For many, the warm months of summer mean it’s time to fire up the backyard grill.  Here are some tips to help you get the most from your grill, save time, and improve your health and waistline.

Meats:  Choose a variety of lean meats and add flavor with spices and marinades. Great grilling options include steaks, pork chops, chicken breasts, fish (salmon or tilapia), or turkey sausages. Watch out for high fat cuts of meat, such as brisket and dark meat chicken with the skin on.

Vegetables and Fruit:  Use a grill pan or make kabobs with small vegetable pieces.  Marinating vegetables can add flavor.  Also, grilling fruit such as pineapple, apples or peaches can add a kick of something sweet to a meal.

Marinades:  Real chefs know that cooking is not just about using tons of fat and salt, but instead, using spices and herbs for flavor.  Use fresh or dried herbs, fruit juices, olive oil, and spices to provide convenience and year-round variety without adding many calories.

Load the Grill:  When you fire up the grill on the weekend, don't just think about one evening's meal.  Load the entire grill with a variety of meats and veggies and you will have ingredients for meals and salads ready to go for the rest of the week.

Traditional Backyard BBQ: Beware of excessive toppings, high carbohydrate food items, desserts and drinks.

• Keep High carbohydrate items to a minimum:
  Buns, beans, chips, and potato salad can add lots of calories and carbohydrates to your meal.  Make sure green salad or non-starchy vegetables are available as an option. Switch to whole wheat buns. If you enjoy consuming side dishes like potato salad or baked beans, minimize the portion to ¼ cup.
• Avoid ExcessiveToppings:
  Be careful with toppings which can add calories quickly. The best bet is to go for the traditional lettuce, onions, pickles, mustard, and tomatoes.  Avoid BBQ sauce, cheese, and mayonnaise.
• Drinks and Desserts:
  Keep sugary or alcoholic drinks to a minimum since they are a source of empty calories. Your best bet is to choose diet beverages, iced tea or water.  If you need to finish your meal off with something sweet, keep the portion size of that dessert to a minimum.
• Beware of grazing:
  Grazing while socializing can quickly add a lot of calories to your day. If you feel the need to snack, snack on raw fruit and vegetables and try to avoid high-fat, high-calorie snack foods.