Healthy eating is important all year around but especially during the summer. Summer is one of the best times of the year to start a healthy diet and learn to maintain it. If you think you will have to eliminate BBQ food from your diet to stay healthy, think again. Barbecuing never has to mean unhealthy foods.

Here are 3 tips on how you can enjoy your summer BBQ meals and still stick to a healthy but tasty diet:

Eat Lean or Extra Lean Meats

There is a stereotype that BBQ meals all consist of fatty processed meats. The truth is there are plenty of healthier bbq options available. Some options you can consider trying are chicken, turkey and soy hot dogs.

You can even try serving fish at your next BBQ. Monkfish cubes with mango and drizzled olive oil make for a great meal.

Have BBQ Vegetarian Options Available

Vegetarian meals don’t always mean boring veggie burger. You can grill extra firm tofu with vegetables and serve them with BBQ. Have some BBQ halloumi and serve it with your favorite BBQ meal.

Some great vegetables you can serve at your next BBQ party are whole mushrooms, corn on the cob and asparagus. Make kebabs with online slices, bell peppers, and zucchini.

Or trying the following salads:

Smoked Portabella & Zucchini Salad

This salad is mixed with greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, green pepper and red onion tossed with balsamic vinaigrette.

Buffalo BBQ Chicken Salad

This salad consists of tossed BBQ chicken with buffalo BBQ sauce and served with top of chopped greens, tomato, red onion, cheddar cheese, and bacon tossed with ranch dressing.

Last but not least, eat your favorite BBQ meals; just make sure to control your portion size.

Choosing healthier portions for your BBQ meals will keep the calories down. You can serve smaller portions in the following ways:

-      Eat extra-lean ¼ pound burgers and ½ pound patties.

-      Always choose quality over quantity. Fillet steaks, lean chicken breasts and lean pork chops are all excellent choices.

-      Eat plenty of vegetables and salads with your BBQ meats.

-      Slice larger cuts of meats thinly to better portion your meals.

If you need a delicious yet healthy BBQ meal at anytime, come or order carryout from Kloby’s Smokehouse.

Kloby’s Smokehouse is known for great food and service in a casual dining atmosphere. Kloby’s serves up the best smoked Pulled Pork (served Carolina-Style), Beef Brisket, Ribs, Chicken and all of your favorite “made from scratch” sides. We pride ourselves with taking all of the time needed to BBQ all of our fresh meats in an all natural wood pit to give you the best smoked, finger licking BBQ flavors you crave.

Let Kloby’s Smokehouse do the cooking, while you can sit back and enjoy. Look at our BBQ catering options as well.

If you have any questions or need a BBQ meal, contact us by clicking here or call 301.362.1510 today!

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: http://www.dietriffic.com/2009/07/08/healthy-barbecue/