I’m sharing some healthy barbecue and party tips for you as we savor the last few weeks of summer here in NY! If you’re looking to make a few areas of your summer BBQ a bit healthier and more gut friendly, read below!

Choose whole grain, unprocessed carbohydrates.

Instead of a white flour hamburger bun, go for 1 slice of whole grain or sourdough bread, and eat your sandwich or burger open faced with lots of veggies on top. Better yet, swap the wheat for some sliced sweet potatoes on the grill pictured here, or swap for another whole grain or beans on the side such as a quinoa salad or bean salad.

Choose better quality meats or go meatless.

Opt for the better quality grass fed beef burgers or organic chicken breasts. Grass fed cows and organic fed chickens have a better quality diet, higher omega 3 content, less saturated fat, and contribute to less inflammation in the body compared to conventional meat. Cows have 4 complex stomachs to digest grass, so cows become downright sick from a corn heavy diet (hence, the higher use of antibiotics in conventional meats). A high intake of conventional meat may have negative effects on the microbiome. If you’re working on eating less meat, consume high quality, grass fed meat as a “condi-meat” or go meatless! There are many plant based options on the market. Plant based proteins include beans, bean burgers, lentils, nuts, seeds, tempeh, and leafy greens. I encourage choosing whole food sources of plant based proteins such as homemade quinoa burgers instead of processed meat replacements.

Don’t blacken or overgrill.

Meats that are overly charred or blackened produce high levels of AGEs, or advanced glycation end products. AGEs are known contributors to systemic inflammation in the body and are toxic to the intestinal lining. If you’re grilling this weekend, keep an eye on your meats and take them off before they start to char.

Load up on veggies.

Aim for half of your plate vegetables! Grilled, in a salad, raw… any way you enjoy your vegetables, make sure these make up most of your plate for fiber and antioxidants. I’m loving grilled zucchini at the moment! I also love to enjoy cooked or grilled vegetables alongside a salad to mix it up!

Reduce sugar intake and drink alcohol mindfully.

Consuming sugar and alcohol while out in the sun actually increases the likeliness of getting a sunburn and leaves our skin more susceptible to UV damage. This leads to an increase in free radicals and accelerated aging. If you’re treating yourself to some ice cream, skip the sugary beverages and vice versa. Reduce sugar intake in alcoholic drinks by drinking clear vodka or tequila with unsweetened seltzer and flavored with fresh lemon, limes, fresh mint or orange slices. If choosing to drink, have a glass of water in between each drink!

I hope you like these tips and keep them in mind for the rest of the summer! Comment below if you have any other healthy barbecue tips!