Traditional Super Bowl fare -- we're talking wings, nachos, pizza, beer -- isn't exactly the type of food that would, say, fuel a body to run, throw or tackle.
It's not just that they lack nutrition, either. We also eat a ton of 'em. Case in point: Americans eat more calories on Super Bowl Sunday than on any other day of the year, except for Thanksgiving. The Super Bowl is cause for our second-biggest gorge-fest of the year, people!
Still, it's only once a year -- and we know if you're that big a nachos fan, there's probably little you'll let come between you and the queso dip. That's why we asked Angela Ginn-Meadow, RD, LDN, CDE, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author of MyPlate for Moms, How to Feed Yourself & Your Family Better to let us in on a few easy tricks for making your favorite Super Bowl snacks just a little bit lighter. The best news? "Every little bit where you save some calories counts," says Ward. "Nothing has to be super radical, no one has to sit around celery stick and carrots instead of pizza." Well, we're convinced! Read on for a few swaps you can incorporate this weekend and beyond.
A bean and corn salsa can also make for a more nutrient-dense dip, says Ginn-Meadow.
Cottage cheese can work, too, just put it in the food processor to refine the texture a bit, she says.
You can also try making them with ground turkey or salmon, she says, to cut down on fat.
How will you make your Super Bowl snacks a little bit more nutritious? Let us know in the comments below!
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