Healthy Summer Eating Tips – BBQs, Picnics and Parties
Summer gatherings are all about good food, fun, and sunshine! These simple tips will help you enjoy BBQs, picnics, and parties without overindulging—so you can savor your favorite foods, feel great, and stay on track with your wellness goals.
Our Top Healthy Summer Eating Tips – Perfect for BBQs, Picnics & Parties
When the weather is fabulous and the days are long, there’s nothing better than spending time with your friends and family, firing up the grill and feasting on some amazing food! If you’re trying to watch your weight, all these seasonal spreads can let your grazing get out of hand.
Follow these simple tips for summer eating and you’ll be able to enjoy any picnic, BBQ or party without stressing about staying slim.
How to Prepare in Advance
Before you even head to the party, make your other two meals for the day light and healthy. It’s all about balance. Grab a smoothie for breakfast and a salad for lunch, knowing you’ll be heading to the BBQ for dinner.
Bring something that’s healthy. If all else fails, you know you’ll have at least one healthy option to eat.
An Idea: Add more veggies and whip up mayo-less recipes. Use Greek yogurt in place of mayo 1:1 when making Potato Salad, Broccoli Salad, pasta salad or Cole Slaw. If you absolutely do not want to substitute 1:1, use ½ mayo and ½ yogurt. No one will even know!
Drink a HUGE glass of water before you pick up a plate.
This helps you feel full, curbs hunger, and combats overeating. Plus, water does all kinds of great things for your body—the more, the better.
Bonus tip: Keep a glass of water in your hand while mingling. It’s an easy way to stay hydrated and a gentle reminder not to mindlessly munch since your hands are already full!
Take inventory, prioritize your favorite foods, and pay attention to your portions.It’s easy to get carried away when there’s a mouth-watering spread in front of you. Before piling food onto your plate, take a moment to scan the options.
Ask yourself which foods are truly worth it—the ones you’ll savor and enjoy most—and skip the ones that don’t spark as much joy.
For example, if there are chips, cheese puffs, and pretzels, think about which one feels MOST worth it and leave the rest behind. When you grab a plate, choose ONE or TWO of your favorite worth-it foods. Maybe that’s cheese puffs and a cookie—just DON’T pile them sky high!
There’s nothing wrong with a little balance—that’s why we love the 80/20 Approach. Just keep indulgent foods to the 20%, not the 80%! For a SUPER simple way to spot portion sizes, check out our portion guide in the Well-Balanced Meals Made Easy Toolkit.
Don’t go overboard with starchy carbs.
Aim for about ½ cup (roughly the size of a tennis ball). Craving a big, juicy burger? Go open-faced with half a bun or swap the bun for lettuce so you can still enjoy some pasta or potato salad guilt-free.
Go easy on the condiments—mayo, cheese, creamy dips, and other toppings can really add up!
Top your burger or hot dog with half a slice of cheese or load it up with veggies and a slice or two of avocado instead. If mayo isn’t a worth it food for your 20%, swap it for mustard to keep things lighter without losing flavor.
Be mindful of carb-heavy processed snack foods like chips and pretzels—they’re empty calories with little-to-no nutritional value.
This is a BIG ONE! If they’re a worth it food for you, enjoy them (in moderation, of course)! But remember, you’re aiming for 1-2 worth it foods, so if they’re not, there are plenty of more nourishing (and equally delicious) options to fill up on at a BBQ.
Watch your liquid calories!
Alcoholic or not, there’s nothing like a cold, refreshing drink in the summer sun. No problem! Skip the soda (yes, even diet), juices from concentrate, and other sugary drinks—unless you’re choosing it as your dessert/20%. Personally, we’d rather have a small piece of pie—but that’s just us!
Instead, bring club soda or seltzer water and add a squeeze of fresh fruit (oranges are our personal fave!). For an alcoholic option, vodka pairs perfectly with this. If you’re in charge of drinks, check out our Drinks and Cocktail recipes for more ideas!
Lastly, mingle and have fun away from the food table.
When the spread is in sight (and smell!), it’s so easy to keep grazing. Once you’ve eaten, head to a different spot so you’re not tempted to keep reaching for more.
Remember these healthy summer eating tips the next time you head to a holiday gathering!
Enjoying yourself and making mindful choices can go hand in hand! Focus on what truly satisfies you, find balance, and most importantly, have fun making memories with the people you love.