Healthy Tips And Tricks For A Summer Barbecue

With our spatulas already in hand, we have to face facts: a good old fashioned summer cookout is not a healthy affair. First of all, the traditional fare -- things like chips and dip, hot dogs, hamburgers and pies and cakes -- are high in saturated fat, sodium and sugar. What's more, the communal serving makes portion control nearly impossible. Add to that alcohol overconsumption, and you've got a recipe for a diet bust.

And while we're firm believers that indulging on special occasions can be a positive thing for one's overall wellbeing, consider the body of studies that shows how just one big calorie binge can be damaging to one's health, leading to heart attack in some extreme cases, or -- as HuffPost Healthy Living's Sarah Klein reported -- a stomach rupture.

But even in less extreme cases, the number of summer BBQs and other food-centric gatherings can take a toll on your daily caloric intake and cause problems for those who are either trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight. To help you out, HuffPost Healthy Living has compiled a roundup of the best advice out there: