer left, and that means lots of barbecues! While these get-togethers can be fun from a social standpoint, they can be downright frightening from a dieting perspective. After all, there's usually an endless array of alcoholic drinks, desserts, burgers, hot dogs, white buns, and mayonnaise-laden salads—not exactly diet-friendly fare. But there's no need to stay home and miss all the fun—you can use the strategies below to enjoy without going overboard.
BYOHF. That stands for bring your own healthy food, of course. It's guaranteed that other guests will bring the traditional BBQ dishes, like potato salad, macaroni salad, desserts, etc., so why not do something different? Make it a point to bring something that you know you will feel good about eating. Over the Fourth weekend, I chose to bring a roasted pepper, chickpea, and bulgur salad to a barbecue. I figured that while not everyone would eat it, at least some people might try it. To my surprise, after a couple hours, the salad was completely gone—and a couple people even asked me for the recipe. I felt good about introducing a new whole grain to people who'd never tried it, and also had a healthy side dish to eat myself!
Don't sweat the small stuff. If you happen to get into a situation where there's no healthy option to be found, simply choose something that you will enjoy and have a small amount. For example, if there are only burgers and hot dogs, make your burger open-faced and pile it high with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, etc. Don't let this one event trigger all-or-nothing thinking (for instance, "I just ate a hamburger and blew my diet, so I might as well also have some chips and dip, a scoop of potato salad, and a brownie"). I don't typically eat beef burgers, but they smelled so delicious on the grill at the barbecue I just went to that I knew I wanted a burger more than any of the other options. So I opted to have half of a burger on half of a bun and piled it high with veggies. I really enjoyed my choice and didn't feel bad about eating it afterward either! Remember, indulging in one high-calorie food is not likely to do a lot of harm.
Sip wisely. The calories in beer—even light beer—add up fast, at about 80 to 200 calories per 12 ounces, depending on the type of beer. If you'd rather save up those calories to put towards dinner or dessert, that's fine. If you do decide to drink, be sure to limit yourself to just one or two, and have healthy non-alcoholic alternatives on hand for when you're done. When the heat is cranked up and you're surrounded by your friends or family all having fun, it can be too easy to drink more than you should. If you have other iced cold (but low-calorie) alternatives readily available, it's a little easier to cut yourself off. Making the switch to these healthier drinks not only helps you avoid consuming too much alcohol (and calories), but it will also keep you hydrated. Herbal iced tea, ice water with lemon and lime, and club soda with a splash of pomegranate juice and squeeze of lime are all refreshing and delicious options.
Stick to your regular eating schedule. Grazing can be one of the major challenges of eating well at a barbecue. Food is always out and available, so it's easy to pick on things even when you're not hungry, and that can lead to eating way too many calories without even realizing it. Eating only when you would normally eat a meal or snack can help you keep track of the amount of food you're eating, and also help you feel more satisfied. For example, if the barbecue starts at 2, you should have already had breakfast and a snack before you arrive. You can plan to eat a later lunch when you get to the barbecue, then stop eating after you've had your meal. If you're staying for a while, you can have another snack a few hours or so after your first meal to tide you over until dinner, or you can just have dinner if it gets to that time.