Taiwanese hospital dietitian offers ways to make Mid-Autumn Festival barbecues healthier and festive

A Taipei hospital dietitian shares practical tips for rebalancing traditional Mid-Autumn Festival barbecues with more vegetables, whole grains, and less processed food, while maintaining their celebratory spirit.

A Taiwanese hospital dietitian has suggested a simple way to make Mid-Autumn Festival barbecues less heavy without losing their festive appeal: build the meal around more vegetables, whole grains and fruit, and keep processed foods and rich sauces to a minimum. White Yong-hsuan, a dietitian at Tainan Municipal An-Nan Hospital, said the idea is not to avoid barbecue altogether, but to rebalance it so it better fits the government’s “My Plate” guidance.

White pointed to a four-person dish called “Fresh Pomelo Barbecue Salad” as an example of how to do that. The meal uses sweet potato, corn and pumpkin as the starch base, then adds chicken thighs or pork loin for protein, alongside lettuce, romaine, peppers, king oyster mushrooms, courgettes and baby corn. Pomelo is included as a seasonal finishing touch, although she noted that people taking certain medicines should avoid citrus fruit and may want to choose alternatives such as guava or apple after checking with a doctor or pharmacist.

The broader approach matches established healthy-eating models. Harvard Health’s Healthy Eating Plate and the US Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate both stress filling much of the plate with vegetables and fruit, choosing whole grains, including sensible portions of protein and limiting sugary drinks, refined carbs, processed meats and heavily salted foods. Nutrition guidance from the USDA also places an emphasis on portion balance and variety, rather than simply cutting out whole food groups.

White also advised changing the way barbecue is cooked and served. She said an air fryer or frying pan can replace charcoal grilling for some foods, while grilling over a rack can reduce the need for extra oil and repeated brushing with sauce. She recommended pairing the food with raw leaves for a fresher taste and making a simple dressing from crushed pomelo, plain yoghurt, a little olive oil and pepper; if citrus is unsuitable, plain yoghurt with herbs or a small amount of vinaigrette can work instead.

For the four-person salad, White estimated about 650 calories and 38 grams of protein per serving, although she said actual needs vary by age, activity level and health status. Her main message was straightforward: keep more of the meal in its natural form, go easier on processed items and strong sauces, and choose sugar-free drinks so a reunion meal can still feel celebratory without becoming overly rich.