There’s always an uptick in outdoor grilling during these hot summer months, so there’s a high chance of burgers being a mainstay on the menu, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the hamburgers at your picnic table need to be paired with the classic, though heavy side dish of french fries. As suggested by Martha Stewart’s recipe blog, there are a plethora of delicious, fresh, crunchy, and tasty sides recipes that are considerably healthier than the French fry, so take note of eight of these delectable dishes.

Tasty Side-Corn-and-Avocado Salad with Goddess Dressing

Pair your juicy, savory burger (no matter the content) proudly with this fresh take-and- shake salad recipe. This side is topped with a dressing of stirred-in, finely diced avocado that gives the salad a delectable creaminess without browning while you’re tending to the burgers on your grill. The dressing is placed atop a bed of fresh romaine, radishes, and corn to compliment the sheer heft of a burger-centric meal.

Tasty Side-Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Buttermilk

You might not have to grab any ketchup or other condiment with this health-conscious roasting of these candied-like roasted sweet potatoes that are benefitted all the more by the tangy richness of buttermilk that leaves noted of sweet and savory in your mouth. 

Tomato and Avocado Salad

Burger lovers should have absolutely zero qualms with this easy-to-make salad that’s designed to not overextend your calorie intake. This dish adds a splash of fresh color and flavor to your meal with its array of summer tomatoes and creamy avocado. You’ll be tempted to take off the top bun of your “perfectly dressed burger” to incorporate some of this flavor as well!

Tasty Side-Seasoned Roasted-Corn Salad Cups

A summer hamburger’s partner in culinary crime has to be corn, be it on or off the cob. This particular recipe is a fresh take on esuites, or Mexican street corn cups, and it calls for the charring of the corn and tossing it with jicama, chiles, cilantro, oil, lime juice, and queso fresco, adding sweet juiciness and a bit of spice to your summer picnic table.

Tasty Side-Melon and Cucumber Salad

Sometimes, though, the savory juices of a well-prepared and dressed hamburger require your side dish be on the sweeter side of the flavor spectrum; in that event you have this sweet and refreshing summer salad. This side is brought together with whole pieces of chopped melon as well as the puree of any leftover melon added to yogurt and honey, creating a gorgeous to look at and tasty side to enjoy in the dead of summer heat.

Tasty Side- Grilled Potato Slices with Salt and Vinegar

Think of this recipe as the healthier take on salt-and-vinegar chips and having much more texture than your average french fry, as these potato slices are grilled (healthier than frying), giving the simmering potatoes a nice charred flavor. The vinegar simmering will impart a pleasant tang that will remind you of salt-and-vinegar chips without the fat that comes with them.

Tasty Side-Garlic-Ginger Cucumbers

These sliced cucumbers will provide a powerful pairing of garlic and ginger that is qual parts refreshing and crisp. Not to mention, cucumbers themselves contain an antioxidant that supports brain health, and the ginger that this recipe pairing them with is famous for fighting inflammation and helping with digestion. These beneficial spears are dressed with rice vinegar and soy sauce and topped with sesame seeds and spicy chili oil, so they’ll be set up properly to absolutely steal the show.

Tasty Side-Crisp Zucchini Panko Fries

Forgo frying the traditional potatoes, and instead mix things up with these vegetable fries that are wondrously crusted with panko bread crumbs. Though, you’re welcome to substitute the irresistible zucchini with yellow squash, haricot verts, or portobello mushroom caps, depending on the palette of your dinner guests.

For more delicious recipes and tasty side ideas, click here.