Has anyone else been counting down the days until this 3-day Memorial weekend?!  It’s officially time to break out that barbeque grill and cook up a deliciously grilled feast surrounded by good weather, good friends, and good food!

But a weekend BBQ-binge of cheeseburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, and ice cream isn’t exactly ideal for those trying to eating well.  That’s why I’ve come up with my top tips to kick-off Barbeque Season…the healthy way! 

Go Lean: Cook up burgers using lean ground beef/turkey/pork/chicken/bison, or throw some nitrate-free hot dogs on the grill.  Chicken breast and fish also make for delectable gourmet-grilled meals.  For meatless entrees, go for veggie burgers, vegetable or tofu kabobs, or grilled Portobello mushrooms.

Better Your Buns: Swap hamburger or hotdog rolls made with white flour for 100% whole wheat buns. For a low-carb alternative, wrap your burger in collard greens leaves (also a great way to sneak in some extra veggies!)  To cut calories altogether, try 100% whole wheat sandwich thins (only 100 calories!), or go sans bun!

Sauce Smartly: Most marinades and condiments contain high fructose corn syrup and other hard-to-pronounce ingredients.  Always check the labels first and look for all-natural or organic ingredients.  Better yet, skip the ketchup and overflow your burger with wholesome, low-calorie toppings such as lettuce, tomato, onions, salsa, pickles, etc.

Get Veggified: Cooking veggies on the grill brings out their natural juices and flavors, bringing the taste-factor to a whole new level!  Some of my favorites include grilled corn on the cob, asparagus and zucchini.  Also, check out this recipe for Summertime Grilled Vegetables!

Say “Nay”-o to Mayo: For a lighter potato/chicken/egg salad, ditch the mayo and sub in low-fat Greek yogurt: a deliciously low fat, high protein, thick and creamy alternative!  Or just use less mayonnaise.

You didn’t think I forgot about dessert, did you?!

Honey-Glazed n’ Grilled Pineapple Rings

Ingredients

1 ripe pineapple (large)

3 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Optional: ½ cup Edie’s vanilla frozen yogurt

Directions

1. Peel and slice pineapple into rings
2. In a bowl, combine honey and lemon juice.  Brush over pineapple slices.
3. Sprinkle pineapple with brown sugar on each side
4. Spray hot grill with cooking spray and cook ~3-4 minutes each side
5. Serve pineapple with lowfat frozen yogurt (if desired) and drizzle with leftover glaze

Have a sunny, safe, and tasty Memorial Day weekend, everyone!