3 Healthy Coleslaw Side Dishes

One of the top sides to bring to any barbecue is coleslaw, since it tastes great with
meat, baked beans, and veggies. However, it is often filled with fat from all the
mayonnaise, and doesn’t contain a lot of nutrients aside from the cabbage. Here are
some different ways to make coleslaw a little healthier.

Use Greek Yogurt

One of the things that makes coleslaw unhealthy is the mayonnaise and sour cream
that is typically used. A much healthier option is to replace mayo and sour cream with
some plain Greek yogurt. Don’t use vanilla, because it still has flavor. You really want to
have just the plan yogurt. If you don’t like Greek yogurt, using regular yogurt will also
work. All the other ingredients can still be the same, including your lettuce, cabbage and
carrots, vinegar, mustard, and the seasonings you prefer to use.

If you don’t want to use yogurt, you can still get lighter version of mayo and sour cream,
either the low fat or fat free varieties.

Add More Veggies to it

Another way to make it healthier than the traditional recipe is to use more veggies.
Instead of just lettuce and carrots, get creative and start packing it full of chopped
veggies. Go with smaller pieces so that you still have a nice slaw to work with. Veggies
like onions, bell peppers, jalapeno for spice, and small pieces of tomato all work really
well. You can also bulk up on the carrots for more nutrients if you know the guests
aren’t big lettuce or cabbage fans. Remember the more variety of veggies you have, the
healthier your coleslaw is going to be.

Try Cranberries and Almonds

This is a nice coleslaw if you want it to be on the sweeter side. It is amazing any time of
year, but especially if your BBQ or potluck is closer to the fall season. You can start with
the same basic ingredients, then use your Greek yogurt to mix it together. Instead of the
hearty seasonings, make it sweeter by mixing in some cranberries and almonds. You
can also choose other berry and nut combinations as long as they go good with the
veggies you have in the coleslaw. Just make sure your berries are cut into small pieces.
Some other nuts that are good are pecans and walnuts. These go great with this type of
dish.

These two coleslaw recipes from Jamie Oliver are pretty good too…though not that healthy! One is a creamy one and the other a German Style.