With America’s Independence Day occurring during the summer season, cookouts and barbecues are common ways to celebrate around the country. Friends and families gather outside and enjoy the weather, the grilled grub, the cold drinks, the company.
While grilling is a healthy way to cook food as it requires less oil (watch out for that char though!), we also need to take note of what we are putting on the grill if our goal is a healthier holiday feast. Here are some common staples of 4th of July food and the suggested substitutions.
Hot Dogs
Hot Dogs are super easy to grill as they only take a couple of minutes to cook. It’s hard to mess this up. However, many popular hot dogs, as with processed meats, are high in sodium, saturated fat, and nitrates.
Chicken generally has less saturated fat than beef or pork. Try grilling a yummy chicken apple sausage. If you want to stick to hot dogs though, make sure to look at the nutrition facts and ingredients. Look for one that has low saturated fat and low sodium.
Then ditch those white hot dog buns and go for wheat.
Corn on the Cob
If you are watching your blood sugar levels, you might want to think twice about getting your hands on that charred corn on the cob. Corn is high in starch. While it is a good source of fiber, there are other options.
Try grilling veggie skewers. Choose your favorite vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms. Chop them up, put in skewers, and grill those colorful veggie sticks.
Hamburgers
Love biting on a juicy, fresh-off-the-grill hamburger? Imagine if that was a turkey burger.
Hear me out. As previously mentioned, beef and pork are higher in saturated fat. Frequent consumption of hamburgers, which usually contain ground beef, may lead to heart disease and cancer.
But if you use turkey patties instead, then grill some pineapple slices to add that juiciness on the burger, and top off with lettuce and tomato, then you have a guilt-free substitute. If you want to go crazy, forget turkey patties and replace with salmon patties!
Now for some non-grilled food and drink.
Potato salad
Let’s talk about sides, and the potato salad is a regular when it comes to 4th of July feasting. If you’re assigned with bringing this to the potluck, try making a healthy one from scratch instead of buying from the nearest grocery store. This way you have more control of the ingredients.
Use potatoes that have less starch to avoid rises in blood sugar. Waxy potatoes (red potatoes, fingerlings, baby potatoes) are best. Then substitute mayonnaise, which is high in fat, with Greek yogurt. This type of yogurt is high in protein and low in sugar.
Apple Pie
Apple pies may seem like a healthy dessert, because apples. But a typical grocery store-bought apple pie is high in sugar. So just like with the potato salad, opt to create it from scratch. Sure, it will take longer than grabbing one from the store, but your body will thank you later.
Look for an apple pie recipe that works for you. Then substitute a few items. For the crust and the filling, use margarine instead of butter and whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. The filling usually has a lot of sugar so the suggestion is either to cut back on that or use pure maple syrup.
Beer
What’s a summer holiday celebration if you’re not cracking open a cold one? If you are watching your calorie and/or carb intake, consider what six-pack you’re getting from the store. There are healthier options that you can bring to the potluck.
The 4th of July is always a great day for family, friends, food, and fireworks. Just remember that we also need to take care of our bodies so we can celebrate these holidays for many, many years to come. Happy Independence Day!
