Serve up fresh food from the grill – without toxic chemicals

The heat, scent and smoke of a grill are among the most welcome signs of summer. But that aromatic food can come with a side of toxic chemicals. 

What can you do to avoid this unnecessary exposure?  

When you plan your menu, think about the mains first: will it be steak, burgers, hot dogs? Natural or organic? Whatever you serve, try to choose what’s healthiest for you and the environment.

Grilling options 

The U.S. consumes a lot of meat, and that’s on the rise.

But consuming less animal protein is good for the environment, and not just because meat and poultry production emit greenhouse gasses that worsen the climate crisis. It also helps address the noxious stink of industrial farming, with the massive manure overload it produces that, poorly managed – or not managed at all – contaminates the air and drinking water.

A warmer-weather barbecue is one way to eat less meat – even with just some well-seasoned, marinated and grilled tofu.

Burgers and hot dogs

If you’re looking for an animal protein without a high carbon footprint, chicken and fish are less harmful to the environment than beef. 

For some people, though, it’s not a real cookout without traditional burgers and hotdogs on offer.

But it’s a tough call which one serves up fewer chemicals. If your main concern is health, not the climate, go for a burger. It likely contains less sodium and fewer chemicals than a hot dog. 

Beware misleading climate claims on meat packaging, such as “low carbon.” Food Scores can help you find a better burger. 

Frankfurters may be the quintessential cookout food, but some contain nitrate or nitrite, used to color and preserve the meat and give it a smoky flavor. And those can form nitrosamines in the human body, which could cause cancer. 

Hotdogs from smaller companies can also contain artificial food dyes, like Red Dye No. 40, that are linked to potential health harms.

So you may want to consider “natural” or organic beef or hotdogs instead. Natural foods contain no artificial ingredients and are minimally processed, according to the Department of Agriculture. And they don’t use synthetic nitrate or nitrite as their curing agent.

Organic meat goes a step further. Organic hotdogs are produced without synthetic nitrite preservatives, antibiotics or growth hormones. Instead they’re raised on vegetarian, organic feed grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Like organic beef, they’re the more environmentally friendly option. 

Whatever your animal protein of choice, study the ingredients carefully and avoid products that list sodium or potassium nitrates and nitrites. 

Hotdogs in particular are best as an occasional treat rather than a dietary mainstay. Check EWG’s Food Scores or Healthy Living app to quickly find top-rated frankfurters. These tools let you quickly scan labels in store and find products free of food additives of concern. 

Use EWG’s quick tips for reducing your diet’s climate footprint to choose climate-friendly protein alternatives, 

Other grilling options

Many other types of food grill well, like spring onions, red onion, bell pepper, eggplant, squash, portobello mushroom and corn on the cob. There are some too that might surprise you, including: 

• Cauliflower 
• Halloumi cheese
• Avocado
• Sweet potato wedges
• Watermelon and peaches
• Flatbread

You can even grill a full-size carrot – not a mini one – slowly, over low heat. Dust it with cumin and eat on a bun with some well-seasoned cabbage.

What to put on top

Watch what you put on your protein, too. Condiments can be full of chemicals:

• Sweet pickle relish can contain artificial food dyes, which have been linked to a wide array of health harms, including vulnerability to behavioral difficulties and cancer. It can also contain artificial or natural flavors, which may also include preservatives, solvents and other toxic chemicals. Sugar is often the second ingredient, at 25 percent or more of the product by weight. 
• Mayonnaise can contain potentially risky chemicals, so your best bet, as with most foods, is to choose the one with the fewest ingredients.
• Some brands of ketchup may rely on the mystery ingredient “flavor,” lots of sugar, and even artificial dye.
• Mustard is a better condiment choice – it’s easier to find without added chemicals and sugar.

And for dessert, ice cream and popsicles made without food chemicals are a good bet.

Other ways to enjoy a safe and fun cookout

To avoid discomfort during your summer outdoor shindig:

• Plan your cookout around the sun – late afternoon or evening is better than midday, when the sun’s rays are strongest.
• Apply enough sunscreen and apply it often enough. Consult EWG’s Guide to Sunscreens to find the best one for you. You can even find some that carry the EWG Verified® mark, which recognizes products that meet EWG's strictest standards for your health.
• Worried about critters? Use EWG’s Guide to Bug Repellents to choose one that will work for the bugs in your geographical area, as insects vary by region.

To get yourself and your guests in the mood, play some great seasonally appropriate music – one of Spotify’s many summer-themed playlists or one you curate yourself. 

To complete the summer vibe, you could set up games like croquet or bocce, if you’re lucky enough to have a patch of lawn to play on. Or try your hand at throwing a glow-in-the-dark boomerang.