A Healthier Football Season
Are you ready for some football?! After seven long months, football is back. It’s time to round up family and friends, break out the grill, and put on your team jersey for tailgating season. Check out these healthier side dishes and snacks that may become a new favorite for everyone on game day this year!
MEAL ONE:
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
I’m a big fan of traditional buffalo wings, but this vegetable version is a good addition to your next tailgate! While this recipe bakes them, I would suggest using an air fryer for extra crispiness (try 400 degrees for about 15-20 min). Serve with carrot and celery sticks and low-fat ranch dressing or bring a vegetable tray for the whole group to enjoy!
MEAL TWO:
Jalapeño Cheddar Sweet Potato
Puffs
A delicious finger food that’s also healthy! I would recommend using reduced-fat cheddar cheese and low-fat or fat-free plain Greek yogurt to cut back on saturated fat, which leaves room for delicious, chopped bacon. Including sweet potatoes are an added bonus since they are packed with nutrients, like antioxidants, fiber, and Vitamin A, so everyone is fueled for the big game!
MEAL THREE:
Mediterranean
7-layer Dip
Game Day isn’t the same without chips and dip showing up! Offer up this healthier alternative that uses Greek yogurt as the base with lots of fresh vegetables on top. Serve with baked pita chips, sweet potato tortilla chips, or other whole grain crackers. You could also use vegetable sticks as a dip vehicle as well! If you wanted to put a little extra effort into this recipe, you could make the yogurt layer into tzatziki to give this dish even more flavor.
MEAL FOUR:
Healthy Chicken Salad
I started bringing chicken salad to tailgating parties a few years ago, and it ended up being such a hit that it’s now requested every year! I like to use canned chicken since it’s easy to prep and assemble the day of, but rotisserie chicken works great or you could cook chicken in a crock pot the day before. Grapes bring a nice sweetness, and the celery and almonds add a satisfying crunch! Swapping mayo for Greek yogurt is a simple, but smart way to make this recipe healthier as well. You could bring bread for people to make sandwiches or have whole wheat crackers on hand to serve alongside this dish.
MEAL FIVE:
Peanut Butter Dip
Ok, hear me out on this one! Treats and desserts rarely make an appearance at the tailgates I attend, but this one sounded too good to pass up and it’s a dip. As mentioned above, who doesn’t like a dip especially when you have things to dip with?! You could us strawberries, apples, graham crackers, or pretzels as options but feel free to get creative. Make this a little bit healthier by using reduced-fat cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, which has 1/3 less fat than regular cream cheese. Enjoy!