The 4th of July weekend is upon us and that means grilling outdoors. Everyone has their favorite summer BBQ items, but unfortunately, many traditional summer foods are high in both calories and fat. Just because you're firing up the barbeque doesn't mean you have to stop eating healthfully.

The folks at Livestrong.com have compiled some healthy (and tasty!) tips to help keep you eating on track throughout the summer season:

Leaner Meats
Did you know...
A 3 ounce serving of beef short ribs is 251 calories and has 15.4 grams of fat?
Just one ounce of pork ribs per ounce is 103 calories and has 8.4 grams of fat?
A single hot dog ranges between 170 -280 calories and has between 12 to 17 grams of fat?

Healthy Alternative: Grilled Shrimp over Arugula, Corn and Tomato
147.2 Calories
5.8g Fat
0.9g Saturated Fat

Choose Your Marinades Carefully
Did you know...
Just two tablespoons of traditional BBQ sauce is 50 calories?

Healthy Alternative: Susy?s Everything Marinade

Watch Your Side Dishes
Did you know...
A half cup serving of potato salad ranges between 150-210 calories, and eight to 12 grams of fat?
A half cup serving of macaroni salad ranges between 260-360 calories and 15-25 grams of fat?
A half cup serving of coleslaw ranges between 150-190 calories with up to 18 grams of fat?
A half cup serving of baked beans ranges between 160-231 calories?

Barbecue Your Vegetables
While it may seem odd, you can cook vegetables on your grill along with your meat, which makes barbecues healthier. Cut the vegetables into chunks that will cook evenly. Soak them in water for about half-hour and then lightly coat with oil. Choose from the many different flavored oils available to have some fun with different flavors.

Some people wrap vegetables in aluminum foil to keep juices close to the vegetables or put vegetables on a kabob. Kabobs are fun to eat, easy to cook and the juices from the vegetables cook together to create an interesting flavor. Look up recipes so you know how long to barbecue specific vegetables.

Healthy Alternative: Portobello Burgers
301 Calories
9g Fat
2g Saturated Fat

For lots of healthy barbeque recipes, check out Livestrong.com.

photo credit: Mess of Pottage