It’s Football Friday in America! And pretty soon, it will be football all weekend and on Monday and Thursday too. With football season comes tailgating season. This week I’ve got the tips for you to still fully enjoy your tailgate without the regret and self-loathing afterwards.
In tailgating, and in life, always try to do these five things:
Add 3, Reduce 2
Add a fruit
Add a vegetable
Add a whole grain
Reduce a fat
Reduce a sugar
How can we translate that to typical tailgate dishes?
Cook BBQ chicken rather than hot dogs. Or any lean meat rather than hot dogs or brats.
Use whole-wheat buns.
Top with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and avocado.
While you’re by the grill, throw on some veggies. I love bell peppers, onions, pineapples, and cauliflower on the grill!
Opt for baked chips. Try whole grain options, like Sun Chips, or the Veggie Stix.
Can’t have chips without dip, right? Make a homemade dip with low fat Greek yogurt or fat free sour cream. Salsa and hummus make great dips too.
While you’re at it, add veggies to the dip try. Carrots and celery provide a great crunch, much like chips.
As for desserts, you can easily reduce the sugar in a recipe by one-fourth to one-third without anyone noticing. If you can’t steer away from the traditional brownies and cookies at tailgates, try reducing the sugar. OR! Try those black bean brownies that I’m always raving about on here.
If you are open to trying something a little healthier for dessert, fruit pizzas are always a big hit. Fruit kabobs could also work well with another homemade dip. One of my favorite easy, homemade fruit dips is just 1 cup of low-fat cream cheese, ½ cup of Oikos Triple Black vanilla Greek yogurt, ½ cup of crushed pineapple, 1 tsp of honey, and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon.
Check out some great, healthy tailgating recipes below! Remember the Add 3, Reduce 2 Rule!
Now, if we’re talking about enjoying food outside for at least an hour or two, we have to talk about food safety. Animal products (meat and dairy) cannot be in the danger zone for more than two total hours. That includes shopping time, drive time, prep time, and serving time. The danger zone is 40-140 degrees. If left in the danger zone for too long, bacteria on the food will grow at a rapid rate and could lead to food poisoning, especially in the young and the old, or those with weakened immune systems. Be well prepared to store perishable foods in a cooler or a warmer.
Happy Tailgating!