I Challenge You To Host A Vegan Barbecue This Year

For vegans, “let’s fire up the grill!” can be a pretty alienating sentiment. I mean, summer BBQs typically feature all the animal products (think hot dogs topped with beef chili and shredded cheese).

Luckily for my fellow plant-eaters and I, though, that's starting to change. The $939 million plant-based meat market has grown by an astounding 38 percent over the last two years, according to The Good Food Institute. And demand for products made from meat may fall by up to 50 percent in the next 10 years, a recent RethinkX report suggests.

The bottom line: Vegan barbecue recipes might soon be seriously in-demand.

Of course, your best bet is always to swap that steak for whole plant foods, like a hearty slab of grilled cauliflower topped with herbs, spices, and cashews—not a mock beef alternative.

While plant-based meat alternatives are touted as great ways to transition away from eating meat (and reduce your carbon footprint!), they’re not your best bet for long-term health, says Monica Auslander Moreno, RD, dietitian and founder of Essence Nutrition. (Some experts question the health implications of consuming a lot of soy isolates, which are commonly used in plant-based meat alternatives. Whole soy is a-okay, though.)

Auslander Moreno recommends filling your picnic table with nourishing recipes, like BBQ tempeh (which is made of probiotic-rich fermented soybeans that are high in fiber and protein), homemade veggie burgers loaded with ingredients like beans, beets, tahini, carrots and quinoa, and sides like roasted sweet potatoes, salads, and dips like hummus and guac.

From fun apps to grillable mains and summery desserts, you’ll be counting down the days until you get to whip up these plant-based dishes for your next BBQ.