Written By: Emma Squillace
It’s almost Super Bowl Sunday, which is known as the second biggest eating day of the year! After thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday has Americans consuming more calories, on average, than any other day. Whether your favorite team is a contender, or you’re just watching for the commercials, it can be a fun day with family and friends. But if you’re trying to keep your eating habits on a healthy track, you don’t want hours of chicken wings and potato chips to sabotage your hard work. Here are 5 celebration-worthy snacks that will get you through the game and keep you healthy.
Spinach Dip
You have probably had the very high calorie version of this snack. Traditionally made with sour cream and mayo, it has hundreds of calories in a cup. But if you make spinach dip our way, you’ll get rid of about 75% of the calories, and add protein. Mix a large tub of plain greek yogurt with half a cup of light sour cream. Stir in one packet of vegetable soup mix. Then defrost one box of frozen spinach and squeeze it really well, until you’ve gotten rid of all the water you can. Now mix the spinach into the yogurt mixture, and you’re set. Eat this dip with veggie sticks and a piece of whole grain of toast or a handful of whole grain crackers.
Hummus Bites
Hummus can be a very good snack choice. Its main ingredient is chickpeas, which are a healthy vegetarian protein with no cholesterol. Often hummus is served with big pieces of pita bread, and that’s where the carbs and calories can hurt a diet. Instead, cut a cucumber into round slices. Top each slice with a bit of hummus, and then pick a garnish. Half a black olive, a piece of sundried tomato, or a sprig of parsley can give you a healthy – and attractive – plate of Super Bowl snacks.
Spicy Popcorn
Do you know you can make your own popcorn by putting raw popcorn kernels into a paper bag and microwaving it? Coat about ½ cup of kernels in 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Put the kernels in a brown lunch bag and roll the top down a few times so it’s sealed. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, listening carefully to the popping sounds. When you hear 2 seconds of silence between pops, the kernels are done. Now’s the time to add some seasoning to the bag. You can be creative with the spices you have on hand. Good options can be cumin, paprika, garlic salt, chili powder, or taco seasoning. If you want a little bit of butter, melt 1 tbs and mix the spices into it. Then drizzle it into the bag with the popcorn and shake really well to distribute the flavors.
Asparagus Rollups
If you want an interesting way to work a vegetable into your football snacks, this is a good recipe that is also classy enough to be served at your next dinner party. Get thin sliced ham, low sodium if you can find it. Lay out 12 slices of ham. Spread 1 teaspoon of light cream cheese down the middle of each piece of ham. Now, lay one asparagus spear over the cream cheese. Season with a little garlic salt or black pepper if you’d like. Roll up each piece of ham so its asparagus is wrapped up. The ends of the asparagus spear will be sticking out of the ham roll up. Put the rollups in a baking dish, and bake for about 10 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven.
Fruit Kebabs
To add some sweetness to the snack options, fruit is a good way to go. If you’re worried your family or guests will be more interested in cookies over healthier fruit, try making fruit kebabs. It’s amazing how much more appealing fruit can be when it’s served this way – especially for picky kids (or grown ups) that don’t think they want fruit. Cut up large bite sized pieces of whatever fruits you want. Options that work particularly well are strawberries and grapes, since you can keep those whole, and apples, pears, melon, and pineapples. Many grocery stores have fruit already cut up, which you can get to save time. Using disposable wood skewers is an easy way to make a tempting dessert offering.
Just because you’re trying to lose weight, doesn’t mean you have to forgo fun holiday eating. With portion control and a little time in the kitchen, you can have rewarding snacks that won’t get in the way of your weight loss efforts. If you’re trying to lose weight and are not seeing the results you want, our experts are here to help. There are new treatments available to help you find success. You can speak to our weight loss team by calling 855-690-0565.