Grilling Fruits and Vegetables

When people think of grilling, they usually think of various types of meat, like hotdogs, hamburgers, and steaks. It is now time to make room on the grill for fruits and vegetables. During these warm summer months, you may be harvesting a variety of fruits and vegetables from your garden or visiting a local farmers market to buy fresh produce. Are you tired of eating and preparing your produce the same way? Have you ever tried grilling fruits and vegetables?

The recently released 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports that most Americans do not consume enough fruits and vegetables. In fact, 90% of the population falls below the recommendations for vegetable consumption and below 80% for fruit consumption (Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020). A healthy eating pattern for adults includes 2½ cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruits each day. Smell, taste, and texture frequently influence the consumption of these foods. If you have never experimented with the texture of grilled fruits and vegetables, how about trying it this summer?

Instead of red meat as the focus of the meal, try grilled vegetables as an entrée, and meat as a side, to help increase vegetable intake and decrease saturated fat consumption from those commonly grilled red meat products. There are even some vegetables that can be described as "meaty" or "hearty," and have a similar texture to meat. Portobello mushroom steaks and cauliflower steaks are examples, and taste great when grilled.

Eating fruits and vegetables helps increase your intake of dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, and many other vital nutrients that support a healthy body. When grilling, select different types of vegetables. These include dark green, red, orange, starchy, and other vegetables, like asparagus and onion.

For a delicious appetizer, make grilled fruit kabobs and serve them with a yogurt dip. Grilled apples are a flavorful addition to a salad, and a homemade vegetable pizza on the grill is a great idea for an entrée. Consider making a tasty low-fat dessert by grilling bananas, peaches, or plums, and topping it with a scoop of frozen yogurt, a sprinkle of granola, or a drizzle of honey. These are just a few examples of how you can grill fruits and vegetables. The internet is an excellent resource for recipes to help you get started experimenting with grilled produce. Tyra Carter (n.d.), a registered dietitian with United Supermarkets, states in her article, "Fruits and Veggies: The Thrill of the Grill," that "artichokes, broccoli, corn, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, summer squash, and peppers turn out great when grilled." Carter also believes the best fruit to grill include apricots, nectarines, peaches, pears, pineapple, and watermelon.

A healthy eating pattern also includes the use of oils because they provide essential nutrients, including unsaturated fats and vitamin E (Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020). Oil can be used for grilling to help prevent food from sticking to the grill, or it can be used in marinades. Create homemade marinades by combining your favorite citrus juice (such as lemon), herbs, spices, and oil. Replace fats high in saturated fat, like butter or coconut oil, with those oils high in monounsaturated fat (canola, avocado, peanut, and olive) and polyunsaturated fat (safflower and sesame).

Grilling is a high-heat cooking method, so choose an oil with a high smoke point. When the oil starts to smoke, it has hit its smoke point, which is the temperature that causes fat to begin to break down. High smoke-point oils are those listed above.

Impress your family and friends with new, creative grilling skills. To bring out your inner chef, here are additional tips for grilling fruits and vegetables.

• Select firm fruit that is not too ripe
• Make marinades
• Cut large, equal pieces to ensure even cooking
• Use aluminum foil on the grill for smaller pieces
• Avoid flames or direct heat
• Keep the fruit or vegetable skin on to help maintain shape and hold together
• Prepare for faster cooking times compared to meat and poultry

Fruits and vegetables will need to be prepared by cutting them into equal-sized pieces and placing them in a marinade before going on the grill. For best flavor, marinate produce in the refrigerator for 10 to 20 minutes. For produce with skin, once cut, place the cut side of the fruit or vegetable on the grill. This will give those beautiful grill marks and enhance the flavor. Grilling is an art and brings out the natural sweetness and flavor of fruits and vegetables. Experiment and enjoy!

Best vegetables for grilling

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Corn
• Eggplant
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Onion
• Potato
• Romain lettuce
• Summer squash
• Sweet and hot peppers
• Tomato
• Zucchini

Best fruits for grilling

• Apple
• Apricot
• Banana
• Citrus
• Mango
• Nectarine
• Peaches
• Pear
• Plum
• Pineapple
• Watermelon

References

Carter, T. M. (n.d.). Fruits and veggies- the thrill of the grill. Have a plant.

U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov