Instead of a Hamburger, try a Portabello mushroom burger. The tastes can be somewhat similar when thrown on the grill and put on a bun. Mushrooms are a great alternative to the delicious burger we have come to love so much, dress it up with your favorite burger toppings and there you have it! Making this swap will save you on calories as well as fat. I personally am not a huge fan of mushrooms, but another way to save calories is to axe the bun completely. Although it may not feel right at first, this change will save you about 120-150 calories.
Ditch the fried, crispy chicken, opt for some grilled chicken. Grilled chicken is a great way to add protein to a meal or even a simple salad. A 4-oz portion can save you about 140 calories and almost 20 grams of fat. Barbecue chicken is very popular at summer gatherings, but smothering your chicken in BBQ sauce adds more calories and crazy amounts of sodium. Opt for a lighter coating like Italian dressing or a spicy mustard sauce. It will save you on sodium as well as calories.
Want some crunch on your salad? Instead of croutons try some nuts or seeds. Sprinkling some sunflower or pumpkin seeds on top of your salad is a great way to add some crunch and also get in some extra protein and vitamins. A handful of croutons can run you upwards of 100 calories, swapping some seeds can save you between 30-50 of those calories. On the topic of lightening your salad, using heavy dressings (ranch, blue cheese, thousand island, etc.) is not the way to go. One tablespoon of these dressings can add on between 50-100 calories. Opt for lighter dressings like balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or even a homemade honey mustard.
Don't waste your calories on macaroni salad, try some coleslaw. Although both salads are usually mayo-based, coleslaw will save you around 100 calories and 7 grams of fat. Coleslaw contains cabbage which contains cancer-fighting compounds that you will not find in your macaroni salad. Red cabbage is also a great way to get extra vitamin C in your diet.
Ditch the creamy dips, opt for hummus. Spinach dips, crab dips, bean dips and artichoke dips are calorie traps. These creamy dips can run upwards of 100 calories per scoop. Hummus is a great alternative, not to mention the varieties are endless. Served with veggies or even pita bread, hummus is becoming quite the crowd-pleaser, always making appearances at BBQs and other summer gatherings. Swapping in hummus can probably save you 100-200 calories as well as room for the main course!
Sweet tooth? Opt for fruit sorbet over ice cream. This one can be a no-brainer at times, but truth be told some sorbets can be quite calorie-saturated. A scoop, yes a scoop, not a pint or a bowl or fruit sorbet can save you 125 calories when compared to your typical ice cream scoop. Sorbet can be store-bought, but it is also pretty simple to make at home.
Skip the slab of meat, try some kebabs. Kebabs are a great way to portion control as well as add veggies to your barbecue menu. Pieces of chicken, pork, steak or even tofu sandwiched between some peppers, onions, zucchini, or whatever else you want is a great alternative to a huge slab of meat.
Summer is the time to relax and kickback, but that doesn't mean you should waistline should too. Eating healthy in the summer is no easy task, but a little planning and health-conscious choices can go a long way. So remember me when you're standing in line waiting for your food at your next barbecue, and also, eating a burger won't kill you, but eating 2 or 3 is a little excessive. Everything in moderation my friends!
ENJOY!!
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