Outdoor BBQs/Picnics - snacking

In the month of June we see an increase in the number of BBQs, picnics and backyard parties, not only to celebrate Father's Day or a graduation or two, but simply to embrace the return of summer and get a little taste of our more primitive roots - cooking meat on an open fire in the great outdoors.

When hosting such an event, there are a number of things you can do to provide healthy and tasty alternatives to a perhaps not-so-healthy traditional BBQ. Read the previous posting to get some ideas.

When attending a BBQ as a guest, you may not have a say in what is served and that is when you need to be a bit creative if you want to avoid falling into old habits and overdoing it on consuming fats, calories and sodium.

If vegetables are available for munching before dinner, place yourself near them. Then when you grab a bite to eat, you'll be choosing a great alternative to the chips and dips often served. Chips are fried, and considering the amount of fat and calories they contain, you may want to refrain from them completely in favor of something else. Even though salsa is healthy as well as tasty, the chips you dip into it should be eaten at a minimum. See if the host has provided a dipping option other than chips (veggies?) and if so, choose the healthier alternative.

Cheeses are often served as hors d'oeuvres and feel free to sample what is provided, but, remember, cheese should be eaten in moderation. Although it qualifies as a dairy product, a serving size is only one and a half ounces, equivalent to 2 slices or a "cube" roughly the size of your thumb.

If you only notice unhealthy snacks, consider waiting until dinner before eating anything so that you have more options available to get something nutritious.

It is often forgotten that drinks(both alcoholic and non-alcoholic)can add a lot of calories to our daily intake and it's easy to have a few of them when partying in an outdoor setting - especially when it is hot. Make sure that you keep well hydrated with water so that you don't find yourself filling up on empty calories. See if your host is offering non-caloric drinks like seltzer water or iced teas. If so, choose those instead of sugary soft drinks, beer, wine, or mixed drinks.

In any event, enjoy yourself while visiting with family and friends. Switch your focus to the people and not the food. Make good choices when deciding what to eat and don't fall into old habits. If you are tempted by unhealthy snacks before dinner, try to position yourself so that it is an effort to get to them. In the end, you may find that you enjoy your dinner more when you don't fill up on snacks and drinks before hand.
JS