Put Your Game-Day Snacks in the End Zone
November 12, 2024By: Lindsey Robinson
Categories: Nutrition
Nutrition Counseling
Healthy eating and proper nutrition play a big part in maintaining good health. Our registered dietitians work with you to set realistic and achievable goals.
Autumn in America is synonymous with football season. From high school games on Friday, to college games on Saturday and the NFL the rest of the week, there are many opportunities to watch the pigskin fly across the field.
Tailgating and watch party spreads play a key role in game-day festivities. It's no secret that many favorite game-day foods are high in salt, fat, sugar and other less-healthy ingredients. However, with a few tweaks to the menu, your sports smorgasbord will not only taste good but it can make you feel good as well.
Easy Play Calls
When assembling your culinary roster, try to think of ways to add a fruit or a vegetable for more fiber and nutrients. Here is a great resource with more than two dozen healthy recipes. Click on the dish’s title for ingredients and instructions. The chicken sausage rolls and fully loaded guacamole have been big hits at our gatherings.
Whichever appetizers grab your fancy, start small. Just introduce one or two options at first. Keep the dish you love, but gradually try some new items to give your fellow partygoers time to adjust to healthier options.
Tackle the Staples
Grilled meats are usually a big part of tailgating. They are a great source of protein, but there can be a lot of added salt. A dry rub is lower in salt and sugar and a better option than barbecue BBQ sauce. Eat your meat how you like it but don’t make it the entire meal. Add a fruit kebab, vegetable or hummus as a side. Instead of grabbing a burger and a hot dog on a bun, choose just one.
A cold brew or soda is also a staple of the tailgating scene. If it’s really hot outside, consider limiting how much of these you drink, because they can dehydrate. Instead, make a fun mocktail. Have a drink or a soda and then enjoy a mocktail, carbonated water, any sugar-free soda-like beverage or water, versus multiple beers or sodas. Meet halfway.
Avoid a Late-Game Slump
You know that sluggish feeling that usually rolls in around the third quarter? That’s because your body uses a lot of energy to digest heavy foods made with processed ingredients, added sugar and saturated or trans fat. Another problem with these foods is that they’re not filling. Before long, you’re eating more to feel full starting an unhealthy cycle.
One way to break this cycle is to designate eating times. A table full of food can invite grazing, which can lead to overeating. You may want to put food up after the first quarter, bring it back out at halftime and put it up for good after the third quarter.
Also, avoid mindlessly munching to ease stress during a close game. Fill a plate or a bowl, take it back to your lucky spot and set it aside when empty. Eating straight from the chip bag also makes grazing too easy. Preparing and choosing to eat healthy is easier with a support system. Having someone else at the party walk the same dietary path provides accountability and support and gives someone with whom you can share recipes and ideas.
Finally, know your audience. We have friends who usually make wings, fried mozzarella sticks and mac and cheese. They won’t touch a fruit and vegetable platter, so I won’t bring it over. Our friends who typically make a nice charcuterie board, on the other hand, would love a black bean salad.
Eating traditional game-day foods in moderation is fun. But over the course of an 18-week NFL season, college or high school schedule, it’s best to incorporate some healthy options.
