Healthy Summer Cookouts

By: Melissa C., R.D., L.D. Crèche Manager of Health and Nutrition

Keep your cookouts healthy and safe this summer! Try these helpful tips!

Summer is officially here, which means dinner is moving outside. There is nothing better than the smell of a grill, kids playing in the backyard, and relaxing on the patio.

But let’s be honest: traditional cookouts can quickly turn into a heavy, sodium-packed food coma of greasy burgers, chips, and sugary sodas. The good news? You don’t have to compromise on flavor or summer nostalgia to serve a meal that makes your family feel great.

With a few simple swaps, you can host a vibrant, nutrient-packed barbecue that both the kids and adults will love:

• Add vinaigrettes, olive oil, lemon, and spices to salads, pasta salads, and potato salads instead of
  creamy dressings. If you like creamy dressing, try making a homemade dressing using plain Greek yogurt,
  avocado, lime, and cilantro.
• Use lean proteins paired with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables! Try grilling fruits for a tasty dessert.
  Take your time eating. Use a hunger scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is starving and 10 is full, aiming for a 5 out of
  6, where you are not stuffed, but comfortably full, and rate your hunger before going in for seconds or
  snacking. If you just want to snack on something, grab fruit salad, a small salad/vegetables, or have a
  glass of water.
• Keep foods safe! Make sure to thoroughly wash produce and prevent cross-contamination by keeping
  perishables separate from drinks, and raw foods like raw chicken thoroughly wrapped.
  Avoid the “Danger Zone” (between 40 and 140° F). Make sure not to let the food remain in this
  temperature range for more than 2 hours or 1 hour when temperatures are above 90° F.
  Keep hot foods at or above 140° F. Make sure to not leave these foods out for more than 2 hours or 1 hour
  with a temperature above 90° F. Keep cold perishable foods at 40° F or below in a cooler until being
  served. Make sure to keep the cooler closed. Do not keep cold foods out for longer than 2 hours or 1 hour
  if temperatures are above 90° F. Discard cold and hot foods that are left out for longer than 2 hours. Cook
  foods to the proper internal temperature, using a thermometer to check. Temperature to cook meat, fish,
  eggs, and other casseroles and dishes to include:
  • Ground beef and pork to 160° F
  • Ground turkey and chicken to 165° F
  • Fresh beef, pork, and veal to 145° F with a 3 minute rest
    period
  • Chicken, turkey, duck, and stuffing to 165° F
  • Fresh ham to 160° F
  • Eggs until the yolk and whites are firm or egg dishes to 160°F
  • Fin fish until 145° F, or flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork
  • Seafood such as shrimp and lobster until the flesh is opaque and pearly; clams and oysters until the shells
    open; and scallops until milky white/opaque and firm
  • Leftovers and casseroles to 165° F
• Lastly, aim to use the plate method to eat healthy portions and stay on track with calorie intake. Fill 1⁄2
  your plate with fruits and vegetables. Fill 1⁄4 with a starch/bread/chip/pasta. Fill 1⁄4 with your lean protein.