Back Yard Grilling for Healthy Weight Loss

By Taylor Ellingson, RDN, LD

The hot summer days are officially here! Are you ready to enjoy long evenings on the patio, and weekends outside with your family?

Summer means grilling season is back in action! Of course, we all know what’s typically cooked on the grill:

Steaks
Burgers
Chicken

These options are delicious, but I also love creating grilled side dishes or healthy entrées for a change of pace. One of my favorite ways to change it up is adding fresh vegetables, fruits, or seafood to the grill to give it that smoky flavor.

Not only do the meals taste great, but you can use this single piece of equipment to create a balanced meal!

Summer Grilling 101

Before you plan your summer grilling menu, here are a few tips to help you kickstart the season and become a grill master!

Start with a Clean Grill: It’s easiest to remove last night’s salmon when the grill is still hot. You can use a metal brush to clean the grates, and after it’s cooled, wipe it down with a cloth.

Flip as Little as Possible: Flipping your protein repeatedly can cause the juices to escape—leading to a dry piece of meat. Ideally, you only need to flip it once. You can tell when a meat is ready to be flipped when it’s not sticking to the grates.

Cook Low and Slow: To ensure an even cook and prevent charring, it’s best to cook your foods at a lower temperature, for a longer time period. Patience is key and it’s well worth the wait!

Have a Thermometer Handy: This ensures the meat is fully cooked and safe to eat. Check out this article for more food safety tips!

Rest All Meats: A general rule is to wait 5-15 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to be evenly distributed.
Lightly Oil Vegetables to Prevent Sticking: Placing vegetables right on the grill can bring out so much flavor. You can also foil wrap your veggies for an easy clean up.

Low-Carb Tricks for the Grill

Getting creative with meals can be fun, especially when using the grill. Instead of toasting a burger bun on the grill, you could substitute 2 large portabella mushrooms for a lower carbohydrate choice.

Try dicing up turnips and tossing them with some salt, pepper, and olive oil to create your own version of diced potatoes. You could even grill romaine hearts and top them with our Livea Balsamic Dressing and parmesan cheese to try something new!