Five Healthy and Easy Super Bowl Snacks

By Jamie Kaun

Food celebrations and Super Bowl Sunday – they go hand-in-hand. Whether you actually watch the game or just want to enjoy the food, it’s a day of tasty eats for many people.

The food possibilities really are endless, but below are five healthy foods that are packed with flavor and are sure to please any crowd!

1. White Chicken Chili – Chili is a traditionally popular Superbowl food. But instead of the usual tomato-based chili, how about a tasty white chicken chili? One of the simplest (and yummiest) recipes I’ve found is this onefrom 100 Days of Real Food. Everyone in my family loves it, including the kids. You can kick up the heat by increasing the amount of cayenne pepper or adding your choice of fresh peppers. Want it milder? Use diced chilies instead of jalapenos and skip the cayenne pepper. Rotisserie chicken makes this recipe super quick. We’ve also used ground turkey or ground chicken. You can throw all of these ingredients together into your Instant Pot too. Top it with avocado, sour cream, cheese, tomato or tortilla chips – just about anything you would enjoy on a taco tastes good in this chili.
2. Chicken Wings – Another food that seems to go hand-in-hand with Superbowl is chicken wings.  For healthier wings, use your air fryer! The spice combinations are endless. For a super simple mix, use garlic salt, paprika and pepper. This recipe uses those spices and gives you step-by-step instructions on how to achieve juicy, crispy wings.
3. Caprese Bites – Need a super simple vegetarian and Keto-friendly option? This is it. It doesn’t get much easier than tomatoes, seasoned mozzarella balls and basil presented on a stick for easy snacking. For ideas on variations, check out this link.
4. Lettuce Wraps – If you love the lettuce wraps from a popular Asian food chain, you’ll enjoy this lightened up version that has less oil and sodium but still has lots of flavor. It’s a great low-carb dish that’s sure to please a crowd.
5. Charcuterie Board – These have grown in popularity recently and can be made with so many variations. Basic charcuterie boards often have cheese, veggies, bite-size desserts, dips, olives, nuts, fruit and crackers. To keep them healthier, focus on larger quantities of fruit and veggies and less of the other items.  

If you need more ideas for healthy eats, check out these tasty treats on the Dayton YMCA page. And if you need to work off some of the amazing food you take in, there are many in-person Y group fitness classes or you can workout at home with the Y’s 360 app.