Manly Eats for Football Game Day Get Togethers

Oct 2, 2011
Maria Blanco

Food for Football Game - LELOFT1911

So, the wife has been after you to improve your diet. Or maybe your doctor has told you it's time to lose a few pounds. That may be so, but...

...a guy can’t give up everything he loves – especially now that it’s football season! Geez.

So, what’s a man supposed to do when he wants to have the guys over for the game, a few beers and bite – or two? Don’t give in (to the food police)! Go ahead and plan your get-together because you can literally have your snacks and eat them too.

Football gatherings typically call for lots of grilled meat, dripping with yummy sticky goodness, high calorie beverages, chips, dips and more chips. But your game day gathering can be a manly event without becoming a dietary disaster. You can quickly and easily put together a real male spread that’s healthy and flavorful, too!

Healthy Chips and Snacks

There are many healthy brands of chips on the market these days. Splurge and give them all a try!

Boulder Canyon Natural Foods makes “no salt added” Totally Natural Kettle Chips with real potatoes – only 140 calories and 7 grams of fat – and get this: zero milligrams of sodium and 2 grams of fiber per serving.
Terra Chips offers Terra Original Vegetable Chips made with a healthy mix of savory and sweet root vegetables including parsnip, sweet potato, batata, taro and yucca.
Tostitos makes Artisan Recipes Fire-Roasted Chipotle Tortilla Chips – These are lower in sodium than most corn chips and the chipotle flavor makes dipping unnecessary, if not down-right redundant.
Food Should Taste Great offers a slightly sweet and very crunchy Sweet Potato Tortilla Chip which is high in fiber and a great source of vitamin A. Explain to your wife that vitamin A is important for healthy skin, hair, eyes and lungs—and that maybe she ought to have a few chips, too.

Snack Nuts are Healthy

Healthy snacking during a big game is easy as opening a can of nuts. Opt for raw or dry roasted nuts with no salt added. Make sure it’s a variety mix that contains Brazil nuts, too.

Did you know that just one Brazil nut has an entire day’s Selenium requirement? Selenium in your diet helps to keep your prostate healthy!

Healthy Dips and Salsas

Don’t reach for the fatty, canned refried bean dip. Make this delicious garlicky hummus instead!

Healthy Bean Dip – Easy Hummus Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups cooked or canned garbanzo beans
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Place in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Healthy Grocery Store Salsa

If you’re crazy about Mexican flavors, Albert’s Salsa by Jananna Foods is one of the freshest tasting salsas I’ve ever experienced. Albert’s brightly flavored ingredients are wholesome and contain no artificial ingredients. You’ll find Albert’s Salsa in your grocer’s refrigerator section near the dairy case.

Football Game Day Meals

Make a meal of the main event! Healthy chips, dips and crudités are only the beginning. Show off your grilling skills with some easy and delicious kabobs or Indonesian Chicken Satays to make your game day a huge success.

Then round out your gathering with the type of salad every man will be proud to eat and serve—big honking Iceberg Wedges with Warm Bacon Blue Cheese Dressing. Hey, a man’s gotta have some fun!