How to Throw a Guilt-Free Tailgate Party This Season

You're all ready for the big game – the color-coordinated decorations and team jerseys are ready to go, and the invites are out. But you’re thinking that maybe this weekend’s tailgating party should be a little different from usual – maybe it should be a little healthier. Instead of serving a big bag of chips, overstuffed sandwiches, and chicken wings slathered in sauce, what other party goodies are fun and healthy and still taste good?

Gloria Tsang, RD, founder of HealthCastle.com, has makeover suggestions on your next tailgating party.

Double Coverage Chips and Salsa

Instead of serving nachos with high-calorie, high-fat cheese, guacamole, and olives switch to the popular duo - baked chips with salsa - and reap a healthy reward of tomato-based antioxidants.

Calories saved: 100 - 200
Nutrients added: Lycopene and Vitamin A

Hurry Hard Teriyaki Chicken Skewer

Instead of serving traditional BBQ chicken wings, which are loaded with high-fat skin and not much healthy meat, try grilling skewers of skinless chicken breast, basted with teriyaki sauce. These skewers are easy to grill and easier to eat.

Calories saved: 300 - 400

Touchdown Hearty Chili Bowl

Instead of a cream-based clam chowder or soup, score some points with a pot of warming chili made with hearty beans and extra-lean ground beef. Throw in some mushrooms or green peppers for an added bonus.

Calories saved: 150 - 250
Nutrients added: Fiber, folic acid, and various minerals

Shotgun Sandwich

Sandwiches can be very healthy, but not when you slather them with mayonnaise and load them up with layers of salami and cheese. Make over your party sandwiches by choosing whole grain bread and low-fat deli cuts like roast beef, chicken, or turkey. And go easy on the mayonnaise and spreads – you’ll hardly even notice the difference but you’ll save a lot of calories and fat. Try low-fat mayo or spreads, or better yet, choose calorie-free mustard.

Calories saved: 150 - 250
Nutrients added: Fiber, B vitamins, and magnesium

Sideline Fruit Kabob

Instead of chocolate chip cookies or other sweet desserts, try serving cut-up fruits like melons, apples, pineapple, strawberries and grapes on kabobs. To add some zest, serve fruit yogurt on the side as a dip.

Calories saved: 100 - 200
Nutrients added: Fiber, Vitamin C, antioxidants, and probiotics

Extra Tricks to Trim Your Tailgating Party’s Calories and Fat

Replace regular beer with light beer to save 30 - 50 calories per can – you’ll get all the flavor without the extra calories
Replace butter-style microwave popcorn with light/low-fat popcorn and save approximately 50 calories per package

HealthCastle.com is the most comprehensive nutrition community run by Registered Dietitians on the web. We are passionate about spreading the goodness of nutrition and health. For more information, please log onto www.HealthCastle.com.

For more information or to speak with Gloria Tsang, RD, please contact:

Tracey Johnston

Source: http://www.HealthCastle.com/

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