Expert Tips for Healthy, Safe, and Delicious Summer Grilling

Vegetable skewers are a fresh and healthy option for the grill. Shutterstock

The Fourth of July holiday is the nation’s most popular day to fire up the grill for a cookout. Grilling is a healthy cooking option, and most foods take well to the grill. 

But as with any flame-cooking method, there are safety precautions to consider, and it takes an understanding of how heat and meat work together to achieve on-the-grill perfection. Here are some expert tips for healthy, safe, and delicious grilling this summer.

Select the best and freshest ingredients possible 

Choose leaner cuts of meat and poultry, such as pork loin, flank steak, lean ground beef or turkey, and white meat chicken breast (skinless is healthiest). On packaging, look for terms such as “hormone-free” or “antibiotic-free,” and specifically for beef, “grass-fed” or “pasture-raised.”