Healthy Snack Stadium + Football Finger Foods for the Win

How To Build a Healthy Fotball Snack Stadium - TheFitFork.com

Pop Warner Football - TheFitFork.comThe BIG GAME will be here in a little over a week and my guys have been uncharacteristically fussing about the football-watching party preparations. I have some football players, past and present in my house! What television should we watch  – in the game room or downstairs closer to the kitchen?  Should we play games like ‘squares’ or have a bean bag toss? And, most importantly, what will everyone eat?!

It’s not JUST going to be (root) beer, Buffalo wings and burgers.  It’s impossible to be a healthy food and fitness blogger and not bring a little sumptin’ sensible to the shindig.  But I’m not talking about a sad little tray of carrot and celery sticks, instead imagine a nutritious array of nibbles that is as exciting and epic as the BIG GAME itself – a HEALTHY SNACK STADIUM! 

I created this masterpiece of munch-worthy goodness for Litehouse Foods – they challenged me to put a healthy spin on the increasingly popular and pin-worthy food displays made for football-watching gatherings. The stands are packed with fruit and veggies and the field is covered in healthy salsas and dips made from Greek yogurt.  Guests even get an all-access pass to refuel at a sandwich-making station and dig into sidelines loaded up with whole-grain chips and football-decorated eggs!

Healthy Snack Stadium for Football Party - TheFitFork.comGo over and visit Living Litehouse for additional photos and details on how to make this Healthy Snack Stadium (including how to assemble the framework and making pretzel rod goal posts) that will have your guests eating like champions.

While the Patriots and Seahawks rumble on the Super Bowl gridiron, I’ll be serving up even more healthy appetizers alongside my Snackadium. Here are a few ideas for healthy snacks that will make you an MVP on game day, any day and every day!

avocado guacamoleCilantro Lime Guacamole – Simple, smooth and just so darn good that I have been known to eat the whole bowl at one sitting! A perfect dip for chips or healthier options like carrot, jicama, or zucchini sticks and to use as a spread on your sandwich.  If you have leftover guacamole (yeah, right!) or just want to make extra in advance, check out my blog post on How to Freeze Guacamole.

 

Nut and Cereal party mix made in crock pot

Nutty Slow Cooker Snack Mix – Snack mix is a perennial party favorite, my recipe uses a slow cooker (really!) to make the process stress-free and super tasty. I like to add lots of nuts to my snack mix for healthy fats and extra protein.  A sure bet!

 

 

 

 

Football Deviled Eggs - TheFitFork.com

Football Deviled Eggs – Are these the cutest eggs ever? And, the good news is you will not go to hell for incorporating them into a healthy diet – eggs are a great source of protein and essential vitamins.  I’ve used Greek yogurt instead of the traditional mayo for a slimming swap-a-roo!

Football Deviled Eggs
Prep Time
20 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Put your healthy stack stadium over the top with these fun and tasty football deviled eggs -- a fun finger food for the Big Game! Touchdown!
Course: Appetizer
Servings: 12 people (2 each)
Ingredients
  • 12 large eggs boiled
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce or more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • bunch chives
Instructions
  1. Peel eggs lengthwise and scoop out yolks; set whites aside.
  2. In small bowl, mix together yolks, yogurt, mustard, sriracha sauce, salt and pepper.
  3. Spoon mixture into empty cavity of eggs.
  4. Snip and cut chives with knife into approximate ½ pieces; each egg half will need four pieces (96 pieces). Place 3 chive slices crosswise along egg filling and cross with one piece lengthwise.

Football Food | Healthy “Team Colors” Pudding Pies Recipe

Protein Pudding Pies

Even though the Super Bowl is just hours away, it’s not too late to put together some healthy snacks. Did you know that the amount of food scarfed down by Americans on Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving Day, according to the US Department of Agriculture.  Most of the country’s pig-out party fare isn’t the most nutritious; included in the collective smorgasbord of snacking is 324 million gallons of beer, 1.23 billion chicken wings (BILLION!), 11 million pounds of potato chips, another 8 million pounds of tortilla chips and countless millions of pizzas –the Domino’s chain, alone, estimates they’ll deliver 11 million slices!

The Calorie Control Council, an industry group representing low-fat and sugar-free food and drink companies, reports that the average Super Bowl snacker will consume 1,200 calories and 50 grams of fat in snacks alone  — that’s not even including a meal! While one day of salty-fatty-carby indulgence probably won’t harm you (especially if you exercise regularly), but it will probably cause you feel sluggish and icky if you’re not used to the diet.

Sugar Free Pudding Pies with Fruit

So, I have some healthy ideas for Super Bowl snacks that are also quick and easy to make. I’m expecting my “Team Colors” Pudding Pies (made with Core Power High Protein Shake) to score big with party guests. Each little mini pie is made with sugar-free pudding and a protein-packed vanilla shake; dress the tops with fruit in your favorite team’s colors – kiwi and blueberries for the Seattle Seahawks or mandarin oranges and blueberries for the Denver Broncos! These are no-bake pies; anyone can do it – even those kitchen-avoiding guys! Head over to Core Power to check out their high protein shakes and if you’re watching the big game on Sunday then use the hashtag #CPBowl for live tweets and to post pix of your own Core Power inspired dips and snacks!

Mini “Team Colors” Protein Pudding Pies Recipe
• 1 box sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (11.5-oz) bottle vanilla protein shake
• ¼ cup plain, 0% fat Greek yogurt
• 6 mini graham cracker crumb crusts (I used Keebler brand)
• 1 (6-oz) can mandarin orange slices, drained
• 1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
• ¼ cup blueberries
In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix, Core Power, and yogurt until free of lumps and starting to thicken. Pour mixture equally into 6 mini crusts. Arrange fruit decoratively on top of pies. Chill for 30 minutes. Serves 6.

 

 

 

baked-sweet-potato-chipsIf you must eat chips, why not do baked chips? Store-bought baked chips are a healthier swap than the full-fat versions, yet still loaded with sodium. Make your own baked chips at home in the oven and keep control over all the ingredients – no guilt, no clogged arteries. Check out my recipe for Baked Spicy Sweet Potato Chips – you can dunk them right into one of America’s favorite dips (guacamole).  Did you know that more than 80 million avocados will be enjoyed Sunday, I say YUM to that!

Gluten free chocolate chip cookies

My Gluten-Free Quinoa Almond Chocolate Chippers are ready to tackle even the most hard-core sweet tooth. The quinoa in there packs a little extra protein punch which may help put a stop to your linebacker-sized appetite.

Also, check out Cooking Light – they have made-over five iconic foods eaten at football game viewing parties from coast to coast.

Healthy super Bowl Snacks