The Super Bowl is quickly approaching. I’m leaning toward the Giants, since my Texans aren’t playing. How about you?
This Big Game has the potential to lead to a big appetite and loads of unnecessary calories if you’re not careful. So to avoid throwing a wrench in your healthy eating new year’s resolutions, find some alternative snacks to munch on and share with friends so you all can remain slim and trim this football season.
Instead of munching mindlessly on chips while you watch the game, try nibbling on low fat popcorn which is, in fact, a whole grain! You can be trading in about 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 170 mg of sodium and minimal micronutrient content from a mere 15 chips for one big cup of prepared popcorn which has only 20 calories and zero to two grams of fat. Plus, popcorn still provides you with about 1 gram of fiber and 1 g protein. Not to mention you are reaping the benefits of antioxidants and phytochemicals from the whole grain. (Image: piyato / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Need something more substantial? Try snacking on nuts or seeds. Pistachios are a good option because they are the lowest calorie, lowest fat, and highest fiber nut for only 170 calories every 49 nuts. They load you up with antioxidants, phytosterols, and healthy fats. They also provide you with vitamins including folate, biotin, riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid and are considered an excellent source of several vitamins including B6 which promotes nerve health and thiamin which aid in brain, muscle, heart, and nerve function.
Then there’s the infamous super bowl dip. These dips are often fat laden and calorie packed. It’s no secret dips are addicting, which makes it easy to scoop tablespoon after tablespoon. Try making a dip using fat free sour cream, fat free cottage cheese, or even fat free cream cheese as the base. For taco dip, add fresh green onions, taco spices, olives, and shredded lettuce to achieve a healthy football favorite. Even try mixing in chip dip spice packets in traditional flavors like sour cream and onion for a classic dip everyone will love. These simple changes can save you from not only calories but also saturated fat which is linked to heart disease. Try mixing up what you are actually dipping as well. Instead of just greasy chips try baked options, sliced pitas, chunks of whole grain bread, veggies, or even pretzel sticks.
If you want to step outside of the box a little try some unique and healthy dip ideas like Citrus
Tapenade or Hummus from Lauren's post last month or try making a whole grain pizza on the grill to share. Just be sure to limit the pepperoni and don’t go overboard with the cheese if you are watching fat content.
So sit back and relax, put on your football jersey of choice and dip into some delicious healthy game ready treats!
What’s your favorite healthy dish to bring to Super Bowl parties?
