Ideal Bite

Grills Just Wanna Have Fun

When the workin' day is done, oh girls (and guys), they wanna have...a barbecue. Gas power and grass-fed beef, 'kraut and coals (the eco-variety, natch) - check out our top tips for keeping your summer 'cues hopping the healthy way. (Lau)per-fect.

1. Cooking with gas.

Opt for a gas grill for your BBQs. Gas makes it easier to control the temp than charcoal grills (no more asking, "Who ordered the really, really well-done steak?"), and gas grills produce about half as much CO2 as charcoal grills. Plus, charcoal's chock-full of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are linked to headaches and nervous system damage. Get the full Bite.

2. Rake 'em over the coals.

If you've gotta have charcoal (we get it), at least trade in your regular briquettes for eco alts made from materials like coconut shells and maple and oak scraps. Then get the coals going with electric fire starters, such as the Char-Broil Electric Charcoal Starter Wand (no hard-to-recycle lighters) and options like the Weber Chimney Starter that burn without petroleum-based lighter fluids. Get the full Bite.

3. The grass is always greener.

Beefing up? Go for the grass-fed variety instead of conventional grain-fed. Grass-fed beef has less total fat, calories, and cholesterol than the regular stuff; plus, grass-fed's a good source of potentially cancer-blocking conjugated linoleic acid. Also, it takes an additional 826 gallons of water to produce a pound of grain-fed beef and even more to wash out cow waste at factory farms (grass-fed cows actually fertilize the pastures). Get the full Bite.

4. Open season(ing).

Rub your meat, tofu, or veggies the right way with organic marinades and seasonings. Check out ready-made organic rubs, such as Frontier Grilling Spice & Rub, and marinades, such as Annie's Naturals Mango Cilantro Marinade. Or DIY with a little organic EVOO, vinegar, and homegrown herbs. Either way, you'll skip the not-so-healthy chems used in nonorganic varieties.

5. Like a fish out of water.

Hooked on fish as your BBQ protein of choice? Just make sure you go sustainable. Scientists predict that there'll be no more seafood by 2048 unless we change current (unsustainable) fishing methods, so check up on your fishies while you're out shopping with a handy texting service or pocket guide (PDF). Then try your hand at our tasty grilled halibut recipe. Get the full Bite.

6. Tools of the trade.

Spatulas and tongs made for stove-top cooking usually can't handle the BBQ heat, so leave 'em in the kitchen and opt for grilling tools made from recycled steel and bamboo. Using postconsumer recycled materials keeps stuff out of landfills (and conserves resources needed to make new materials), and bamboo grows much faster (read: more renewable) than hardwoods.

7. Veg out.

Meat lovers aren't the only ones who can get a kick outta the grill. Tasty (no lie) soy dogs, veggie burgers, and in-season veggie kabobs are all fit for barbecues. Livestock accounts for 18% of the world's greenhouse emissions and 8% of water use; plus, compared to meat eaters, vegetarians have lower rates of diabetes and heart disease. Get the full Bite.

8. Cut the mustard.

Dress up your food with organic condiments. Our favorite ketchup, mustard, and sauerkraut picks may be a little pricier, but we think they're tastier. Plus you can rest easy knowing that you're not ingesting synthetic pesticides and herbicides used to grow ingredients for conventional spreads. Get the full Bite.

9. Like father, like (bi)son.

Watch your weight and indulge your carnivorous side by throwing a little bison on the barbie. Bison meat contains less fat than even chicken, and one serving adds 69% more iron to your diet than beef. Many of these big guys, including those raised commercially, graze naturally on grass, helping keep grassland ecosystems intact so that other animals (some bison-codependent bird species are on the decline) can thrive. Get the full Bite.

10. Come clean.

Prolong the life of your grill, and keep it in tip-top condition by brushing and cleaning it after each use. Brushes made with recycled materials conserve resources and virgin materials. For grill cleaner, choose biodegradable, nontoxic options, or DIY by rubbing half an onion on the grates to remove food particles, baking soda and water to remove grease, and cooking oil (on a cooled grate) to prevent rust.