Healthy Summer Cookout Recipes: Easy Swaps for a Family-Friendly Gathering
Summer is the perfect time to gather with family and friends around the grill. Backyard cookouts are a favorite tradition, but many classic cookout foods can be high in calories, saturated fat, and added sugars. With a few simple swaps, you can create a delicious cookout menu packed with flavor and nutrition.
Whether you’re hosting a family gathering or bringing a dish to share, these healthy recipes make it easy to enjoy the season while supporting your family’s health.
Better-for-You Burger
Burgers are a cookout favorite, but adding black beans and oats boosts fiber while
keeping the burgers juicy and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup raw oats
- 1 ½ pounds 93% lean ground beef
- 1 cup minced onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 whole wheat buns
Optional Toppings
- Reduced-fat cheese, sliced red onion, pickles, lettuce, condiments
Directions
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- In a food processor, combine black beans and oats. Pulse until lightly mashed.
Note: If you don’t have a food processor, mash the beans with a fork or use a blender. - In a large bowl, gently mix the bean mixture, lean ground beef, onion, salt, and pepper.
- Form into eight equal-sized patties.
- Oil the grill grates. Place the patties directly over the heat.
- Grill burgers for about 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked through.
Note: Do not rely on color to determine if your burger is cooked to a safe temperature. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. - Serve on whole wheat buns with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Kids Can Help
- Stir the ingredients in the bowl
- Rinse the beans and toppings
- Put toppings on burgers
Broccoli Salad
Looking for a healthier alternative to traditional potato salad? This colorful broccoli salad is packed with nutrients, and there’s no cooking required!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- ¼ cup sunflower seed kernels or chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup raisins or cranberries
- ¼ cup fat-free, plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
Note: You can use ½ cup Greek yogurt or ½ cup mayonnaise instead of a ¼ cup each. Using more mayonnaise will increase the amount of fat in the recipe. - 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 ½ Tbsp white or apple cider vinegar
Directions
- In a large bowl, mix broccoli, red onion, sunflower kernels, and raisins.
- In a small bowl, stir the yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, and vinegar together to make
the dressing. - Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and stir evenly to coat.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Kids Can Help
- Measure ingredients
- Stir the ingredients in the bowl
Summer Succotash
Fresh vegetables make a colorful and flavorful side dish. Grilled corn, tomatoes, and
edamame come together for a simple healthy summer dish.
Ingredients
- 4 ears yellow corn, husks removed
- 1 cup shelled edamame or lima beans, steamed and cooled
- 2 tomatoes, diced (or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved)
- 2-3 green onions, diced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lime juice
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: fresh parsley, cilantro, and/or basil, chopped
Directions
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Brush the ears of corn with olive oil.
- Place the corn on the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until slightly charred and kernels are tender.
- Let corn cool, and then slice the kernels off the cob.
- In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar or lime juice, salt and pepper. Add the corn, edamame/beans, tomatoes, and green onions.
- Add fresh herbs if desired and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.
Kids Can
- Remove the husks from the corn
- Brush the corn with olive oil
- Stir the ingredients in the bowl
Fresh Fruit Kabobs
Adapted from Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s Metabolic Kitchen
A great way to end your cookout is with dessert. This colorful and hydrating dessert is
packed with vitamins and nutrients, making the kabobs a refreshing choice for hot summer days.
Ingredients
- 1 seedless, mini watermelon
- Grapes (green or red)
- 1 Cantaloupe
- 1 Honeydew
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Wooden skewers
Directions
- Cut the mini watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew into halves.
- Cut the fruit into bite-sized cubes or use a melon baller or spoon to scoop out round pieces. Set aside one hollow watermelon half to be used as a bowl.
- Rinse the grapes, blueberries, and blackberries.
- Add all fruit to the hollowed watermelon half, and mix together.
- Add one piece of fruit at time to the skewers to make the kabobs.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Kids Can
- Wash the fruit
- Scoop the melon with a melon baller or spoon
- Mix the fruit together
- Create their own fruit kabobs
Make Summer Gatherings Healthier
Summer cookouts are about spending time with friends and family. By adding more fruits and vegetables, choosing leaner proteins, and making water your drink of choice, you can create meals that are both delicious and healthy.
Cookouts are also a great opportunity to get kids involved in the kitchen. Whether they’re rinsing produce, stirring ingredients, putting fruit kabobs together, or choosing toppings for burgers, helping prepare meals can build confidence and encourage children to try new foods.
Looking for ways to get your children involved in the kitchen? Explore Greaux Healthy’s Kids in the Kitchen handout for tips on how to make meal preparation fun, safe, and educational. You can also visit the Greaux Healthy Resource Library for more family- friendly recipes, wellness tips, and tools to support healthy living at home.