There isn’t anything I don’t like about BBQs.

  • I like hot summer nights.
  • I like the sounds of the sizzle.
  • I like cold beverages.
  • I like potato salad.
  • I like putting as many different foods on my fork at the same time because the most random food combinations always taste the best.
  • I like mosquito traps and the satisfying zap they make as it kills another of those blood-sucking insects.
  • I like family, laughs, daylight savings and the feeling like I’ve got all the time in the world.

Barbecues aren’t meals commonly associated with offering healthy food and many of my clients often ask about the food options they can choose whilst eating out at a barbecue or similar summer gathering.

So let’s do a quick meal comparison:

Let’s say you fill your plate with two standard beef sausages, two slices of white bread, tomato sauce and a good dollop of coleslaw.

Sausages – highly processed, high in salt (sodium), high in energy (mostly from fat) and easy to overeat. Two beef sausages equals approximately 400 calories of energy.

White bread – highly refined product and is a poor source of fibre. Two thick slices of bread equals approximately 180 calories of energy.

Coleslaw – the addition of lots of dressing and cheese means that this pile of ‘token vegetables’ on your plate offers a whopper of energy to your overall meal. One cup coleslaw equals approximately 120 calories.

Tomato sauce – also a highly processed food, containing tomatoes. Quick fact: Did you know that tomato sauce products is just one reason why food labelling became regulated? It’s now against the law to call something tomato sauce when it doesn’t actually have tomatoes in it! One tablespoon of tomato sauce equals approximately 40 calories.

Total energy content of the meal: 740 calories.

This doesn’t include the butter on your bread, the beer in your hand or the Mars Bar slice that Aunty Jean is going to bring out later with a cup of tea.

Now hear me out… I am all for barbecues and I am happy to eat a meal just like this if that’s all that is available. But a healthy diet that leads to long term wellbeing and good weight management is all about overall diet quality and what you eat every day rather than what you eat at an individual meal. So, if you rarely frequent barbecues then by all means, just eat whatever you like. The problem with the food above occurs when it’s eaten regularly and the rest of your diet is also lacking in the nutrition department.

Too much salt combined with a poor diet puts us at risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Too little fibre puts us at risk of colon cancer and digestive problems. Too much energy leads to weight gain over time which may lead to other health problems. We all know about the consequences of too much alcohol and sugar. Food needs to provide us with nutrients (vitamins and minerals) without offering us too much energy. This is the most important principle of long term weight management.

So if you’re keen to enjoy a barbecue in all its glory but you’d like to change it up a bit to offer more long term health benefits then here’s what I would put on my plate:

Porterhouse steak: unprocessed and great source of lean protein if you remove the visible fat before cooking. It’s low in salt and 150g (the size of your palm) equals approximately 200 calories of energy.

Whole grain, burgen or rye bread: a much better source of dietary fibre and offers extra nutrition with the addition of seeds and other whole grains. Two thick slices of bread equals approximately 180 calories of energy.

Green leafy salad: your standard garden salad of green leaves, capsicum, cucumber and carrot offers lots of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre for very little energy. Dress it with red wine or balsamic vinegar. Two cups of this salad will fill half your plate with food for as little as 20 calories of energy.

Tomato sauce: or any other kind of sauce is a great way to add flavour and because we usually only use a small amount, it’s totally fine to include. Other delicious sauces or flavours would include aioli, mustard, barbecue sauce, peri peri, dijon or mayonnaise. One tablespoon of tomato sauce equals approximately 40 calories.

Total energy content of the meal: 420 calories.

This meal will be just as filling and just as delicious but offer 6g more dietary fibre and half the energy. Spread your bread with avocado, watch your alcoholic drinks and most of all ENJOY YOURSELF!