Grilling Out with Healthy Foods?

The 4th of July is upon us! While it’s technically just one day out of the year, we Americans make a good effort to stretch out the festivities for a good 3 or 4 day weekend if we can manage. And lo and behold, the 4th has fallen on a Thursday this year. That means Wednesday night is the preparty, Thursday is the big day, Friday is the follow up party, and Saturday and Sunday are the after party and recovery!

What a lineup of days, right? That’s a lot of time to do some grilling and eat some amazing foods.

Speaking of foods to be grilled on the 4th, have you ever wondered what options are out there for healthier eating? Whether you’re doing it for yourself, your spouse, your ailing grandparents, or your kids, it’s never a bad idea to check out foods that are better for you, less overall calories, and yet taste just as great as other meats.

Let’s dig into some healthier options this Independence Day.

Turkey burgers.

If you have the option between regular hamburgers and turkey burgers, go with turkey every time. Trust me, there’s nothing like a turkey burger with mustard and pickles on it. In fact, I far prefer turkey burgers nowadays simply because they’re lighter on my stomach, they are tastier, and they’re far less greasy.

Kebobs.

This all comes down to what you put on them, but the absolute staples of kebobs are onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers. From there, you can put what meats you like, though I suggest chicken or fish as your healthier options.

Fish.

Speaking of fish on kebobs, why not grill a nice fat salmon this 4th of July? I love salmon steaks fresh off the grill. There’s nothing like a nice coat of blackening seasoning on top of some fresh salmon right off the grill. And if you’re not a huge fan of salmon but want to try something steak like, pick up some tuna steaks. These are called tomahawk steaks some places, but they’ll trick you into thinking you’re actually eating a beef steak!

Veggies.

I love grilling veggies (and I include mushrooms in this category, as they’re one of my favorite foods out there). From asparagus to zucchini and potatoes to corn on the cob, veggies handle the grill a lot better than you’d expect. Just watch for the black grill marks and you’ll start to get an idea when your veggies are ready to eat.

Changing Your Diet for the Better

Ever wonder if your diet could be much better with a little extra effort? No one likes going out of their way to change up their diet too much, and they especially don’t like spending twice the money to end up eating less calories.

That’s the problem with eating healthier, it seems. Too often healthy eating consists of spending more money for less food, which is absolutely satisfying to no one. Does it work? Of course it does. But is it fun to do? Nope. Nada. Not at all. (At least at first.)

So when is the right time to make a change in your diet? When do you realize things should switch up with what you eat? My proposal? Now. Here and now.

Considering this week is that of the 4th and July, it’s definitely not easy to think about changing your diet during a weekend traditionally associated with barbecues and grilling lots of good and juicy meats. Luckily, we’ve got some alternatives for you to try out that you can still grill and feel good about eating when you realize how delicious it is.

The biggest thing to remember is to opt for white meats when possible. Yes, we know red meats are extremely tempting and juicy and fatty (which produces the flavors you love), but white meats are much better for your general health in comparison to the point that you shouldn’t go back to red meats if at all possible.

And here’s the thing: white meats risk drying out the most when you’re grilling them, but all it takes is a timer and a careful eye and you’ll have some juicy meats once you’re done. It’s a lot easier to throw a slab of steak on the grill and let it cook for however long, pull it off, and it’s still good. White meats, however, may come off dry as a board and as tough as one too. The better you can perfect grilling white meats, the better you’ll like their juiciness.

The next piece of advice I can give is to grill vegetables. Vegetables are amazing for you, and to be honest, they’re the next best thing you can toss on the grill outside of meat. Always look for the grill marks on your vegetables to get an idea of how done they are. Of course, you can overgrill vegetables just like meat, so keep an eye on them to make sure they’re not blackening all over and you’re good to go.