Healthy grilling? Nutrition expert explains how it works

Finally, the barbecue season has started. Whether sausage, meat or vegetables – you can fry to your heart’s content again. Numerous supermarkets now boast an extensive range. Grill fans are spoiled for choice. In an interview, nutritionist and Kaufland expert Dr. Alexa Ivan what to look for when shopping.

The barbecue season has started again. What is your favorite grilled food?

Dr. Alexa Iwan: I really like eating marinated vegetables from the grill: cut courgettes, aubergines, onions and mushrooms into pieces, brush with a thin layer of olive oil and season with salt and herbs from Provence. Pour the mixture into small, heatproof bowls and cook on the grill with the lid closed. If you don’t have a lid for the grill, you can simply wrap the vegetables in aluminum foil. My husband grilled a very tender lemon chicken fillet for me.

What are the current trend topics when grilling?

Dr. Ivan: Basically, barbecue evenings are a trend again – after three years of the pandemic, everyone is happy that you can eat and celebrate together again in good company.

One trend I’ve been seeing for a while is gas grills. They have the advantage that you are “ready to grill” much faster because nothing has to be preheated. In addition, there is less smoke, which makes grilling healthier. And the temperature can be better regulated, so that the grilled food is less likely to char.

And then, of course, vegetarian and vegan grilling is a hot topic. Vegetables on the grill, grilled cheese, vegan sausages, vegan meat alternatives and the like – all this makes grilling more varied and interesting.

Slow grilling is also trendy. Wrap larger cuts of meat in butcher paper and grill for between half an hour and two hours. This keeps the meat juicy and tender.

And of course: pizza grilling. For this you need a pizza stone, which is heated in the grill and a pizza shovel, with which you transport the pizza. We’ve tried that too. It’s not easy because you need good dough – there’s a great recipe from my colleague Verena Leister.

For many, a successful barbecue includes meat. Which varieties are best?

Dr. Ivan: Good grilled meat should not be too lean, otherwise it will dry out quickly on the grill. That’s why it makes sense, for example, to marinate low-fat chicken in a little olive oil before grilling. However, too much fat is not good either, because if the fat drips onto the embers, smoke is produced, which can contain carcinogenic substances. So you need a bit of tact here and above all: no direct heat or even flames. The charcoal should be as good as glowing through before the food is placed on the grate. We like to grill flank steak, entrecôte, lamb, merguez sausages and chicken.

But I would like to add that grilled fish is also very tasty and a really healthy alternative. It’s best to start with shrimp and octopus, because not much can go wrong. It is best to grill salmon fillets and other fish fillets on a grill mat.

How can I tell when I’m shopping whether the meat is of good quality?

Dr. Ivan: Above all, meat should be fresh. Personally, I also pay attention to origin, animal husbandry and transport routes. Large stores like Kaufland sometimes have partnerships with local farmers.

Which side dishes do you recommend for a successful barbecue evening?

Dr. Ivan: I always find that grilling calls for a salad. And there are so many great salad recipes that you can really let off steam. When it comes to side dishes, no two barbecue evenings are the same with us. Green salads, raw vegetable salads, salads with vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower, salads with quinoa or bulgur – there are so many options. Personally, I really like the combination of bitter and sweet. The other day I accidentally managed to make a super delicious salad made from green asparagus, chicory, zucchini and mango. Served with a soy sauce and sesame oil dressing. Precious.

It is sometimes difficult to estimate how much meat, bread and salads a barbecue party will require. How do we manage not to buy too much?

Dr. Ivan: Good planning and a shopping list, for example in an app, are worth their weight in gold in this context. It can also be practical if you buy everything in a shop. Because then you have an overview of the quantities directly in the shopping cart. Calculate 150 – 200 grams of meat per person for a barbecue. Some may eat less, while others may eat more. The more healthy side dishes there are on the table, the less meat you can plan for. Most people are curious and like to try new salads and the like. And of course that fills you up. In this way, you can also control a bit how expensive your barbecue evening will be, because salads and side dishes are cheaper than meat.

Which vegetables are particularly suitable for the grill?

Dr. Ivan: All slightly more robust types of vegetables, i.e. those that do not fall apart when they are cooked. So zucchini, mushrooms, onions, aubergines, peppers, green asparagus, carrots. But also tomatoes, if you only put them on very briefly.

Aside from vegetables, how else can we save calories when grilling?

Dr. Ivan: Just don’t eat that much baguette (laughs). White bread or baguette provides very little that the body needs – so these are “empty” calories. Personally, I’d rather eat one more piece of chicken – provided the quality of the meat is right – than fill my stomach with white bread.

How can classic barbecue recipes be modified to be healthier and more balanced?

Dr. Ivan: That depends a bit on what you mean by a “classic grill recipe”. If that means neck chops and pork belly to you, I’d say there are far better cuts of meat out there.

And if a herb baguette from the freezer is part of a classic barbecue evening, I would say: eat baked potatoes as a side dish or bake your own bread.

Also, don’t dress your salads with mayonnaise alone. A potato salad is okay, but it doesn’t have to be a pasta salad as well. I would rather rely on vegetable salads with vinaigrette. Olives, fresh radishes or radishes, pickled beetroot or marinated peppers are also healthy side dishes that require next to no work.

Sauces are often a real sugar trap. What are healthy alternatives?

Dr. Ivan: That’s correct. Ketchup and barbecue sauces often contain a lot of hidden sugar and when you see the amounts that some people put on their plates, it can be problematic. The alternative is, as always: do it yourself.

A guacamole, for example, is super healthy and made in less than 10 minutes. Simply mash two ripe avocados and mix with a little lemon juice, herb salt and half a pack of low-fat cream cheese – done. You can also easily make chili and curry sauces yourself, without sugar and with yoghurt instead of mayonnaise. And the good old herb quark is also very healthy and most people like it.

By (ncz/spot)