Eating Whole30 at a BBQ
Okay, so it’s Memorial Day Weekend. First and foremost, I’d like to extend my heartfelt appreciation towards all of our military personnel. I have deep gratitude and respect for those who lost their lives for our country. But another tradition that seems to come along with this long weekend is a big grill out barbeque! I know we’ll have one for sure. But HOW do you eat Whole30 at a BBQ? I’ve done it several times, and here are my biggest tips:
BYOB: Bring Your Own Brat
Make it easy with your protein: bring along some Aidell’s Chicken & Apple Sausages, or my preference, the Sam’s Choice Chicken & Apple Sausages (at Walmart). The walmart ones are half the price of Aidell’s and are Whole30 compliant. I had to do this for a graduation party last year. It felt really awkward to ask for that to be grilled for me, but the grill master (my husband’s uncle) didn’t question it for a second. He just happily threw it on the grill for me. Phew! I made sure to say that he could just cook up the whole pack in case anyone else wanted to try one. No one noticed or minded. Top that in some plain mustard (double check, but almost all yellow mustards are compliant) and you’ll feel right at home.
Remember Your Why:
Group gathering are tempting, so before you get to your gathering, remember your WHY. Why are you doing a Whole30? What makes it so important that you have everything eliminated for the 30 days? What promise did you make yourself by starting this program? What end result do you want? While this might all sound really philosophical, it should only take a few seconds in your head. It doesn’t need to be intense, but just remind yourself. There’s a reason you chose to do Whole30, so value yourself enough to make it through.
Stick with the plain:
Salads usually aren’t safe because of dressing and toppings, but if you see any plain greens, vegetables, or fruits snag those. There’s always a veggie tray that doens’t get enough love. And in my opinion, it is NOT a real barbeque gathering if there isn’t a watermelon. I always have those. Also, it’s totally okay to have more fruit than normal. Fruit is still delicious and nutritious, and will help keep you hydrated in the hot weather.
Share the Love!
Your best bet is to make sure to bring something compliant to share with others. Once of my favorites are these easy peasy spicy bacon wrapped dates. OR a big batch of Sweet & Spicy Pico de Gallo. And my personal opinion is to keep the “it’s Whole30!” to yourself. I’ve been around people who don’t shut up about the diet they are on, and it’s really annoying. Just live your life and let people live theirs. No one likes feeling bad about their choices at a fun gathering. If people ask about the recipe, then tell them! It’s also really satisfying when people genuinely like the food you brought and don’t associate it with “diet food.”
Another easy thing to share is sparkling water! There are SO many tasty brands of waters, from Spindrift (my personal favorite), Bubly, and Vie (the Aldi brand!) that really you can’t go wrong. And if others who aren’t on a round want to, these may or may not make great cocktails.
Have Fun:
Make the event about the conversations, the games, and the interactions. It’s an event, not just eating together. The more you overthink the food, the less fun you’ll have. I know it’s easier said than done, but it’s possible! Definitely plan before going, but make sure it’s about the experience and not just your personal plate of food 🙂
-Rachel
Rachel is the creator and owner of Fresh Pine Co. and its subsidiaries, including allwavyhair.com = the #1 Web Source for naturally wavy hair information & tips. Rachel received a Breakout New Blogger Scholarship at FinCon 2018. She enjoys writing niche content about budget lifestyle, eco-friendly living, and mental health.
Those are some great suggestions of how to enjoy the bar-b-que and to still be W30 compliant. Thanks for the tip about the brats at Sam’s also. I didn’t realize they were that good of a buy. I have my W30 food all ready for Monday. A gorgeous Rib Eye along with a W30 potato salad recipe. I normally don’t make sides because I am such a rib eye fan but I was intrigued by the W30 potato salad so I’ll be trying it for the first time. Have a wonderful celebration.