Be Our Guest

The next time you attend a cookout, remember the three basic rules of a healthy BBQ:

Break for breakfast: Start your day with a healthy breakfast that includes plenty of fiber to keep you full longer. You’ll be less likely to overeat at the barbeque if you’re not overly hungry.

Bring something healthy: When you prepare a dish yourself, then you’ll know that at least one item is healthy. For ideas, please check out Health eCooking recipes on our website.

Quench your thirst: If alcohol is being served, watch your consumption. It’s easy to fill up on liquid calories. Plus drinking alcohol often leads to overeating. Choose low-calorie drinks such as sugar-free lemonade or club soda with lime.

Be Your Best

If you’re preparing the barbecue, there are many healthy alternatives that won’t compromise the taste of your dish. For example, you can use 93 percent lean beef to prepare your hamburger patties instead of a higher fat beef. This not only cuts the calories, but the saturated fat too. Also, instead of preparing a mayonnaise-laden potato salad, try a whole wheat pasta salad with plenty of vegetables.

What is a whole grain?
Whole grain is grain with the outside fiber layer still intact. It provides a lot of fiber as well as plenty of antioxidants. Whole grains include oatmeal, popcorn, whole wheat bread, whole rye, whole wheat pasta, barley, brown or wild rice, bulgur or cracked wheat, whole cornmeal, quinoa, millet, amaranth, farro or spelt (to name a few). Remember, multigrain does not necessarily mean “whole grain” so be sure the first ingredient is listed as “whole” or “bran.” If the first ingredient is “enriched,” it is not a whole grain.

What makes a barbecue safe?
Of course it’s important to secure any fireworks you might have at your summer celebration, but don’t forget that another danger may be lurking at your picnic table. When you prepare your barbecue, be sure to keep the hot foods hot and the cold foods cold.

Keep foods out of the “danger zone” between 45 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Your food can pose a great threat to your health if it is not cooked to the correct internal temperature or if it is not refrigerated in a timely manner. Always refrigerate leftovers within two hours of serving.