HEALTHY BBQ Make your get-togethers around the grill a bit healthier but still delicious.

MEAT AND VEGGIES SKEWERS Food on a stick is fun. Skewers are colorful and delicious as well! Think of it like this. Instead of grilling yourself a rib-eye, cut the meat into cubes and alternate it with chunky red onions, cherry tomatoes, zucchini and bell peppers on a bamboo skewer. You still get to enjoy that meaty steak, but you’re eating veggies, too, and they come out beautifully charred and smoky from the grill. Enjoying red meat is okay, if that’s your thing, but there are more creative ways of cooking it than just flipping and slicing.

CORN ON THE COB

There’s no doubt the best way to cook corn on the cob is over a sizzling griddle, especially if fueled by burning embers. The smell! And that golden color! Corn is hard to beat. Well, corn is healthy too, much more than a sausage. Add corn on the cob to your grilling repertoire, and you’ll be filling up on healthier alternatives without missing out on the smoky and charred flavor we all love.

CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD

What’s unhealthy about all-out BBQ extravaganzas is all that saturated fat in red meat. And although switching to lean meat cuts like the tri-tip roast, strip steak and tenderloin is already a good idea; you can take things further with chicken and seafood. Grilled chicken is juicy and smoky, and seafood is really something special when cooked over an open flame. Well, both poultry and seafood are way healthier than red meat, and, if you ask us, you won’t be missing on flavor. Besides, you’re giving alternatives to your guests, taking your grilling party to the next level.

HEALTHIER BURGER PATTIES We know you don’t want to hear this, but burgers are not particularly healthy, and it’s because they’re rarely made with high-quality meat. The good news? We’re living in a golden era for plant-based burger patties — you can’t even tell the difference. From burgers made with lentils and chickpeas to black bean patties, there’s plenty to choose from, so find the right one for you. As a bonus, use artisan, whole-grain buns instead of the regular ones, and you’ll already be making your burgers ten times healthier. White bread adds little to no nutrition to your system. At least wholegrain buns will add some fiber, vitamins and minerals to your diet.

SALADS - One of the healthiest food categories — salads. And we know what you’re thinking. No one wants salad when they can have a few juicy slices of smoked brisket on their plate, but that’s the point, salads are no substitute for meat; they’re complements. If only salad occupied one-third of your plate, you’d already be eating healthier, even if the rest of your food is greasy and starchy. Salads can help you feel satisfied sooner, too, and that means fewer hotdogs for you.Salads aren’t dull either, mix and match leafy greens with dried fruit, nuts and crumbly cheese for vibrant salads everyone will want to repeat. Sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and olives can give your salad personality. Don’t overlook salad, and your BBQ experience will already be healthier than last year! Happy grilling!

THREE GREAT BEACH READS FOR SUMMER

WORTHY PICKS TO BE ON YOUR SUMMER READING LIST

PRETTY THINGS: A NOVEL BY JANELLE BROWN

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Who’s really following you on social media? The scam of a lifetime brings together two wildly different women in this page-turning thriller about greed, legacy, and betrayal from the New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear.

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID

From the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & the Six—an entrancing and “wildly addictive journey of a reclusive Hollywood starlet” (PopSugar) as she reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine.

COVER STORY: A NOVEL BY SUSAN RIGETTI

Netflix's Inventing Anna and Hulu's The Dropout meets Catch Me If You Can, a captivating novel about an ambitious young woman who gets trapped in a charismatic con artist's scam.

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