Pineapple BBQ Meatball Recipe Review

Recipe Review: Pineapple BBQ Meatballs

Rock Springs Retreat Center / February 1, 2023 / Anna Rutherford / 0
Are you looking for a delicious, healthy snack to munch on during your next game-day gathering? With Super Bowl season fast approaching, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget about preparing healthier choices. Never fear! We’re going to take a look at this Pineapple BBQ Meatballs recipe from Savory Nothings to see if it really is macro-balanced and offer tips on how to make the recipe a balanced, tasty treat that’ll leave everyone at your party feeling satisfied––and not guilty! Read on to find out how you can put a healthy twist on this classic appetizer (if you’re new to our Recipe Review series, we highly suggest checking out our first installment to become familiar with how you can review your own recipes).

OVERVIEW OF PINEAPPLE BBQ MEATBALL RECIPE

The classic pineapple bbq meatballs recipe is a popular dish that’s been enjoyed by many. Typically, it combines sweet, juicy pineapple with savory barbeque sauce and tender, ground beef into tasty little meatballs, making it perfect for parties, potlucks, or game-day snacks. A quick glance at Savory Nothing’s nutritional facts shows Calories: 368kcal | Fat: 8g | Protein: 31g | Carbs: 43g – with 26g of sugar contributing to the carbs. If your goal is to strike a balance between protein, carbohydrates, and fat, there are some simple steps you can take to make this recipe fit into your macros.

HOW TO BALANCE MACROS WITH THE PINEAPPLE BBQ MEATBALL RECIPE

Recipe Review - Pineapple BBQ Meatball Macro Blend
While there is a target macro blend that we shoot for, it’s important to remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect. If you’re short in one macro-nutrient and over on another, you can adjust your meals for the day to create that overall magic blend. That’s why meal planning is such a powerful tool!

Looking at the ingredients, we can quickly find the culprits contributing to the high sugar count – pineapple juice, canned pineapple, molasses, and honey. We have a few options that can reduce the sweetness:

  1. Drizzle the sauce on top of the meatballs instead of fully coating them.
  2. Instead of using commercial pineapple juice and canned pineapples that are both high in sugar, you could opt for fresh pineapples and blend them to make fresh juice for the sauce.
  3. Eliminate the molasses and honey.
Regardless of which option you choose, the macro blend will change, so it’s important to reevaluate the ingredients to ensure they follow your meal plan. Remember that the nutritional facts provided by the recipe are an estimate. Many factors including brand, preservation, etc. can change the nutritional content of the ingredient. We suggest using Fit Farm’s ingredient breakdown sheet and macro-calculator to have more accurate numbers reflected.
With some simple modifications or alternatives, you can enjoy this classic dish without compromising your goals. Whether you’re hosting a Superbowl party or just looking for an easy weeknight meal, this pineapple bbq meatball recipe is sure to be a touchdown! Let us know in the comments below if you tried this recipe and what alternatives you used. For more nutritious recipes and meal-planning guidance, be sure to sign up for our newsletter!