Health-Conscious Food Swaps for Your Next BBQ

Are you worried that your hard work and healthy lifestyle might take the back seat over the summer months? With all the the festivals, vacations, lazy days and BBQ’s it can feel like food and drink are always taking the front seat! It is however, totally possible to keep it healthy and balanced at the endless events. 

Here are some of my favourite health-conscious food swaps that can be made at your next BBQ, or any summer-time event really! 

•  Choose lean cuts of poultry, such as skinless chicken breast or turkey - these options can significantly reduce saturated fat intake. 
•  Opt for fish, like salmon or tuna - they are excellent, as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
•  Swap out the bun on your hamburger, hot dog or sandwich with fresh and crunchy lettuce!
•  Go for the fruit platter for dessert over the sweets, but ice cream can still be a nice treat from time to time :)
•  When there is an appetizer spread out in advance of the main BBQ meal, snack on the veggies.
•  Fill your plate with the salads that are full of fresh fruits and greens - they taste extra good this time of year!
•  Drinks - stay hydrated with lots of water, flavoured water and alcohol-free drinks.

There are so many great, healthy food swaps and so much can be done on the grill! All of the grilled proteins, veggies and even salads, really make it simple to keep your health on track if you make conscious and smart decisions. 

I want to share one of my personal favourite summer recipes, Brazilian Grilled Pineapple. It is simple and incredibly delicious - a great side for your grilled meats or just on its own

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar of choice
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (you can cut down if you want slightly less cinnamon flavour to1.5 teaspoons)
• 1 pineapple - peeled, cored, and cut into 6 wedges

Directions: 

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Whisk brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.
• Transfer into a large resealable plastic bag. Add pineapple wedges to the bag; shake well to coat each wedge.
• Grill pineapple wedges on the preheated grill until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes per side.  

Enjoy! Take back your summer and enjoy all it has to offer with some smart decision making - you got this!