With barbeque season fast approaching on the horizon, we’ve come up with four healthy grilling menus for every occasion and audience. If you’re looking for a new healthy grilled chicken marinade, a tapa-style spread, or healthy barbecue ideas for a plant-based party, you’ll find everything you need to begin the barbecue season with a bang with these curated yet customizable menus.
Classic backyard or picnic BBQ menu
Whether you’re planning on barbecuing in the backyard or at a nearby park, there’s no denying the appeal of these healthy grill recipes. The secret to keeping the Points low and the classic flavours familiar is to use 93 percent lean ground beef for the burgers (a light touch is best when forming the patties) and fat-free pork or beef hot dogs paired with reduced calorie buns. Crowd-pleasing salads like potato salad and macaroni salad can be made the day before and served chilled when it’s time to eat, but feel free to substitute pasta salad or a favourite grain salad in their place.
Celebrate the any weekend with this healthy BBQ menu:
Healthy grilled chicken and ribs menu
When it comes to healthy grilled chicken recipes, our barbecued chicken breasts are as memorable as they are easy-to-assemble ahead of time. If you prefer your barbecued ribs on the wet side, we’ve included our tangy and not-too-sweet recipe for chili barbecue sauce (another great make-ahead option, this sauce can also be brushed on grilled pork chops, salmon, and lean steak.) Buffalo-style corn on the cob is grilled over medium heat and basted with a mixture of crumbled bleu cheese, chives, hot sauce, and butter for an unforgettable spin on Mexican street corn.
Try these lip smackin’ recipes for grilled chicken and ribs:
Tapas-style grill menu
Why not celebrate the return to grilling season with a selection of small bites on skewers? Take a hint from Spanish tapas, and present these tasting menu items piled high on colourful serving platters. Instead of relying on traditional barbecue sauce, we’ve used a creamy and gorgeously green pesto sauce as a healthy grilled chicken marinade, while plump pieces of whole shrimp benefit from a smoky grilled pepper sauce. Feel free to pick and choose the tapas-style recipes that appeal to you the most, there’s no pressure to make every type of skewer listed below. Serve the chunky gazpacho with avocado and shrimp in water or wine glasses, plating them up before the big event for easy serving.
These healthy skewers from the grill will wow your guests:
Vegetarian BBQ menu
Just because you’re not eating meat, doesn’t mean you can’t put together a delicious and successful barbecue. If you’re already a fan of Caesar salad you’ll be blown away by our lightened-up version, which makes use of crunchy, grilled romaine hearts and a zesty dressing. We’ve included several types of grilled flatbreads to choose from; you can feel free to make all of them or you can try one or two recipes that stand out. For a meatier option, try grilling tofu in thick steak-like slices with super-savoury mushrooms and onions — no one will ever notice the meat is missing! To complete the theme, we suggest ending your meal with a grilled summer fruit flatbread, which can be adorned with any of your favourite seasonal fruit.