29 Summer Cookout Recipes Ranked from Healthiest to Unhealthiest

Cookout season has arrived, whether you’re grilling with friends on the 4th of July or searching for recipes to make at home for a family backyard barbecue. It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy fresh summer produce and plenty of protein, all while staying on track with your health and fitness goals. Ready to navigate the cookout scene while still keeping an eye on nutritional content? We ranked 29 popular summer recipes from healthiest to unhealthiest based on the following categories: 

• Protein: A summer cookout is the perfect place to meet your protein goals, which helps repair damaged cells and boost metabolism.

• Fiber: Adding more fiber to your diet improves metabolic health and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Calories: Finding the right balance of daily caloric intake is essential in any wellness journey. Both over- and undereating can lead to health issues. 

• Saturated fat: Eating too much saturated fat is thought to lead to higher cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease. 

• Net carbs: Net carbs refer to the total amount of carbohydrates in a serving after subtracting grams of fiber. Fiber benefits gut health, while overconsuming carbs (especially refined grains) may increase the risk of metabolic disease.

• Sugar: Regularly eating large amounts of sugar may impact health outcomes, including a greater risk of metabolic, cardiovascular, and nervous disorders. 

• Burgers and deviled eggs are healthy choices because they contain high protein and lower levels of sugar and net carbs.

• Unsurprisingly, the unhealthiest cookout dishes are desserts with more sugar and saturated fat.

• Vegetable recipes vary on the nutrition spectrum depending on other ingredients, indicating a dish may not be healthy just because of its veggie content. 

Check out 29 summer cookout recipes ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest to help you navigate your next potluck with confidence.

Find the recipes here.

1. Slider-Style Mini Burgers

2. Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs and Juiciest Hamburgers Ever (tied)

4. Boston Baked Beans

5. Awesome Pasta Salad and Three-Bean Salad (tied)

7. Summer Corn Salad

8. The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa and Triple Dipped Fried Chicken (tied)

10. Unbelievable Chicken 

11. Coconut Shrimp

12. BBQ Pork

13. Blackberry Pie

14. Beer Brats and Red Skinned Potato Salad (tied)

16. Perfect Summer Fruit Salad

17. Grilled Corn on the Cob

18. Classic Macaroni Salad

19. Alyson’s Broccoli Salad and Sweet Restaurant Slaw (tied)

21. Corn Dogs

22. Strawberry Pie

23. Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs

24. Baked Fresh Cherry Pie

25. Awesome and Easy Corn Casserole

26. Chef John’s Strawberry Ice Cream and Scrumptious Strawberry Shortcake (tied)

28. Grandma’s Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake

29. All American Apple Pie

Get the data.

Use this breakdown of the best and worst dishes in each specific nutrition category to build a plate with foods that help you meet your health goals. 

Which Summer Cookout Dishes Have the Most Protein?

Dishes With the Most Protein

1. Triple Dipped Fried Chicken

2. BBQ Pork

3. Unbelievable Chicken

Dishes With the Least Protein

1. The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa

2. Sweet Restaurant Slaw

3. Chef John’s Strawberry Ice Cream, Grandma’s Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake, Strawberry Pie, and Three-Bean Salad

Which Summer Cookout Dishes Have the Most Fiber?

Dishes With the Most Fiber

1. Boston Baked Beans

2. Perfect Summer Fruit Salad

3. Blackberry Pie and Summer Corn Salad

Dishes With No Fiber

Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs, BBQ Pork, and The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa 

Which Summer Cookout Dishes Have the Most Calories?

Dishes With the Most Calories

1. Triple Dipped Fried Chicken

2. Alyson’s Broccoli Salad

3. All American Apple Pie

Dishes With the Least Calories

1. The Best Fresh Tomato Salad

2. Three-Bean Salad

3. Grilled Corn on the Cob

Which Summer Cookout Dishes Have the Most Saturated Fat?

Dishes With the Most Saturated Fat

1. Scrumptious Strawberry Shortcake

2. Awesome and Easy Corn Casserole

3. All American Apple Pie, Beer Brats, and Chef John’s Strawberry Ice Cream

Dishes With the Least Saturated Fat

1. Perfect Summer Fruit Salad and The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa

2. Three-Bean Salad

3. Blackberry Pie, Boston Baked Beans, Summer Corn Salad, and Sweet Restaurant Slaw

Which Summer Cookout Dishes Have the Most Net Carbs?

Dishes With the Most Net Carbs

1. Triple Dipped Fried Chicken

2. All American Apple Pie

3. Perfect Summer Fruit Salad

Dishes With the Least Net Carbs

1. Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs and The Best Fresh Tomato Salad

2. Juiciest Hamburgers Ever

3. Beer Brats

Which Summer Cookout Dishes Have the Most Sugar?

Dishes With the Most Sugar

1. Perfect Summer Fruit Salad

2. All American Apple Pie

3. Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs

Dishes With the Least Sugar

1. Triple Dipped Fried Chicken

2. Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs, Beer Brats, and The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa

3. Juiciest Hamburgers Ever, Red Skinned Potato Salad, and Slider-Style Mini Burgers

Our roundup of summer cookout recipes came from Allrecipes.com and included entrees, side dishes, and desserts – we eliminated drink recipes for a total of 29 dishes. Then we ranked the list for health based on higher levels of protein and fiber, and lower levels of calories, saturated fat, net carbs, and sugar. We used a 2x multiplier for protein and saturated fat.

Before you head out to celebrate the 4th of July or summer in general, check out these ideas to help you stay healthy while still enjoying every bite.

1. Fill up on protein and fiber beforehand: Instead of going to a backyard cookout with your stomach growling, eat a snack with protein and fiber before you go. You’re more likely to feel satiated and avoid overeating on less healthy options once you’re at the party. 

2. Watch for sauces and mix-ins: Sugar-heavy barbecue sauces can quickly add up, especially if you’re tracking calories in, calories out. If available, opt for plain grilled meat or hard-boiled eggs to avoid those heavy sauces. Also, watch for vegetable salads that may appear healthy, but have a lot of mayonnaise, adding saturated fat. A healthier alternative? Head for the crudité platter with hummus or Greek yogurt dip.

3. Drink with intention: Whether you prefer alcoholic beverages or sweet sodas, set a limit in advance so you don’t accidentally overconsume. Switch to water or zero-calorie seltzer drinks to feel your best all day long.