National Hamburger Day

Burger DayI don’t know about you, but I don’t think we even really need this holiday. Hamburgers aren’t the kindest food—for the humans that consume them OR for the cows they’re made of. I wonder how many cases of heart disease, diabetes and obesity could have been curbed just from not eating too many hamburgers?  Not to mention the environmental impact—if every American went vegetarian for one day a week, it would be like 8 million cars being taken off the road!

All of that said, folks are still going to eat burgers, which are about as American as apple pie. So here are some healthy ways to get your burger fix on this rather convoluted holiday!

Nix the fatty add-ons. You know what I’m talking about—the cheese, the mayo, the works. If you absolutely must have cheese, opt for the low-fat kind.

Go soy. Or veggie; either way is better for you and the planet.

Load it up. That is, with the good stuff! Pile on the tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cucumbers and other good-for-you stuff. Salsa is a good way to give it flavor without many calories, too.

Sneak it in. If you don’t want veggies on top of your burger—or if your kids simply won’t eat it that way—sneak them in by using dehydrated vegetables in the meat itself.

Make it exotic. Try some pineapple on your burger, or mix in some berries in the meat, which will add nutritional value.

Skip the fast food. You can’t be sure of the caloric intake of what you buy through fast food; at home, you can control your portions and toppings. Plus, after seeing what those kids at Domino’s did, who wants to chance it?

Drain off the fat. Those juices you enjoy just come back to get you later, anyway.

Go bunless. If your bun is white it’s full of empty calories. If you need your bun, try giving up half of it—or going whole grain. Some people even use thick leaves of lettuce as a bun.

Go south of the border. Instead of using bread, try a tortilla and make a hamburger wrap.

Gobble, gobble your food. That is, if you must eat meat, try a turkey burger, which is much leaner than beef.

Skip the fries. If you normally serve fries or chips with your burgers, go for a colorful salad instead—or at least use sweet potato fries.