Barbeque fun needn’t give you a tum
Published: 11 August 2010
Summer is filled with picnics, barbeques, garden parties and long nights spent drinking glasses of wine with friends. This exuberant living can play havoc with your waistline, leaving you looking more flab than fab
But there are ways to join in the fun and feel like you are indulging without overdoing it. Follow this fool-proof guide to summer living and we’ll have you enjoying yourself quicker than you can say “size ten bikini”.
1. Good news! Yes you can eat steak. Sirloin and fillet steaks tend to be the healthier choices and work well when cooked on the barbeque. Venison is also a low fat, red meat option but it can be difficult to find in the shops. Even if you are on a diet, you can still eat burgers. If you are buying them from a shop, opt for ¼ pounders rather than ½ pounders to save on calories and fat. Even better, try making FABs chicken tikka burgers with naan bread and raita. With only 448kcals and 4.2g of saturated fat, they make a great choice for the barbeque.
2. Don’t believe the hype. Bread is good for you. Of course, if you eat a whole loaf, you might not feel too good but in normal daily quantities bread will not cause you to put on weight. In fact, it should be seen as a versatile low fat food, which can be used as an accompaniment to a meal, for making sandwiches or even puddings. And there aren’t many foods you can say that about. You do need to watch what you put on it though as many spreads and fillings can be high in fat. Try having some bread with low fat olive spread as an accompaniment to your barbeque. Nutritionist Fiona Hunter says, “When the weather is warm no one wants to spend any longer than necessary in a steamy hot kitchen so picnics and BBQ’s provide the perfect opportunity for a spot of alfresco eating but like other meals they should be healthy and balanced. Bread in all its many guises is perfect for both occasions and whether it’s white sliced, a crusty wholemeal, seeded or multigrain roll, pitta or a wrap it all provides healthy carbohydrates and a range of vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron and B vitamins.”
3. It’s easy to over-eat at a barbeque but there are some simple ways around it. Fill up on grilled vegetable kebabs. A jacket potato wrapped in tin foil is filling and cooks really well on the barbeque, as does a sweet potato for something a bit different or corn on the cob. Add a salad, some crusty bread with a low fat spread and you’ll only need one portion of lean meat to feel satisfied.
Of course you’ll need something to wash all that food down with. A clear spirit such as vodka or gin with a diet mixer is normally a good option for women who don’t want to ruin their diets. Alternatively, a glass of champagne only contains around 70 calories. And let’s face it; what woman doesn’t enjoy a glass of bubbly once in a while?
For more information please contact Carolyn Fisher on 020 7529 7707 or email carolynfisher@nabim.org.uk.
