5 Healthy Grilling Tips

5 minute read | Grills

If you made a New Years resolution to eat healthily then you are in luck. That’s because healthier grilling may help you fulfill that “new you” goal for in the new year.

There are wide-ranging benefits to using a high-quality gas grill to prepare meals and appetizers that allow home chefs to steer clear of many of the saturated fats that lower the health benefits of otherwise excellent nutritional resources. Fortunately, these five tricks can help you turn the fun-loving cookouts on the backyard barbeque into deliciously health-conscious meals for the entire family.

Tip 1. Pick Lean Proteins

Healthy eating tips drive home the basics of lower calories and cholesterol in daily food choices. But in a world of fad diets and extreme health warriors, it’s difficult to feel good about moderate healthy food choices, especially meat-based proteins.

Contrary to many beliefs, eating lean protein-rich foods help your body build muscle mass and actually lose weight. Being fit and strong are co-benefits to grilling lean proteins and these are breakdowns on which are the leanest.

Bison: These game meats are traditionally lower in fat than farm-raised alternatives because they tend to be free-range grazers. Bison has a modest 143 calories per 3.5ounce portion and only 2.4 grams of fat.
Venison: This meat tends to come from fresh hunts and runs 158 calories and 3.2 grams of fat per 3.5-ounce portion.
Skinless Chicken: Per 3.5-ounce portion, the breast carries only 165 calories and 3.6 grams of fat. Chicken thighs have only slightly more calories at 179, but 8.2 grams of fat.
Lean Pork Cuts: Tenderloins, center cuts and rib chops rank among the leanest pork options. A 3.5-ounce portion runs about 143 calories and 3.5 grams of fat.
Beef: Although hamburgers and steaks can include a large number of calories if they are fatty, the leaner cuts can make beef a healthy option. A 3.5-ounce portion of broiled beef tenderloin without visible fat runs as low as 194 calories and 7.8 grams of fat.

The trick to enjoying healthier grilling options when it comes to proteins is to be cognizant about trimming the fat and serving manageable portions.

Tip 2. Spice it Up with a Dry Rub

There’s nothing quite like a homemade rub to set your special barbeque apart from all others. Many families take enormous pride in their traditional rubs and employing this seasoning technique can also allow you to explore the leanest cuts. That’s because you will no longer be relying on the fatty seared portions to enhance flavor. Try this dry rub recipe on lean meats and then tweak it to your unique tastes.

  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 ½ teaspoons paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dry oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • 20 grinds fresh black pepper
  • 3 teaspoons vegetable oil

The trick is that dry rubs tend to infuse the lean meats with a high-spice kick without adding excessive calories.

Tip 3. Grill Plenty of Vegetables

Vegetables are rich in the vitamins and nutrients that we all need for a healthy vibrant body. While your parents insisting that you finish all of your peas may have traumatized your eating habits, it’s a new year and fresh-grilled veggies taste great. These are three things you may not have known about the benefits of grilled vegetables.

  • Grilling enhances the natural flavor of vegetables.
  • Grilling helps vegetables retain more of their nutritional value.
  • Grilled vegetables are generally low in calories and can help you lose weight.

One of the important tricks for preparing delicious vegetables is to use a grill timer to avoid overcooking them. The latest PGS grill line comes with a grill timer designed to perfect vegetable preparation.

Tip 4. Grill Fruits for Dessert

If there is one thing that derails a new years resolution, its desserts. The difference between the calories in a piece of fruit and ice cream are worlds apart. But once you start dabbling in fruit grilling, there’s no going back to the world of granulated sugar. This is a short list of fruits worth grilling in place of high-calorie-desserts.

  • Pineapples
  • Cherries
  • Bananas
  • Mangoes
  • Peaches

Take some time to Google exotic fruit grilling recipes and techniques and employ a quality grill timer to prepare them. Fruits tend to be a tad delicate and you will surely benefit from using PBS grill accessories.

Tip 5. Safety First

Okay, safety is not necessarily going to help lead you to healthier grilling Nirvana. However, it ranks as the most important thing to consider when preparing meals for the family on a gas grill.

If you are exploring the world of healthy barbeque, grilled fruits, and vegetables, or cooking lean cuts of meats, it’s important to use a gas flow timer that will automatically shut off your PBS grill. Life can distract even a veteran grill chef and a timer remains an important safeguard. Happy 2019 grill enthusiasts!



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