Summer just wouldn’t be the same without hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill.  But is it possible to have these favorite Summer comfort foods without having them damage your waistline?  Absolutely!  Here are 5 ways to give these foods a healthy makeover:

1.  Trade traditional hot dogs for products such as Jennie-O Turkey Franks

Each has just 70 calories and 6 grams of fat (just 1.5 saturated fat) which is about half the amount in a traditional hot dog.  Grill them and add mustard and sauerkraut and you will not know the difference!

Just read the label of any turkey product carefully, as many turkey dogs are not made with the leanest cuts and could be just as fattening as a traditional beef hot dog.

2.  Trade traditional beef burgers for Boca Burgers (or your favorite soy-based or veggie burger)  To me, the soy-based most closely mimic the real thing vs. veggie burgers, but they are both healthy choices.  The original Vegan Boca Burger is only 70 calories, .5 grams fat, 0 grams trans fat or saturated fat and packs 13 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber into that tasty burger.

TIP:  substitute an extra lean turkey burger, but again check the label of the ground turkey to make sure you are getting 97-99% fat-free extra lean turkey (like from Jennie-O), or if buying a package of ground turkey, look at that closely to make sure you are getting the leanest possible turkey burger.

3.  Ditch the potato salad and cole slaw

Both are full of fatty mayonnaise even though they seem light.  Use Baked Lays, Baked Ruffles or any variety of baked snack with a maximum of 3-4 grams of fat as a side dish instead and save tons of fat and calories.

4.  Swap white flour hot dog and hamburger buns for whole wheat or whole grain buns

Make sure you are truly getting whole wheat by reading the label and seeing 100% whole wheat or stone ground whole wheat with a good fiber content of 3 – 7 grams per bun.  I like Healthy Life 100% Whole Grain hot dog and hamburger buns with their 6 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and just 1.5 grams of fat.

TIP:  Here’s how to do it even better!  Take a whole wheat round and use each half of the round like a bun to hold the hot dog-to save 100 calories when you have two franks, or use the whole round to hold the burger for a lighter variation.

5.  Swap regular cheese for fat-free or light cheese

Enjoy that cheeseburger makeover, but don’t ruin it by adding full-fat cheese on top.  Use a fat-free brand like Borden’s fat-free American or Cheddar cheese or Light Jarlsberg Swiss and save calories and fat.  Plus, it melts beautifully!

So there you have it-5 tips for making your Summer Barbecue a healthy one.  It’s a great example of my core philosphy for healthy eating-you should never deprive yourself of anything as long as it’s made over to its healthiest form.

Want more healthy and easy ideas to help trim your waistline?  Get the 5 Essential Keys to Healthy Weight Loss FREE 5-Day E-Course

About The Author:

Healthy Lombard Partner Melanie Jordan is a Wellcoaches® and American Council on Exercise (ACE®) Certified Health and Wellness Coach who helps others get back to their dream weight for good, without gimmicks or deprivation, so they can live the full, happy and healthy lives they’ve always wanted with her Your Healthy Life Made Easy!™ Program. She’s living proof of what’s possible despite a poor family history, as she’s overcome her own weight struggles and maintains a 48-pound weight loss and rocks size 6 jeans.

Melanie is also an ACE Group Fitness Certified Zumba®, Zumba Gold® and Turbo Kick® Instructor and is the author of 8 books including her bestselling Kindle book Weight Loss Secrets Revealed For the Happiest and Healthiest You!

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