17 Healthy Summer BBQ Recipes

By: Rachel, on May 3, 2019

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I’m always on the lookout for new BBQ recipes to try and Memorial Day is a perfect time to try something new! It’s the start of summer, a long holiday weekend, and it’s officially grilling season! We tend to think of grilled foods as being healthy, and for the most part, they can be. But then we end up overindulging in some of the not-so-healthy choices being served. I’m looking at you delicious side dishes and desserts!

Because when I think of cookouts, I think about the heavy side salads (potato salad, pasta salad, coleslaw), potato chips, brownies, and cookies.. mmm. While these foods are tasty, they’re usually loaded with fat, sugar, and a lot of empty calories.

But if we plan ahead a little bit, we can be smart this summer. You didn’t eat well and work out all year just to blow it on a few summer parties full of junk food, right?

Planning Ahead for BBQs

If you’re going to someone else’s BBQ you can just try to avoid eating the junk. But why not bring a healthy side dish or salad that you know is good for you? That way you’ll know there will be something you can enjoy and feel good about eating.

When you’re hosting your own party it’s the perfect opportunity to make some healthier versions of your favorite BBQ recipes. You don’t even have to tell anyone that they’re healthy because they’ll taste too good to be true!

It’s All About the BBQ Recipes

For the main dishes, you will fire up the grill. For the side dishes and desserts, they are all make-ahead recipes or no-bake recipes that are easy to prepare. This will keep you out of the kitchen on those hot summer days. Check out some of the tasty BBQ recipes below to round out your healthy summer BBQ menu!