Mind over platter: The summer cookout survival guide

Read time: 4 minutes

Who doesn’t love a great cookout?

Juicy burgers and brats. Your mom’s perfect potato salad. There’s nothing like family and friends gathering around the grill to relax and eat. Even the smell of lighter fluid hitting charcoal evokes happy memories — and makes our mouths water for the meal at hand.

“The grill is the summer equivalent of a fireplace; everyone gravitates to it.”

Katie Lee
Cookbook author

If you’re watching your diet for health reasons or are just trying to keep off the extra pounds, a big food spread can foil your best efforts to count calories, watch salt intake, etc.

Here are a few tips to help you stay on track with your healthy eating goals — while still enjoying yourself.

Eat a small, healthy snack before the cookout to curb your appetite. That way, your arrival won’t be remembered for the beeline you made to the food table.
Bring a healthy dish to share. You’ll know there’s at least one healthy option on the menu. Plus, you can share your recipe with others.
Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water is always important, especially during warm-weather cookouts.
Pay attention to portions. The largest section of your plate should be filled with non-starchy veggies like lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers and tomatoes. The other half of the plate can be divided into two sections: lean protein in one section and grains and starchy foods (potatoes, pasta, beans and corn) in the other.
Don’t linger by the food table. Fill your plate and look for a place to sit that’s not right next to this summer smorgasbord.
Set your fork down between every bite. In an effort to eat slower and pause between bites, some people follow this tactic.
Focus on the conversation. Enjoy the great opportunity to catch up with the people you’re sitting with. Remind yourself you’re here for the company, not just the food.
Delay your return to the food table. Give your brain the time it needs to register your meal (about 20 minutes) and feel full. If you’re still hungry after 20 minutes, get seconds on protein and veggies.
Move a little. If people are playing croquet, horseshoes or badminton, join in. If your group is gathered at a park pavilion, walk around a little after eating.

And for the food itself? Cleveland Clinic offers a slew of delicious ways to lighten up a cookout menu:

Protein

Instead of high-fat hamburgers and hot dogs, choose lower-fat proteins:

Fresh fish can be grilled whole, in steaks or filets, or on a kebob. Salmon, grouper, shrimp and tuna are great grilling options.
Whole chicken or chicken breasts can be made in a variety of ways, like marinating with chipotle seasoning, vinaigrettes, barbecue sauce, jerk sauce or Cajun seasoning. If using chicken with skin, remove the skin before eating.
Lean pork or beef tenderloin, trimmed of fat.
Vegetable-based burgers. Portobello, black bean, roasted vegetable or burgers made with textured vegetable protein are flavorful options.
Grilled vegetables make for a great entrée themselves, especially veggies with hearty flavors like portobello mushrooms, squash, onions and peppers.
Turkey or chicken burgers made with all-white-meat ground turkey or chicken.

Pasta and potato salads

Liven up pasta and potato salad with these ideas to limit saturated fat:

Add grilled, raw or roasted vegetables. They’ll help bulk up the salad while lowering the calorie count.
Use a flavorful vinaigrette dressing instead of a creamy dressing. Try a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, an acid (such as lemon juice, red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar) and fresh herbs and spices.
If you just can’t do without the creamy potato salad, substitute full-fat mayonnaise with light mayo or light sour cream. Use small amounts of creamy toppings and add flavor with pickle juice, lemon juice or fresh herbs.
Try using spicy arugula pesto or traditional basil pesto sauce in your pasta salad for a refreshing, healthy change.
Choose whole wheat farfalle (bowtie), penne (tubular), or fusilli (spiral) pasta instead of enriched pasta. Or, make the salad using half enriched pasta and half whole wheat pasta.
Dijon mustard is a great addition to vinaigrettes, as are rice wine, balsamic and champagne vinegars.
To give a southwestern pasta salad some kick, add some adobo sauce or chopped chipotle peppers.

Snacks and appetizers

Instead of high-fat potato chips and other unhealthy snacks, try some of these ideas:

Fresh fruit kebabs. Put fresh strawberries, melon, grapes and pineapple on skewers, or toss it all into a big bowl and enjoy!
Mozzarella, cherry tomato and basil kebabs are delicious! You can also layer the ingredients on a tray and sprinkle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a refreshing side dish.
Instead of fried chips, try serving veggie chips, but not the bagged kinds. Thinly slice Jicama, carrot coins, zucchini and cucumber and serve with hummus.
Zesty corn and black bean salad.
Serve baked tortilla chips with fresh salsa or guacamole.
Make a beautiful array of grilled vegetables and serve warm or at room temperature.
Serve corn on the cob with a variety of toppings like lime juice and grated Parmesan cheese.
Prepare a tricolor salad made with radicchio, endive and arugula. Toss with a red wine vinaigrette dressing.
Offer fresh whole wheat pita with olives, tabbouleh salad and hummus.

For even more healthy cookout ideas, search the web for “healthy cookout recipes.”

Whether you try a new healthy recipe or just follow a few “mind over platter” tips, you can enjoy this summer’s cookouts without your healthy lifestyle habits going off the rails.