Our team of healthy living dietitians have put together a budget-friendly healthy BBQ menu to help you stretch your wallet, not your waistline!

Corn Tortilla Chips

8 Blancas corn tortillas

Stack the tortillas; cut into six wedges.  Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Spritz the wedges with cooking spray.  Bake at 375 degrees for 9-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Serve with Meijer Naturals Thick n’ Chunky Salsa.

Makes 4 Servings

Nutrition Information per serving: 140 calories, 1 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 600 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein

Garden Pasta Salad

2 c. uncooked Meijer Rotelle (spiral) pasta                                                                                     

1 bag Meijer frozen Florentine Style Vegetables (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower)                                 

 ½ c. Wishbone light ranch dressing

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Cook vegetables in microwave as directed on package.  Drain and rinse pasta in cold water; add to vegetables.   Pour salad dressing over pasta mixture; toss to coat.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 4 Servings

Nutrition Information per serving: 226 calories, 8 g fat, 34 mg cholesterol, 338 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 6 g protein

Southwest Hamburger

1 lb. extra lean ground beef 

1 egg white

1 jalapeno, chopped

2 Tbls. fresh cilantro chopped

1/4 cup sweet white onion chopped

salt and pepper to taste

4 Aunt Millie’s Whole Grain Wheat hamburger buns

Place ground beef in a large bowl.  Add egg white, jalapeno, cilantro, onion, salt and black pepper.  Mix well.    Form into four ¾ inch patties.  Grill burgers on lightly oiled grill rack for 5-6 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Serve burgers in whole grain wheat hamburger buns.

Makes 4 Servings

Nutrition Information per serving: 305 calories, 7 g fat, 70 mg cholesterol, 690 mg, sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 31 g protein

Patriotic Parfait

1 c. sliced strawberries, 2 c.  Meijer light vanilla yogurt, 1 cup blueberries

                                ��                                                                                                 

Place a layer of strawberries at bottom of glass.  Add ½ c. of  vanilla yogurt.  Top with a mix of blueberries and strawberries. 

Makes 4 Servings

Nutrition Information per serving: 137 calories, 1 g fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 81 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 6 g protein

Provided by: Maribel Cabrales, MBA, RD, LDN- Meijer Dietitian and Healthy Living Advisor