Get Set to Barbecue!

Whether you are going to a barbecue or hosting one yourself, there are plenty of opportunities for making healthy choices. If you’re a guest, take along a salad or a low-fat dip so that you can be sure you'll have something healthy to nibble on. Choose smaller portions of meats, and keep your hands out of the chip bowl! If you’re wearing the apron, here are some hints for keeping the grill good-for-you:

• Choose seafood. Barbecued fish, shrimp, calamari, scallops or other seafood are delicious, healthy choices that are great sources of healthy omega 3 fats.
  
  
• Almost anything tastes good barbecued! Try corn-on-the-cob, bell peppers, summer squash, onion, eggplant, portobello mushrooms, or any other of your favorite veges.
  
  
• Choose reduced-fat or low-fat hot dogs. You could save yourself up to 40 calories and 5 g of fat per dog.
  
  
• Trim the visible fat off meat.
  
  
• Give oomph to your meats by marinating them before cooking. Marinating for just half an hour in your favorite combination of fresh herbs, citrus juice, garlic, chili sauce, or soy sauce can turn a plain piece of meat into a delicious dish.
  
  
• Add some antioxidants to your diet with colorful vegetable kebabs. The pigments that give fruits and vegetables their color are powerful antioxidants. The more colors you include, the better! Try carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and different colored onions for the full spectrum.
  
  
• Avoid full-fat salad dressings. Coleslaw and potato salad, whether home-made or commercially prepared, may be very high in fat and calories. If you can, make your own salad with a fat-free dressing. Add lots of fresh herbs for a tasty zing and added nutrients.
  
  
• Go easy on the garlic bread. Most garlic bread is loaded with butter and is therefore very high in fat. Choose plain bread or rolls instead.

For a fun way to find out how the calories of barbecue foods add up, try our interactive Barbecue Create-A-Meal. You can find a link to it at the end of this article.

When you're outside socializing and enjoying a barbecue, it's easy to knock back a couple of beers, and/or several glasses of wine, perhaps a cocktail or two... On top of all those alcohol calories, this often leads to a few more handfuls of chips than you intended, or an extra hot dog or two, and perhaps an extra helping of dessert. Try to drink only one or two glasses of wine or beer, spaced out with lots of water or diet soft drinks in between. This way you'll keep your resolve to avoid excess eating. Plus, you won’t consume so many calories from alcohol.

Be aware that salty foods, such as hot dogs, will create a continual thirst for several hours. Quench your thirst with water (add a squeeze of lemon or lime for extra flavor) or diet soft drinks, not alcohol.

For more articles on alcohol, check out the 'Health' and 'Nutrition' info centers in the CalorieKing.com Recipes & Articles section. You can also consult the alcohol guide in the CalorieKing Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter.

Hot summer weather, flies, and insects can increase the risk of food poisoning. But with a few simple precautions you can look after the health of yourself and your family.

Here are some tips to help keep your food safe this summer:

• Transport food in a cooler or other type of ice chest
• Keep all foods in covered containers or cover with plastic wrap
• Don't leave food sitting in the sun – keep it in the fridge or cooler until you're ready to eat
• Don't let cooked foods sit around at room temperature - put them straight back into the fridge or cooler when you've finished eating
• Wash your hands thoroughly before handling food
• Don't reuse plates, cutting boards or trays that have had raw meat on them