A Memorial meal to remember

Swimsuit season is just around the corner, and you’ve no doubt been eating well and working out all spring. There’s no need to flush those efforts down the drain with one giant, greasy Memorial Day meal. We gave Toby Smithson, a dietitian and president of the Illinois Dietetic Association, the menu for our upcoming holiday picnic, and she showed us how to slash fat, calories and sodium.

Hamburger For your patties, Smithson says to use at least 90 percent lean beef or turkey meat. “You can add an ingredient like salsa to add some juice to the burger,” she says. Another tip: In place of pickles, load up on veggie-based sides such as tomatoes and cucumbers for less sodium content.

Hot dogs “Hot dogs are high in sodium (420 milligrams) as well as fat (11 grams),” Smithson says. Healthy alternatives include veggie dogs (zero fat, 290 milligrams of sodium) and light beef franks (seven grams of fat, 460 milligrams of sodium). You could also pick up dogs from America’s Dog (locations around the city, americasdog.com), which offers all-natural hot dogs (10 grams of fat, 400 milligrams of sodium) containing no hormones, artificial ingredients or colors.

Potato chips and dip Smithson advises replacing those fattening chips with raw vegetables and scooping into a low-fat dip made with fat-free sour cream. If you can’t resist chips, opt for baked ones with salsa instead of a cheese-based dip.

Corn on the cob “As is, corn on the cob has no fat,” Smithson says. “If you’re adding melted margarine, use it sparingly to help cut down on the fat and calorie content.”

Potato salad Lower the fat content by stirring in reduced-fat mayo and extra veggies in the recipe.

Fruit salad “Fresh fruit is already a healthy choice, containing no fat,” Smithson says. She suggests mixing things up at your cookout by grilling fruit for dessert. (click here for more grilling tips.)

Brownies and ice cream By now, it’s common knowledge that you can reduce the fat and calories in brownies by replacing the fat source with applesauce, but Smithson says prune puree is another good fat substitute. Bonus: Prunes are a good source of fiber, which helps decrease the risk of heart disease and obesity.

Beer and soda Regular beer and soda offer calories with no nutritional value (a.k.a. empty calories), so cut back with light beer and sugar-free sodas.