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A Main Course That Makes You Happy
From hot dogs and hamburgers to steaks, chicken, bratwurst and ribs, meat is pretty much a given at any barbecue. And while the experts we talked to differed on which protein was "better" than the other (grilled chicken covered in sugary barbecue sauce vs. a bunless and joyless burger, and so on), here's one thing most of them agreed on: Keep a big-picture view of your meal. If the hot dogs look amazing and you really want one, go for it. Or, if you've been waiting for your first burger of the grilling season, have at it. Blatner puts it this way: Pick your absolute favorite food, and enjoy it, because if you don't, you'll feel deprived and might overindulge elsewhere. Then, to avoid feeling like you overdid it, opt out of something else, such as potato salad or dessert.