When it’s summer and hot, we tend to move our cooking outside, especially when there are large groups gathering. Summer pot lucks are not always easy for those of us enjoying a vegan and especially a whole food plant-based lifestyle, especially when we may have few friends or family eating this way, yet.
What to do?
Plan ahead!
Here are some of my favorite tips for a successful summer plant-based BBQ.
1. Bring a meal, not just a side dish.
That side salad you were going to make? In addition to the greens, add veggies (and be sure to take advantage of all the seasonal foods), and add ingredients that are satiating. Include starches, like roasted sweet potatoes, farro, corn and/or quinoa, and some legumes like chickpeas or black beans. Bring an oil-free dressing that you can enjoy with enough to share. Many clients have told me stories about bringing fruit salad or watermelon only to find that was all they had to eat. Never again.
And if you bring some veggies to skewer as kabobs, include some corn cobs or potatoes and something to use as a marinade. (Don’t forget to soak your wooden skewers in water first)
2. Bring enough to share, but take what you need to eat right away.
Did I ever tell you the story of when we brought marinated portobello mushrooms to a friend’s small BBQ gathering to grill alongside their burgers? When we sat down, they had sliced our mushrooms into 8 parts so everyone could get a taste! They were used to us sharing, but missed the point that the mushrooms were supposed to be our burgers! Fortunately, I had also made a Mexican chili with cornbread in the Instant Pot to share as a side, so we had a backup and a laugh.
Another time we went to a very large community BBQ with over 80 people and I made a dozen cauliflower Dijon burgers on their large grill. Before putting them on the table of food to share, I smartly took our 2 burgers and put them on our plates before getting on the buffet line. By the time we got to our platter, there was ½ of one of our burgers left (and lots of people asking for the recipe). Good we took what we needed early.
3. Don’t emphasize the ingredients, just the flavor.
Food allergens are real, and there will always be people who need to know exactly what is in the food you may bring, but there will also be people who are excited to know that there are many ingredients you have left out. At a holiday party we hosted, one friend commented how much fun it was to go to a party where he could eat almost everything there instead of the other way around.
Sharing that something is plant-based is fine. However, it is not necessary to announce that the dip is tofu-based, the ribs are made with jackfruit, the hot dogs are actually carrots, or the sour cream is made with cashews unless they ask. Let them enjoy the food and, once they realize how good it tastes, let them ask for the recipe.
4. Dress your food at the right time.
Many plant-based salads and summer dishes may include a marinade, dressing or sauce. Pay attention to the recipe. It may be best to prepare something a day in advance and let the food and flavors combine overnight like a bean salad with a low-fat Italian dressing. However, if you have foods that readily absorb sauce like quinoa or veggies like eggplant, it might be best to dress the salad right before serving. And pay attention since some sauces will almost disappear into the food overnight, so much so that you might want make a little extra sauce for the side just in case it is needed.
5. Food safety rules still apply with plant foods.
Just because you are not bringing something made with animal products doesn’t mean you don’t need to keep food at the right temperatures to keep it from spoiling, especially at an outdoor BBQ. Use all the same strategies to keep plant foods at the appropriate temperature when served, and put away in the fridge to store safely until you are ready to eat more later.
I also recommend a simple BBQ grill mat to use on any grill that is being shared with those cooking animal products. It can be put over your part of the grill, so no cross contamination, and it is easy to use to cook veggies and veggie burgers without worry of food falling through the grill. Easy to clean is an added bonus.
Lastly, when in doubt, eat something before you go. Focus on friends and family, and don’t worry so much about the food. You can always eat when you get home.
p.s. Like tips like this? This is a great time to join my Eat to Heal Over 50 group coaching program.
