Nothing says labor day like pool parties and BBQs. But with fattening items like hotdogs and creamy side salads (think potato salad and coleslaw) on the menu—you may find yourself with a little extra pudge hanging over your bathing suit.  With a few simple changes you’ll be able to enjoy the end of summer without wreaking havoc on your waistline.  These tips save big on calories and grams of fat, but sacrifice none of the flavor or fun!

Rub a Dub, Dub, Just not with a Wet Rub:  When grilling, try using a dry rub. Unlike a wet marinade, which is often oil based, dry rubs add a kick of flavor without the unwanted calories. 

Factor out: Marinade on your meats, one tablespoon of olive oil has 135 calories and 15g of fat, and the typical marinade uses a cup of oil!
Factor in: Dry rub adds flavor to meat without any extra calories or fat!

Secretly Slimmed-Down Potato Salad: Potato salad is a BBQ staple, but not always the healthiest option, with most recipes calling for at least a 1/2 cup of mayonnaise. If you swap the mayo for a ½ cup of Greek yogurt, you’ll save big on calories and fat—and it’s so delicious, they’ll never know!  Another healthy addition is to keep the potato skins on—the skins contain half of the total dietary fiber of the potato and 45% of the daily value for Vitamin C!

Factor out: Mayonnaise adds tons of calories and fat to your potato salad recipe.  A half-cup is 785 calories and 87g of fat to your potato salad.
Factor in: ½ cup of Greek yogurt to your potato salad recipe.  Which has only 60 calories and 0g fat.

A Hot ‘n Sweet Surprise: Grilling is not just for protein and veggies!  Try grilling chunks of delicious summer fruits such as slices of pineapple or halved peaches and nectarines for a delicious take on a traditional summer fruit salad for dessert. The heat from the grill will caramelize the fruit, for a naturally sweet, low calorie treat.

Factor out: Peach pie, which can break your calorie bank at 261 calories and 12g fat.
Factor in: Grilled peaches with a scoop of creamy low-fat vanilla yogurt for the perfect summer treat that is only 60 calories and 0g fat.