How to have a healthy BBQ

When the sun shines, there’s nothing better than getting the grill on and enjoying delicious, home-cooked food al fresco style! What’s more, with a little consideration, BBQ food can tick all the right nutritional boxes with the seasoned meats and grilled veggies both fitting seamlessly into a Mediterranean-style diet. It’s all about knowing how and what to cook to ensure you can enjoy a healthy BBQ, without missing out. 

Thankfully, The Fast 800 Programme has you covered with over 800 delicious, Mediterranean-style recipes for every season, including some new ones for a healthy BBQ. Each recipe is designed to provide you with a healthy dose of protein, fats and vitamins and minerals. Simply choose the meals you love from the recipe library and incorporate them into your weekly meal plan. Or, we’ll do the planning for you!

Top tips for enjoying a healthy BBQ

1. Choose lean meats

BBQ dishes often involve meats that are very high in saturated fats, like burgers and sausages, which can raise your cholesterol levels and put you at risk of heart diseases.¹ So, rather than choosing a burger which is full of saturated fats, choose a lean steak instead, or opt for a tasty chicken kebab rather than a carb-heavy hot-dog. That way you’re still enjoying those classic BBQ flavours while getting plenty of protein and none of the health draw-backs. We’ve shared a few tasty healthy BBQ recipes here if you need some inspiration!

2. Give a fish option a go

Prawns and oily fish like salmon and mackerel can be excellent additions to a healthy BBQ. They’re delicious added to the grill and are even better doused in a healthy homemade marinade of lemon, olive oil and fresh herbs. As they’re so high in vitamins D and B, protein and omega-3 fatty acids, they not only taste incredible but they do incredible things as well, like protecting you from heart disease, cancer and vision loss.²

3. Ditch the bread buns

Burger and hot-dog buns are carbohydrate-heavy and often high in sugar. They’re low in essential nutrients but high in calories and are known to spike your blood sugars, putting you at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and weight gain.³ So, if you’re aiming to have a healthy BBQ, try to leave the bread buns out of the equation. Opt instead for tasty kebabs or lettuce wraps for your low carb BBQ recipes.

4. Get creative with salads

We love to share ways of sprucing up your salads to get the most nutrition and flavour out of them as possible. For a healthy BBQ, a tasty salad option is a must for getting in all the good fibre that helps with digestion, blood sugar control and keeping you feeling nice and full.⁴ We have plenty of delicious salad recipes, like this super Greek salad or this easy beetroot and feta salad, that are perfect for a healthy BBQ, all of which can be found on The Fast 800 Programme complete with full nutritional information, easy steps to follow and helpful shopping lists.

5. Be mindful of your alcohol intake

If you’re being sociable in the sun, like at a BBQ, it can be easy to lose track of how much alcohol you’ve had. You also run the risk of becoming dehydrated if you forget to drink water, so we advise you to drink mindfully and alternate your alcoholic drinks with hydrating, non-alcoholic ones. Give your alcohol-free beverages a bit of a fun twist, like adding mint, cucumber or fresh lemon to sparkling water with plenty of ice.

For more recipes suitable for the whole family and every season, sign up to our Programme. There you’ll find personalised meal plans, tips, tricks and handy shopping lists so you know what to stock up on for your next healthy BBQ!