Planning to attend or hold a BBQ over the coming weeks? Worried about the effect this could have on your waistline? Julie Barrett offers some advice on how to enjoy yourself without risking your health.
Ahh, the sun is shining and that great smell of barbeques is wafting through the air...
Barcbeques can be a source of high fat and high salt, but by following a few basic steps there is no reason why you can't enjoy a much healthier version. So whether you are... or should be, health conscious, or if in fact you are on a weight management programme, barcbeques need not be feared.
Unfortunately, there is not enough space in this article to include recipes or cooking instructions, so if you are new to barbeques, please ensure your food is properly cooked, read instructions carefully, or get a barbeque cook book if you are unsure. Chicken in particular can end your enjoyment very abruptly if not cooked properly!
Barbeques don't have to be all burgers and sausages, you can cook almost anything. Chicken and fish are very healthy alternatives and don't forget the veg; peppers, corn on the cob, tomatoes, courgettes, mushrooms, butternut squash and of course the good old jacket potato are all healthy and tasty when cooked on the barbeque.
Where a lot of people fall foul is with marinades and dressings. Just because a dish is made from low calorie vegetables or has the word "salad" in the title, don't let it fool you into thinking it is low calorie and good for you. Coleslaw and potato salad can be laden with fat so either make your own, or choose a low fat variety. I also water down some of the thicker sauces. This is a very simple way of making them go further and thus reduces the calorie, salt and sugar intake. This doesn't work on oil based dressings, however you can spray foods to be cooked with olive oil rather than basting them with hundreds of calories. Mixed leaf salads, tomatoes, onions are all nutritious accompaniments providing you go easy on any dressings.
As for desert, now is your chance to boost your body with vitamins. Try a fresh fruit kebab with bananas, strawberries, pineapple and kiwi. Or for those who don't feel they have had a pudding unless it is hot and gooey. Throw a banana or two in their skins on the barbeque and in about 10 minutes you will have a hot gooey banana pudding (which if I am honest is lovely with a scoop of vanilla ice cream... well the odd treat never hurt anyone!).
For those wishing to be really good, while waiting for the food to cook, why not have some fun and throw a Frisbee about, play with the kids or go back to your childhood and have a water fight? You could even tend to that winter neglected garden; anything that gets you active and burns off a few extra calories to off-set those you are about to consume. Just make sure that some one is keeping an eye on the narbeque and if you have children, keep them away from the hot coals.
Stick to moderate portions, have a little of everything so you don't feel deprived and you will enjoy a healthy barbeque with no regrets the following day. Have fun and don't forget the sunscreen!
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