Memorial Day Weekend is right around the corner! This is a beautiful weekend of honoring those who have served our country. As the unofficial start to the summer, this weekend brings friends and family together.
If you are trying to stay fit and focus on nutrition, the classic Memorial Day Barbecue can be a bit overwhelming. I recently wrote a piece for Anton Newspapers that provides some simple strategies to tackling the Memorial Day Barbecue. Here is an excerpt from the article:
Memorial Day Weekend is an unofficial start to the summer. After months of hard work, it’s nice to enjoy this long weekend with friends and family. Most holidays tend to be very food-focused; we naturally gravitate towards celebrating with food. If you are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, there are some simple strategies that you can implement during this exciting weekend.
Bring A Healthy Dish
If you are hosting the Memorial Day celebration, then you will likely have full control over what you prepare and serve to your guests. However, if you are visiting friends or family, the food may not live up to your healthy expectations. Instead of bringing cookies or cake, ask your host if you can bring a large salad, fruit platter, grilled vegetables or another healthy dish. This ensures that you will have at least one healthy item to enjoy at the party.
Choose A Lean, Unprocessed Protein
Cheeseburgers, hot dogs and steak are staple items at the typical Memorial Day barbecue. Not only do these items contain high amounts of saturated fat and calories, but processed meats in particular contain preservatives that have been linked to colorectal cancer. Lean, unprocessed proteins include turkey burgers, veggie burgers, chicken breast and salmon.
Beware Of Charring
Try to avoid charring your foods until they are burnt, as these charred areas are a source of carcinogenic chemicals. Carcinogens can directly damage our genetic material and initiate the development of certain cancers. If there are charred pieces on your food, try to cut them off and enjoy the rest of your meal. Your DNA will thank you.
Read the full article here:
Xoxo,
Stef
*This article was originally published in Anton Newspapers.