Enjoy the BBQ Season Without Sacrificing Your Health

It’s officially spring and hopefully warmer weather and summer sunshine are just around the corner. And that, for an increasing number of families in the UK, also means it’s BBQ season, the perfect way to gather and have fun together. But one of the problems with BBQs is that they often encourage unhealthy eating habits, and, indeed, there can be basic health risks, too. So, what are some of things we should do to ensure we are eating tasty and healthy BBQ food?

Safety First

No-one wants a nasty accident to spoil a fun get together, and yet it’s amazing how many accidents happen during BBQ season because common sense safety rules have been ignored.

Please do ensure the following:

• Place the BBQ on a flat level surface.
• Keep the BBQ away from anything that could easily catch fire such as trees, hedges, sheds and fences.
• Never leave the BBQ unattended.
• Keep children and pets away from the cooking area.
• Keep a bucket of water or sand nearby in case of emergencies.
• Ensure the BBQ is cool before moving it.
• If playing games, ensure they are well away from the BBQ and don’t include anything that could result in balls flying through the air and…you get the picture, I’m sure!

As well as potential accidents, hygiene considerations are paramount to ensure you protect your guests from food poisoning. Again, a common-sense checklist for you to follow:

• Ensure your hands and all equipment, utensils and serving dishes are thoroughly clean before you start.
• Ensure food is defrosted thoroughly in the fridge before cooking.
• Avoid cross-contamination between raw foods and cooked foods. Keep raw and cooked food in separate dishes, use separate utensils, and ensure they don’t get mixed up. Don’t use the same marinade for raw and cooked food.
• If you are cooking food such as mince, sausages, burgers and chicken, remember that these items are only safe to eat when they are piping hot in the centre, there is no pink meat and juices run clear. When cooking any meat, using a food thermometer is recommended.

Reduce Chemicals

We all know it’s important to reduce chemicals in our foods such as artificial colours, nitrates and nitrites, and that’s part of the reason we are going to suggest some incredibly tasty and healthy BBQ food options instead of steaks, burgers and sausages.

But before we look at the actual food choices, there are a couple of other things to consider first:

• If you don’t have a gas BBQ, how are you lighting it? Do ensure you use proper BBQ coals, never use lighter fuel as it’s full of chemicals and can be dangerous, and opt for best all-natural firelighters and organic materials.
• While it is important to ensure food is properly cooked, do remember many experts believe charred food is potentially carcinogenic. As a solution – always control the flame and don’t let it burn your food.

Tasty and Healthy BBQ Food

Sausages. Hot Dogs. Burgers. Streaks. Are they the mainstay of your BBQ offerings? Sadly, while they may be tasty, processed foods and red meat are all linked to increased risks of cancer.

Of course, having something a little ‘naughty’ occasionally isn’t going to do us any real harm. And yet there are so many super tasty, alternative BBQ recipes to choose from that there really isn’t a need to trade-off between having tasty food and healthy food. And of course, healthy, colourful, tasty sides and marinades can add to the experience, too.

Consider some of the following options when planning your next family BBQ:

• Choose a healthy protein such as chicken (but make sure it is thoroughly cooked); fish (salmon and tuna steaks are brilliant, thinner fillets can be wrapped in foin with a flavoured oil, seasoning and herbs; firm or extra firm tofu or halloumi.
• Veggies aren’t just for sides. Ever tried a BBQ’ d cauliflower steak? Delicious. As are grilled aubergines, peppers, courgettes, sweetcorn, and large flat mushrooms.
• Some fruits such as watermelon slices, pineapple spears and nectarine halves are delicious BBQ’ d.
• Choose an oil that has a high smoke point such as olive oil, avocado oil, rapeseed oil or ghee.

If you would like to be more adventurous with your BBQ options but are not too sure on how to make healthy food options as tasty as possible, the following links will provide an abundance of tasty, healthy recipes for your next BBQ. All include main recipes and delicious sides, too.

BBC Good Food: 87 vegetarian BBQ recipes

Jamie Oliver: the ultimate vegetarian BBQ

Veganuary: vegan BBQ recipes

And Finally – Eat Mindfully

An obvious yet important tip. Control your eating behaviour – yes, even when you are relaxing under the sun. Plan your BBQ well in advance to ensure you have tasty and healthy BBQ options, eat slowly savouring every mouthful and, of course, try not to overeat!