The weather has gotten warmer and the abundance of fruit and veggies on the store shelves and popping up in Saluda River Club’s own community gardens has many of us thinking about eating healthier meals. Here’s the good news: research continues to prove that eating better can improve brain function, physical performance, and overall quality of life. No matter how old you are, keeping up with proper nutrition (and adding in some exercise 3-4 times per week either at our state of the art fitness center or in our outdoor exercise gym) will make you feel good and look your best. And guess what, getting started on healthy eating isn’t as complicated as it seems!Since this May is National Barbecue Month, here are some healthy ways to spruce up your next barbeque.

Say Nay-O on the Mayo. We get it. Mayo is a staple of barbecue favorites such as potato salad and cole slaw, but there are ways to reduce and replace mayo without losing flavor. Try this German-style potato salad as an alternative to your usual mayo-slathered dish. Other suggestions include using plain Greek yogurt as an alternative that will still make sure your dish retains that creamy texture.

Create Your Own Marinade: Most store-bought marinades and barbeque sauces contain lots of extra sugar and other ingredients you might not want. By making your own marinades, you can control the ingredients and make sure the taste is exactly how you like it.

Up the Fruit and Veggie Ante. Grilled veggies and fruit salads deserve a place on every barbecue menu. Add a dollop of whipped cream to your fruit for a light and refreshing dessert that won’t make you feel like you missed out on the good stuff.

Unprocess your Meats: While hotdogs and sausages have always been considered a barbecue staple, these foods contain a lot of extra stuff you probably don’t needs, such as salt, sugar, and fat. Opt for healthier barbecue-friendly meats and fish such as chicken, salmon, steak and your family will probably not even notice the missing hotdogs.

For even more tips on how to make your barbecue the healthiest meal of the week, click here.

Most of all, enjoy your time with friends and family here at Saluda River Club. There’s no place like home on the river.

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