Football season is hereeeeee!!! (Go Tigers!!)
And with football season comes tailgating and football parties. Which means an abundance of nachos,
hot dogs, wings, and rotel dip! Is it possible to enjoy football season festivities and still maintain a
healthy lifestyle? We say, “YES!”
Here, we provide some examples of typical tailgating meals and snacks and ways to make them
healthier. We encourage you to try one or more of these ideas – your body and mind will thank you!
1. Pimiento cheese on Ritz crackers. Try one of these pimiento cheese recipes by Southern Living:
https://www.southernliving.com/food/healthy-light/pimiento-cheese-recipes. They provide cottage
cheese and fat-free Greek yogurt options to make for a healthier version of this yummy cheesy dip. Or
try Cedar’s Hummus https://www.cedarsfoods.com/organic-roasted-red-pepper-with-toppings on
Mary’s Gone Crackers https://shop.marysgonecrackers.com/Original-Crackers/p/MGC-
000106&c=MarysGoneCrackers@Crackers, one of our all-time favorite snacks!
2. Hot dogs. Instead of the conventional highly processed hot dogs, full of preservatives, we go for the
Applegate Organics Uncured Turkey Hot Dog https://www.applegate.com/products/the-great-organic-turkey-hot-dog. It contains turkey, water, herbs, and spices! Also, instead of hot dog buns containing
enriched bleached flour, we enjoy Ezekiel Sprouted Whole Grain Hot Dog Buns
https://www.foodforlife.com/product/buns/ezekiel-49-sprouted-whole-grain-hot-dog-buns.
3. Honey-glazed peanuts. While we do understand that peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and cashews are
good sources of protein and healthy fats, try to avoid the overly salted and honey-glazed nuts. Often,
trail mix also includes added sugars, like pure cane sugar and rice syrup. You can make your own blend
of nuts, seeds, and raisins for a great tailgating snack (we do this as well as make our own cereal blends –
another newsletter for another day!).
4. Bagel bites. Try these Zucchini Pizza Bites https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a43638/mini-zucchini-pizzas-recipe/ by Delish. Make them EVEN healthier by replacing
the pepperoni with chicken, shrimp, or turkey!
5. Chips. Among our favorite snacks are Plantain Chips
http://www.terrachips.com/chips/product/plantains/ and Sweet Potato Chips
http://www.terrachips.com/chips/product/sweet-potato-no-salt-added/ by TERRA. You won’t be
disappointed!
6. Wings. This year we will be making Buffalo Chicken Meatballs https://therealfoodrds.com/one-skillet-buffalo-chicken-meatballs/, which are full of minced veggies and lean ground chicken or turkey! Another option: Zucchini Turkey Meatballs https://therealfoodrds.com/zucchini-turkey-popper-meatballs-recipes/, served with your favorite marinara sauce. Both of these meatball recipes are by The Real Food Dietitians. We love meal prepping from the recipes they provide on their website!
7. Rotel dip. Try making a homemade rotel substitute, using canned diced tomatoes, chopped green
chili peppers, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, salt, and a blend of Mexican spices (cilantro, cumin, chili
powder, etc.)! Or, get your hands on some of Tony’s Tejas Salsa https://www.tonys-tejas-salsa.com/,
which is both healthy and delicious! Sold at Whole Foods Market.
Veggie trays, fruit kabobs, guacamole, deviled eggs, and chili are some other common
tailgating/football party foods. These are filled with fiber, protein, healthy fat and nutrients! Reach for
these items before the fried and highly processed foods.
We hope this helps, and we wish everyone a fun and safe football season!!!