• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Marisa Moore Nutrition
  • Home
  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Media
  • Recipes
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Marisa
  • Work with me
  • Media
  • Contact
×
Home » Blog » Blog

Simple Swaps & Recipes for a Healthy Cookout – The Monday Morsel

Published: May 22, 2017 by Marisa Moore·

Recipes for a healthy cookout

Simple swaps and recipes for a healthy cookout this summer. Today’s Monday Morsel is all about the summer cookout.

Recipes for a healthy cookout

Did you get the Monday Morsel today? Get on the list for tips like these delivered right to your inbox!

Judging by the humid, 90 degree days and thunderstorms here in Atlanta, it appears that summer has arrived. With warmer weather and all of the graduation parties, bridal showers, and summer holidays on deck, you might be ready for your first cookout of the year.

I know because I’ve been getting lots of questions about how to eat healthier at a BBQ. The short answer? Eat anything you want. It’s a party. Go and enjoy your friends and the food – cake included.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Simple swaps and recipes for a healthy cookout this summer! #MemorialDay #MondayMorsel” quote=”Try these simple swaps and recipes for a healthy cookout this summer! “]

Now, if you’re hitting a BBQ every weekend AND you want to maintain your waistline, you might want to look to something beyond burgers and hot dogs each time. My tried and true advice to get ahead of it is to eat your vegetables first and stay well hydrated while there.

To go a step further, try these swaps and recipes for a healthy cookout:

  1. Double up on vegetables. Add twice the vegetables to salads and side dishes to boost the fiber while lowering total calories.
  2. Pump up the protein. Swap Greek yogurt for sour cream or mayo in pasta salads and dips for extra protein and calcium.
  3. Swap the brats. Swap hot dogs and regular sausage for chicken or turkey links. Check the meat case at your local supermarket for freshly ground and chicken and turkey sausages in different flavors. These are lower in calories and fat yet flavorful and satisfying. Plus they fit into a hot dog bun! You can also grill fish or veggie burgers to switch things up.
  4. Grill fruit. Instead of cake or cookies, throw some fruit on the grill for a sweet and smoky treat. Peaches, pineapples, and melons all hold up well. Add a drizzle of honey and nuts for a little something extra. This Honey Lime Grilled Cantaloupe is a good place to start.
  5. Sip slim. If you like to enjoy an adult beverage at a cookout, that’s cool. Use fresh or frozen fruit for sweetness and a generous pour of club soda for a delicious drink with half the calories. This Frozen Mango Daiquiri shows you how.

I hope these tips help you enjoy your next BBQ and the summer grilling season.

More Blog

  • Gray bowl of oatmeal topped with nut butter, jam and raspberries
    Berry Nut Butter Swirl Oatmeal
  • Cooked collards in white bowl with a spoon and a blue napkin
    Vegan Collard Greens
  • Oats with tomatoes spinach and feta in a grey bowl with a large spoon
    Savory Spinach, Tomato, Feta Oats
  • Pinto Bean and Cheese Burritos Stacked on a plate
    Freezer Friendly Pinto Bean Cheese Burrito

Filed Under: Blog, Monday Morsels

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Marisa Moore in a yellow top in a white kitchen

MARISA MOORE

Hi! I'm Marisa, a registered dietitian nutritionist living in Atlanta, GA. I use this blog to share (mostly) vegetarian recipes, credible nutrition information and a peek into my Southern roots and travels!

Learn more about me →

Popular Recipes

  • Pear muffins on a blue plate
    Healthy-ish Pear Oatmeal Muffins
  • Flatlay of jar of peanuts, tangerines, tea packets, water bottle, nut butter packets, bags of pumpkin seeds and pistachios
    Healthy Airplane Snacks
  • Pumpkin Lentil Curry in a bowl with cashews in a gray bowl with gray napkin
    Vegan Pumpkin Lentil Curry with Spinach
  • CHickpea Pasta Salad in White Bowl
    Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad
  • Two filets of black cod in skillet with sauce.
    Honey Garlic Sablefish
  • Blood Orange Mocktail Overhead
    Sparkling Blood Orange Mocktail

Spring Favorites

  • Overhead shot of strawberry oatmeal muffins on brown table.
    Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins
  • Roasted Broccoli and Walnut Pasta in a Bowl
    Roasted Broccoli & Walnut Pasta
  • Bowl of roasted cabbage with a spool of hone on the side.
    Easy Roasted Cabbage Wedges
  • Cheddar Cauliflower Bites on Marble with Chives in Background
    Cheddar Chive Cauliflower Bites

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Marisa Moore, MBA.RDN.LD. | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist | Media Contributor | Cookbook Author

Copyright 2023 · Marisa Moore Nutrition · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy