FOCUS ON FRUITS & VEGETABLES: Try Adding Some Fruits and Vegetables to Your Grilling Menu

Summer grilling is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and have healthful, flavorful meals. Fruits and vegetables add color, texture, flavor and nutrition without adding many calories. Grilling adds a smoky flavor and caramelizes natural sugars to enhance sweetness.

Most people shortchange themselves on fruits and vegetables. Eating more fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk for cancer and heart disease. Fruits and vegetables also add fiber to your diet, a component that many adults and children lack.

The most common types of grills are gas, charcoal and infrared. You also can grill in the oven or on the stovetop with correct equipment. You may need tongs, baskets, skewers, brushes and spatulas.

• Outdoor Grills
  • The three major types of grills used for outdoor grilling are propane or gas grills, charcoal or barbecue grills, and infrared or electric grills (less common). For all grills, read the owners manual for tips on cooking, cleaning and maintaining your grill. Also, be sure to refer to the temperature settings for your particular type of grill. Controlling the temperature is important for all grilling practices.
• Stovetop and Oven “Grilling”
  • Special heavy pans have grill-type grates that allow you to get nicely grilled fruits and vegetables without having to go outside. You also can use a broiler pan in the oven, but avoid using your oven’s broil setting because grilling heat comes from below, not above.

Grilling can provide direct or indirect heat. Direct heat means food is grilled directly above heat. Indirect heat means the food is not directly above heat but still is being heated.

Here’s an example of indirect heating on a two-burner gas grill: Turn the right-side burner off and place aluminum foil down as the
cooking surface for the food, then turn on the left-side burner. The heat is not directly below the food being cooked.

• Low = below 250 F (not recommended for grilling most fruits or vegetables)
• Medium = 325 to 375 F
• Medium-high = 375 to 450 F
• High = above 450 F (not recommended for grilling fruits or vegetables)

• Rinse produce and prepare for grilling. Remove the stems, seeds and cores from fruits and vegetables before grilling.
• When preparing whole fruits or vegetables, cut them into slices unless otherwise specified.
• Prepare bell peppers by cutting off the top and bottom of the pepper. Remove the core and then cut the pepper in half from top to bottom. (This way, you end up with two flat rectangles that are grilled skin side down.)
• When using skewers, choose vegetables and fruits of like thickness and water content. Cut them the same size to ensure even cooking.
• Use separate plates and utensils for raw meats and fruits or vegetables to prevent cross-contamination.
• Take your time and be patient. You may think you are burning something and remove it before it is done. Follow recipes and remember, grilling can be trial and error.
• Sprinkle wedges of apple or pear with cinnamon and a touch of brown sugar. Grill for about five minutes per side.
• Brush peeled, whole bananas with canola or sunflower oil and add to the grill just until the fruit turns golden and has grill marks, or about five minutes per side.
• For a fun alternative to the summer classic s’mores, cut a ¾-inch-deep slit down the length of an unpeeled banana. Pry the slit open and stuff with 2 tablespoons of chopped dark chocolate or your favorite candy bar. Wrap the banana in foil and grill for about five minutes on each side.
• Grill peaches and nectarines for a side dish to go with steak or pork tenderloin. After cooking, the fruit can be diced and made into a salsa or relish by adding fresh herbs, chili peppers and lime juice or vinegar.

The following information provides approximate times to grill various vegetables and fruits. Use a grilling basket for the smaller items. Brush vegetables lightly with your favorite oil and add some seasonings as desired. Try grilled fruit as a tasty side dish or dessert.

For more information, see “Grill Something Different” (FN1420) from NDSU Extension at www.ag.ndsu.edu/food. Always use separate cutting boards or plates to keep fruits and vegetable separate from raw meat.

Table 1. Approximate Grilling Times for Fruits

Table 2. Approximate Grilling Times for Vegetables

Key to Abbreviations

For more information about nutrition, visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/food.

This project was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant
14-SCBGP-ND-0038. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.

FN1856 (Reviewed April 2022)

North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota

www.ag.ndsu.edu/food

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