Barbecues On A Diet

Barbecues On A Diet Hosting a summer BBQ doesn’t mean you have to toss your diet to the wind. We know how it goes—that big, juicy burger looks delectable on the plate, but leaves you feeling less than sexy in your tankini. By making a few small changes to the menu, you can help yourself and your guests make better choices. All it takes is giving a nutritious twist to your favorite dishes, adding something new and deliciously healthy, and of course, a little will power.

Here are 10 easy ways to cut calories, but not taste, at your next outdoor dinner party:

Leaner Hamburgers If you’re one of those people who can’t say no to hamburger, don’t worry, you don’t have to. For a healthier burger, use 95% lean meat or make sure you trim away the excess fat before tossing it on the grill. In addition, keep in mind that a one serving of beef is about three ounces, or the size of your fist.

Burger Alternatives This may come as a shock, but burgers don’t have to be made with red meat. For a healthier type of pattie, serve up beef substitutes like turkey burgers, veggie burgers and black bean burgers.

Another great option? Grilled chicken, veggie and fish shish-kabobs. They’re just as filling and are a lot more fun to eat!

Cut The Cheese The only thing more American than a hamburger is, you guessed it, a cheeseburger. To be diet-friendly, nix the cheese completely or use only one slice of reduced-fat cheese. Load up on lettuce, tomatoes, onions and other veggies, and you won’t even miss it.

Slash Carbs In Half Eating your burger on a whole-wheat bun is the healthier route to go. To save an extra 60 calories, leave half the bun in the bag and have your burger open-faced.

Salad Dressing You may think you’re being healthy by noshing on a green salad, but if you douse your leaves in Caesar dressing or creamy Ranch, you might as well have splurged on the hot dog.

Reach for the fat-free Italian instead. Or create your own dressing-alternative—whisk lemon juice with a tiny bit of olive oil and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Not only is the dressing super-low in calories, but it’s easy to make and tastes fresh for summer.

Baked Chips With Healthy Dip Instead of buying bags of greasy potato and corn chips, opt for the healthier baked versions. Try Stacy’s pita chips, which are also baked and seasoned with only sea salt.

Ah, the dips—those add a whole other world of calories, Forego the high-cal dips like queso, guacamole and sour cream and go for the veggie salsa—it’s only 10 calories a serving.

Other Salads As we know, the term ‘salad’ can also refer to potato salad, egg salad and pasta salad—all of which look delicious, but are slathered with fattening mayo. Make these dishes using a fat-free mayo, and stick to only one serving, of only one of them.

Keep Veggies Healthy Instead of sautéing your vegetables in oil, season them with some good ‘ol S&P and toss them on the grill. They’ll get a little crispy and will have an entirely new taste!

And when it comes to corn on the cob, hold the butter. Try a refreshing squirt of lemon on it instead.

Drinks Unfortunately, calories still count when you consume them through a straw. That’s why cooling down with glass after glass of punch is a weight-loss no-no. Mix up some spritzer beverages with half lemonade and half seltzer, or swig a glass of cucumber water. Festive and guilt free!

Now, let’s talk alcohol. We don’t want to ruin your fun by listing the caloric properties of your favorite spirits. But for the love of your waistline, crack a Bud Light instead of a Budweiser. And for summery favorites, like sangria, there are ways to alter the recipe in your favor. Many sangria recipes call for sugar and citrus sodas or ginger ale. If you let the fruit marinate in the wine long enough, you won’t need all that the sugar to make it sweeter. Substitute the sodas for lemon-lime seltzer and you’ll cut 140 calories a serving.

Dessert Ice cream cake and peach cobbler won’t have you feeling your best on the beach tomorrow. But you can still satisfy your sweet tooth without all the calories. Hand out Italian ices, or serve up a colorful fruit salad with a dollop of low-fat whipped cream.