Grilling can be Healthy/Nutritious this Fourth of July;
-Plan ahead — you want half of your child’s plate to be veggies and fruits, one quarter protein and one quarter grains.
-Prepare a vegetable plate in minutes with grilled squash, peppers, corn, carrots or cauliflower. Toss the veggies with a splash of olive oil and your favorite seasoning and place them on the grill. Do this first and set them out for everyone to munch on while the other food is prepared.
-Trade traditional mayo-heavy coleslaw for a fresh carrot salad dressed with plain Greek yogurt, raisins and chopped apples. This sweet and crunchy dish is a kid favorite!
-Combine whole-grain pasta, broccoli and colorful peppers to create a healthier pasta salad.
-Choose lean ground beef, turkey or chicken for your burgers. Kids also enjoy veggie burgers made of chickpeas or black beans.
-Make sliders instead of full-size burgers. Use whole-grain dinner rolls for the buns. Serve them with romaine lettuce leaves and tomato slices.
-Grill marinated shrimp or chicken skewers. Add peppers or grape tomatoes for sweetness, fiber and an extra dose of vegetables.
-Grill peach halves or pineapple rings until their natural sugars caramelize. Present the grilled fruit on a dessert bar with vanilla yogurt, nuts or seeds as sprinkles and fresh cherry or berry toppers.
Erica Ouellette, Registered Dietitian/ Middleton Family Medicine
Adapted from: www.eatright.org