Eat Up At Your July 4th BBQ
Independence Day is fast approaching, and with it the requisite barbecues, picnics, and potlucks. Here are some tips to keep with your diet plan.
1) Stick with lighter alcoholic beverages such as light beer and light wine. Fruit drinks tend to have added sugar in addition to the fruit and liquor.
2) Drink water. If you must have something carbonated have sugar free flavored carbonated water or add a splash of juice to seltzer.
3) Bring a dish or salad appropriate for your eating plan to ensure you have something to eat, such as a colorful vegetable salad, skinless boneless chicken breast, or fish.
4) When making side dishes like slaw, potato salad, and macaroni salad use low fat or fat free yogurt or mayonnaise instead of the full fat version. Add in vegetables like peas and carrots, chopped celery, and peppers to add nutrients and fiber.
5) Stick with lower calorie options like corn on the cob, green salads, cabbage salads that are dressed with vinegar based dressing, vegetable platters with low fat dips, grilled vegetables, and green salads.
6) Use 100 calorie sandwich thins instead of hamburger buns.
7) Eat “real” food like grilled chicken, fish and seafood, lean meat, and vegetables. Avoid foods like hot dogs and sausages that have ingredients you can’t pronounce and are full of preservatives and salt.
8) Make a bean salad instead of serving baked beans, which tend to be full of sugar and salt.
9) Eat fruit for dessert. Try grilling firm fruits like peaches, pineapple, and mango.
10) Have fun, enjoy the fireworks. Remember that tomorrow is another day. It’s okay to indulge a little, just don’t go overboard.
Tags: baked beans, barbecue tips, fruit drinks, grilled chicken, independence day, july 4th bbq, potato salad
