- Start with veggies and end with fruit. Serve veggies while everyone is waiting for the grill to warm up. Cut veggies and serve with dip, make a big salad or bring a crockpot of veggie soup. End the meal with fresh or grilled fruit for a naturally sweet dessert.Â
- Earn points for adding foods with team colors to the table. For Patriots fans, think salsa, popcorn and berries.
- Keep the strategy simple. Do as much prep at home or pick up ready-to-cook items. Finger foods like kabobs, pizza and quesadillas are crowd pleasers and require no plates or utensils.
- Skewer leaner cuts of protein like chicken, turkey, pork tenderloin or shrimp with peppers, mushrooms and onions.
- If you're an all-day grazer, make a small plate and then step away from the food table to limit temptation. Distract yourself by enjoying the time to relax, catch up with friends, toss around a football or play corn hole.
- Make simple swaps to save calories while still enjoying game-day fare:
- Salsa instead of hummus
- Tomatoes instead of ketchup
- Popcorn instead of potato chips
- Chicken sausage instead of pork sausage
- Lettuce wraps instead of white bread or buns
- Plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise
Tips provided by Stop & Shop Nutritionist Julie Hersey, MS, RD, LDN. Â
Looking for a healthy game day recipe? Try Stop & Shop's Southwestern Chicken Chili recipe.
