Lighter Barbecuing

How to build a healthy barbecue menu step by step

Healthy barbecuing starts with quality ingredients. When you want to prepare a lighter summer menu without unnecessary additives, refined sugar or a heavy feeling after eating, focus on clean oils, natural seasonings, quality salt, light snacks and drinks without excessive sugar. Below, you’ll find a practical way to build a barbecue menu, from the marinade through to hydration after a long day in the sun.

1. A quality base: oils and natural seasonings

A good marinade starts with quality fat and full-flavoured seasoning. For cold and warm dishes, ACAIA organic extra virgin olive oil from the island of Lesbos works well. It stands out for its naturally high polyphenol content and full Mediterranean flavour. Use it in marinades, salads, on grilled vegetables and to season finished dishes.

For Asian-style barbecuing, reach for Ceylon Coconati coconut aminos sauce. It’s a naturally gluten-free alternative to soy sauce and works well in marinades for meat, tofu, tempeh, vegetables and rice-based sides.

For classic barbecue flavours, we recommend ketchups, mayonnaises and sauces from Bionova or Hunter & Gather. They offer a cleaner composition without unnecessary preservatives, refined sugar or artificial flavourings, so they work well with burgers, grilled vegetables, meat and homemade dips.

2. Spices and salts: flavour straight from nature

Spices and salt shape the final flavour of the whole barbecue. Standard seasoning blends often contain anti-caking agents, fillers or flavour enhancers. That’s why we prefer simpler, cleaner options that let the natural flavour of the ingredients come through.

Our range includes, for example, Redmond Real Salt, a natural mineral salt with a distinctive taste and naturally occurring minerals. It works well in marinades, on steaks, grilled vegetables, fish and finished dishes.

• Smoked salts: varieties with hickory or cherry wood aroma add a gently smoky note to dishes, even without traditional smoking.
• Greek herbs: Messolonghi blends with orange peel or blue Persian salt bring a Mediterranean character to barbecuing.
• Mineral salts: for everyday cooking, marinating and final seasoning straight on the plate.

3. Snacking and hydration without unnecessary sugar

Before the main course is ready, put lighter alternatives to standard crisps and sweet soft drinks on the table. Trafo sweet potato or chickpea crisps are a practical option for barbecues, picnics and summer gatherings. They have a full flavour and, thanks to the ingredients used, are more filling than standard wheat-based snacks.

For drinks, choose options that refresh without adding an unnecessary amount of sugar. We recommend fermented drinks such as Kult water kefir, or Kaytea iced teas. They work well as a fresh alternative to standard sweetened soft drinks.

4. Digestive support and recovery after barbecuing

With healthy barbecuing, it makes sense to think about what comes after the meal too. When the menu is richer in protein and fat, you can add products focused on digestion, fermented foods or probiotic cultures. In our range, you’ll find brands such as BiOptimizers and fermented symbiotics from Living Nutrition.

After time in the sun and during warm days, hydration and mineral replenishment are important too. Redmond Re-Lyte electrolytes are a practical choice after sport, sauna use, travel and longer summer barbecues.

5. Why buy products for healthy barbecuing from us?

We choose brands built around clean composition, quality ingredients and a transparent approach to production. In this category, you’ll find products from makers such as Bragg, Nahs, Yakso, Modern Native, Redmond, Hunter & Gather and Ceylon Coconati.

We select every product in this category with composition, flavour and practical use in summer cooking in mind. This makes it easy to build a barbecue menu that is tasty, more nutritious and free from unnecessary compromise.

Frequently asked questions about healthy barbecuing

Which oil works well for healthy barbecuing?

Quality extra virgin olive oil works well for marinades, salads and seasoning finished dishes. For Asian-style marinades, you can combine oil with coconut aminos sauce or natural vinegars.

What can replace soy sauce when barbecuing?

Coconut aminos sauce is a good alternative. It has a full flavour, is naturally gluten-free and works well in marinades for meat, vegetables, tofu and tempeh.

What can you offer guests instead of standard crisps?

Vegetable, sweet potato or chickpea crisps are a good choice. They work well with dips, sauces and summer drinks and feel lighter than standard fried snacks.

Which drinks work well with healthy barbecuing?

Iced teas with a lower sugar content, fermented drinks, water kefir or water with added electrolytes all work well with barbecue food. It’s important to top up fluids regularly, especially during warm summer days.