Food Swaps For A Healthier Super Bowl Sunday

As the Super Bowl comes creeping up in the coming weeks, we start to prepare dishes and snacks for our parties with friends and family.  Unfortunately, most of those dishes and snacks are packed with calories, fried in grease and just overall unhealthy. The average football fan eats about a day’s worth of calories during the game, and the U.S. Calorie Control Council estimates that Americans pack away 11 million pounds of chips on Super Bowl Sunday. But fret no more! We’ve got a few of our favorite smart food swaps that you can make and feel good about eating.

1. Bake your wings instead of frying them
   1. When it comes to wings, the skin on them can add a ton of calories, especially when fried. If you bake your wings, you can certainly cut down on calories (and still keep ’em crispy). Check out this recipe for some delicious baked chicken.
2. Swap your pizza crust for whole-wheat tortillas
   1. Bread can be delicious, but can also be our worst enemies when it comes to packing on the weight. You can cut major calories without all the doughy bread. This awesome pizza recipe will have you and your guests coming back for seconds!
3. Trade sour cream for Greek yogurt in dips
   1. A flavorful dip will easily mask a Greek yogurt swap for full-fat sour cream. Cottage cheese can work too, just put it in the food processor to refine the texture a bit. See this Greek yogurt dip recipe for a yummy party snack.
4. Try a slider instead of a full-sized burger
   1. This one seems like a no brainer. Smaller portions are obviously better for your waist line, but indulging less in one item, will help you enjoy all your favorite snacks at the party. Making them with ground turkey or salmon are also great ways to make your sliders healthier. Try these slider recipes for your Super Bowl party.

So the next time you host or get invited to a Super Bowl party, try one of these healthier versions of your favorite foods and don’t feel guilty while you watch the game!