George Foreman Cooking Blog

Summer Eats The Art of the Summer BBQ Party with George Foreman®

There’s no doubt that summer BBQs are part of our culture. From 4th of July celebrations to a simple backyard party on a Sunday afternoon, summer is the time we all get together outside, enjoy the sun and all our favorite summer activities, and have all our favorite summer BBQ foods. It’s the perfect all-American picture of summer. Now, George Foreman® is giving you some ideas to making this tradition easier, healthier and more convenient no matter where you live.

Summer BBQ tastes good, but it’s not exactly the picture of healthy eating. Many foods associated with the summer BBQ like burgers, hot dogs, cheese fries and potato salad are also those American comfort foods most associated with unhealthy eating.

There are several ways to make your BBQ healthier, starting by cooking your meat on a George Foreman® Grill, instead of on an outdoor grill. By cooking everything on your George Foreman® Grill, you’re helping knock out the fat on all these typically unhealthy foods.

Not BBQ, you say? True, the cooking method is grilling versus open fire cooking, but all you’re really losing is that smoked-in taste. This can be adjusted with seasonings, including liquid smoke that adds that characteristic smoked flavor to foods. For some ideas on seasoning tips and tricks to add a bit of BBQ flavor to your George Foreman® grilled food, read our article on Pre-Seasoning to Perfection in this month’s issue.

You may also wish to cook some of your items over a traditional outdoor BBQ pit – such as your good steak cuts or lobster where you’ll really notice the flavor. Then, cook the more standard items like burgers and hot dogs on your George Foreman® Grill, since the flavors will be masked by loads of toppings and condiments anyway. In this way, your good BBQ cuts are still carrying that flavor that your guests will rave about, while your more standard fare will have the healthier aspect of the George Foreman® cooking.

In addition, if the party happens to be at some other location than your backyard, like a park or a downstairs condo picnic area, cooking on your George Foreman® Grill and bringing the food with you will limit the amount of cooking utensils you have to cart and carry. That way, you can spend more time enjoying the party and less time tending to your food. If you live in an apartment or condo that doesn’t have the luxury of a nice picnic area, you can also simply open up your sliding windows to let the warm summer breezes blow in, make some refreshing summer drinks and enjoy BBQ food with your friends indoors – less mosquitoes, more AC and comfier furniture included.

To add to the healthier side of your summer BBQ, also try subbing out some of those traditional BBQ foods with some healthier alternatives. Instead of potato salad, make a lettuce salad with your favorite low-fat dressing or even a cold meat salad like a low-fat Chicken Caesar. For coleslaw, try making it fresh with low-fat mayo. Also try adding some fish dishes like a shrimp cocktail or citrus-marinated salmon steak. This way, you at least have the options available for those that want to eat healthier.

The most important thing to do as you try to make your BBQ healthier, is to try and think of all the places where you can add healthier aspects in without displeasing your guests. Having a good mix of traditional versus healthier cooking is a good way, as well as what we have provided above in selectively cooking meats outdoors. By creating a good mix, you’re guests will still be pleased and their diets will thank you.

Tags: The Art of the Summer BBQ Party