You might think that a 4th of July backyard barbecue is pretty much the worst thing that can happen to your weight loss plan this summer. You know what? You could be right. Giant bowls of chips and dip, burgers, brats and dogs piled onto white bread buns, “salads” that start with great big gob of mayonnaise, the traditional red, white and blue sheet cake slathered in cream cheese frosting and dotted with blueberries and strawberries, plus ice cream … yeah, that’s a real problem, alright. But the minefield that is the backyard barbecue can be easily defused by just a few simple hacks. Here are seven tips for a healthy 4th of July food ideas and tips! 1. Build a better burger. BYOM (bring your own meat) if you’re a guest and pre-make your lean beef (or even ultra-lean bison!) patty into a reasonable, two-ouncer. Don’t eyeball it. Fast-food restaurant portion sizes have grown over the last few decades. So what you consider a “small” burger might actually be super-sized. Rule of th
The season of pasta salad is here! This picnic or barbeque staple is always a favorite, but it’s not always the healthiest choice. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way! While many traditional pasta salad recipes have mayonnaise-based dressings and are loaded with bacon and cheese, we’ve lightened things up by packing in the veggies and using healthier dressing options. Here are eight pasta salad recipes that are healthy, delicious, and best of all, easy to whip up! 1. Creamy Pasta Salad Traditional creamy pasta salads are usually full of fat because of heavy dollops of mayonnaise. But our version uses only a teaspoon of light mayonnaise and instead uses nonfat Greek yogurt for its creaminess. Chopped broccoli, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes add color, crunch and antioxidant power to this delicious Creamy Pasta Salad . 2. Simple Spring Green Pasta Salad This Simple Spring Green Pasta Salad is all about the greens—green peas, asparagus tips and watercress add some fres