Whether you are hanging solo or grilling up some yummy eats with the fam, we’re sharing the top five secrets to eating and staying healthy. Plus, three healthy barbeque sauce recipes that are delicious.
5 Secrets to Eating & Staying Healthy During Summer
#1 Be Smart About Alcohol Choices
Having an adult bevvy during a barbeque sounds refreshing, doesn’t it? While having one drink may not totally throw your daily calorie count overboard, it all depends on your beverage of choice.
To help avoid sipping on something that will add unnecessary carbs, cals, and sugar to your barbeque feast, try one of the following lighter beverage options instead — because hey, we all want to save our calorie budget for dessert, right?
- Glass of red or white wine
- Champagne
- Vodka with club soda and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice
- Dry martini
Want in on one of our fav summer cocktails? Here’s how we’ll be whipping up our margaritas this weekend.
Summertime Margarita
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ ounces silver tequila
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tbsp raw honey
If you have a cocktail shaker, add all ingredients, and shake well. If you don’t have a shaker, add all ingredients to a mason-style jar, screw on the lid and shake well.
Strain and pour over ice.
Enjoy!
#2 Get Smart About Hydration
While we’re on the topic of beverages, let’s talk water for a sec — hydration is key, especially if you’re planning on spending some time outside in the beautiful warmer weather. And, if you plan on enjoying that glass of red with your healthy barbeque dish, just be sure to stay on top of your water intake. Carry a water bottle with you to make sure you always have some water to stay hydrated with!
Need a flavor boost? Try adding freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice for an added punch.
#3 Skip The Condiments
Things like barbeque sauce, ketchup, and mustard almost always make an appearance at a barbeque. This year, skip the condiments that are often loaded with added sugar and extra cals and try one of our delicious barbeque sauce recipes below.
#4 Fill Your Plate With The Colorful Stuff First!
It’s easy to overdo portion sizes when we’re socializing or simply not paying attention to how much we’re eating. The good news? You can easily cut back on eating more of the high carb and calorie food choices by filling your plate up with all of those grilled veggies or colorful fruit first.
Looking to keep your carb count low? Stick to the lower carb options like:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Asparagus
- Bell peppers
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Berries
#5 Don’t Forget About Self-Care
So maybe a family barbeque isn’t an option for you this year — it may not be for many of us. So, if you are flying solo or enjoying a relaxing weekend at home with family, use this time to take care of you.
Practice some much-deserved self-care by doing a yoga or Pilates workout, reading a good book, listening to a podcast and drinking a cup of tea, or even taking a nap to catch up on some much-needed rest. Whatever you do, just be sure to do something that brings out that inner Zen.
3 Simple & Healthy Barbeque Sauce Recipes
So whether you’re planning to attend a small barbeque or are grilling up some yummy dishes at home, these three barbeque sauce recipes are sure to be a hit.
Plus, they’re super easy to make (and healthy), so you don’t have to feel bad about dipping those fries into them!
#1 Barbeque Sauce
Let’s start with the basics with this simple barbeque sauce recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 (15 ounce) can of tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
Add all ingredients to a stockpot over low/medium heat and mix to combine.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir well and chill for 2 hours before serving.
Serve With
Serve with fries, burgers, or whatever else you like to serve barbeque sauce with!
#2 Chimichurri
Spice things up with this zesty and delicious chimichurri sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 1 bunch of cilantro
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp paprika
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 pinch of sea salt & pepper
Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and process until combined.
Store leftovers in a glass container in the fridge.
Serve With
Serve with burgers, veggies, or drizzle over a salad.
#3 Healthy Ranch Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1 cup full-fat unsweetened Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic granules (or garlic powder)
- 1 tsp onion granules (or onion powder)
- ½ tsp dried dill
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well.
Store leftovers in a glass container in the fridge.
Serve With
Enjoy with salads, burgers, or as a dip for veggies.
Enjoy Your Barbeque The Healthy Way
This year, more than ever, we all need a bit more sunshine and many of us can’t wait to start enjoying some sort of normalcy.
So, with barbeque season here, use these barbeque sauce recipes for inspo to whip up something delicious (even if you are just hanging home), and don’t forget to take some time to take care of you.
Let’s all go through summer feeling a little more like ourselves with some solid healthy eating and living habits!
