It may be hard to believe but, Memorial Day is right around the corner, and with the holiday comes the official launch of summertime. Many Americans love to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with a barbecue, and lots of time spent outside with family and friends. If you’re planning on throwing a party over the holiday weekend, here at Medics USA, our primary care providers in Ashburn want to give you some of our favorite tips for planning a healthy barbecue that both you and your guests can enjoy. And, as always, if you need to see your primary care provider for any reason, contact us now!
Top Tips For A Planning A Healthy Barbecue
Grill Healthy Protein
Everyone loves to grill the traditional meats such as hotdogs, hamburgers, and bratwursts. However, some great, leaner alternatives that are sure to wow at any barbecue include chicken, shrimp, and salmon. A few of our favorite recipes include Jamaican Jerked Chicken, grilled shrimp skewers, and grilled salmon with a honey and maple glaze. If you choose to go the more traditional route, choosing meat that comes from grass-fed animals and a lower fat percentage is a good choice for keeping your main dish healthy.
Make Healthy Side Dishes
While chips and baked beans are your typical go-tos for barbecue sides, providing your guests with healthy alternatives will keep everyone feeling light and refreshed, rather than weighed down and crampy. Since people may miss the presence of potatoes if you leave them out altogether, instead of chips, make roasted potatoes with a dijon vinaigrette that guests can top their potatoes with if they choose. Another starchy, but healthy, side your guests will love is a black bean and corn salad. Grilled corn on the cob and grilled zucchini are a great way to offer vegetables to guests but keep everyone excited about the grilling theme.
Offer Healthy Desserts
No party is complete without offering some sort of sweet treat for guests to enjoy. Instead of roasting marshmallows for s’mores or making cookies, continue with the grilling theme, even for dessert, and grill some fresh fruit. Grill peaches to serve with a delicious bourbon and butter sauce or grill pineapples to serve with coconut sorbet. Your guests will love these decadent options, and they won’t miss the rich, chocolatey desserts you decided to skip.
Provide Shade And Sunscreen
Food is obviously an important component of planning for a healthy barbecue, however, keeping your guests cool and protected from the sun is also important. Make sure that you have places set up where your guests can cool down in the shade or offer the ability to eat inside if necessary. Also, set up a sunscreen station where your guests can reapply sunblock every hour. Don’t forget to offer lots of water as well to help keep people hydrated and cool.
Plan a healthy and fun holiday barbecue for your friends and family by taking some of our suggestions listed above. The primary care providers at Medics USA in Ashburn want to wish you and your family a happy and healthy Memorial Day Weekend, and to all of our veterans, thank you for your service.