The Lighter Side of Super Bowl Snacks

[Theresa Masnik]

The biggest question waiting to be answered this weekend is 'who will win the Super Bowl, Patriots or Giants?' The second biggest question this weekend is 'what are we eating?' With most Americans planning to watch the game with a cold beverage and various snacks, we should remind ourselves that swapping the cheese-loaded taco dip with a vegetable platter is obviously the better option.

 

I came across an article titled “The Lighter Side of Super Bowl Snacks,” and learned that even though a National Restaurant Association survey said 42% of Americans want healthful foods during the Super Bowl, more than 1.25 billion chicken wings will be consumed this weekend. 1.25 BILLION chicken wings!?  I promise to make a conscious decision this weekend to have healthy Super Bowl options on the table and order extra veggies on my pizza. Will you do the same?

 

The lighter side of Super Bowl snacks

Sunday's Super Bowl is yet another reason -- as if we needed one -- to party and eat. It's a time of temptation for those who started off 2012 vowing to eat healthier.

There will be scores of chicken wings -- more than 1.25 billion will be consumed, the National Chicken Council says.

Party hosts will also set out yards of subs and benches full of salty snacks. The Calorie Control Council and Snack Food Association say Americans will eat about 30 million pounds of snacks on game day. Ouch.

"Like it or not, it isn't just about the game," says Bethany Thayer, a wellness manager at Henry Ford Health System and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "For a lot of people, it's about the food."

And those foods are "not necessarily the healthiest," Thayer says.

But it is possible to set out great snacks and trim back fat and calories.

According to a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association, 42% of Americans say they want healthful foods on their Super Bowl tables.

Do you love chicken wings? Bake them. "But keep in mind -- they are still the fattiest part of the chicken," Thayer reminds. Or try Boneless Buffalo Chicken Wings made with leaner chicken tenders.

For dips, Thayer advises using low-fat or fat-free cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream. Also, try plain nonfat Greek yogurt. Its custardy texture and tangy flavor make a good match for dips.

Thayer also recommends keeping in mind the U.S. Department of Agriculture's My Plate guidelines.

"Offer half of your choices as fruits and vegetables, making some healthy dips to go with them," Thayer says.

And if you plan on pizza, load it up with vegetables, she says.

Joe Nader, executive chef for Levy Restaurants at Ford Field, knows people are still doing the New Year's diet come Super Bowl time. He likes meatballs because "you can eat just one, or three or four." But his Chicken Verde Meatballs are made with ground chicken instead of beef or pork. And even though the recipe calls for cheese and heavy cream, both are used sparingly.

"You're getting a meatball that's more fun and leaner and healthier," Nader says. "And it's something you can do ahead of time and they hold well."

 

More Details: What goes down on Super Bowl Sunday

11.2 million pounds of potato chips

8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips

4.3 million pounds of pretzels

3.8 million pounds of popcorn

2.5 million pounds of nuts