Fire it Up

Heart-friendly options for the grill

By Teller Stalfort, RD, MPH, UVA's Club Red Clinic

Sometimes you just want a good old-fashioned summer cook-out without all the guilt. But is there really such a thing as a healthy hot dog or hamburger? Let’s face it, to be a kid and never eat a hot dog? It almost seems unpatriotic. So how do you please your family but still serve it up healthfully? 

The key is to be choosy. Look for ways to cut fat (especially saturated and trans fat), calories and salt without greatly sacrificing taste. In fact, there are even ways to boost fiber if you get creative. Just remember, these processed foods should be included as “every now and then” choices to keep you (and your family) on a heart-healthy track. 

When planning your backyard bash:

Cook up hot dogs that get high ratings for taste while slashing calories, saturated fat (the artery-clogging kind) and sodium. Try these brands:

• Hebrew National 97% Fat-free Beef Franks – stronger flavor that might appeal to kosher dog fans
• Ball Park Lite Beef Franks – a milder tasting dog, might appeal more to kids
• Trader Joe’s all-beef hot dogs
• Boar’s Head Lite Beef Frankfurters – very low sodium
• Applegate Farms Uncured Beef Hot Dogs
• Empire Kosher Turkey Franks – all poultry
• For vegan options, try either Yves, the Good Dog or Lightlife Smart Dogs or Jumbo Smart Dogs

Look for sausage that meets our criteria for lower calorie, saturated fat and sodium:

• Shady Brook Farms Italian Turkey Sausage Links
• Bilinski’s Chicken Sausages – taste less like sausage and more like wonderfully spiced ground chicken
• Yorkshire Farms turkey sausages
• For a vegan option, try Turtle Island Tofurky Beer Brats

Lean down those burgers with 92 or 96% lean ground meat (don’t select ground chuck, instead look for ground round). You can also make ground turkey burgers or, if your family protests, go half and half ground turkey and lean ground round. Don’t stray too far from the grill with these lower-fat options’ they’ll cook faster than their higher-fat counterparts.

Seek out whole grain buns or sandwich thins. Look for the word “whole” to be the first ingredient in the list. Not only will you get more fiber but more antioxidants too!

Top burgers with chopped or sliced tomatoes, fresh lettuce or spinach leaves. If you like cheese, opt for lower or reduced-fat cheese made with 2% milk. Pre-sliced cheese will be higher in sodium, so if possible, slice your own. Swiss and cheddar cheeses have much less sodium than American.

Choose no-salt-added ketchup (Heinz or Hunt’s offers these) and look for low-sodium mustard (Westbrae No Salt Added Stoneground mustard is an option; you can also make your own).

Finish off with a green salad and grilled vegetables or unsalted beans. If your meal just wouldn’t be complete without fries, opt for sweet potato fries that you can bake in the oven or prepare chunky sweet potato wedges baked with paprika, ginger or ground red pepper. If you plan to serve potato or pasta salad, make a batch with olive or canola oil instead of mayonnaise as the base.