Well it’s kickoff season, and that means parties! Of course, parties entail bounties of food. With the average professional football game lasting over three hours, not including pre and post celebrations, you’re going to want to eat. Especially if you’re the excited type who burns calories with sudden bursts of energy. They say the best kind of workout is a short interval, high intensity, right?
The problem is, most of the food you’ll be snacking on throughout the day is high carb. In fact, a lot of classic tailgate dishes are nearly entirely carb. How can you stay healthy and feeling great long after the party is over? The obvious answer is to eat healthier, but celery and carrots aren’t exactly the first in mind for go-to tailgate snacks. We’ve checked in to the typical party foods and came up with a short, simple list of things to improve the quality of your party food without losing popularity!
Layer Dip
Undoubtedly a great option for tailgate food. Layer dips are not only easy to whip up, but crowd-pleasers as well. What’s also great about this snack is that you can customize it to your desires. For low carb, ditch the refried beans and replace them with guacamole. Layer on some sour cream, salsa, cheese, and a garnish of chopped green onions. What should you dip in it, you ask? Fortunately, we have a great way to crisp up our pizza crusts that turns them into a wonderful tortilla chip substitute!
Brats
No one can argue the importance of something simple and delicious that you can barbeque on the tailgate of a truck if you need to. Burgers can be complicated and anything else might just take too long. Brats are a common sight at games and game parties. Did you know that they are equally as awesome without the bun? There are so many different varieties of brats and sausages on the market these days that are made up of great ingredients that it’s actually hard to choose sometimes. Brands like Aidells have really paved the way to gluten-free, nitrate-free, delicious sausages. The flavors are endless, which makes it even easier to eat without the bun because let’s face it - we sometimes eat the bun because the meat needs a little help, right? Not these guys! Cut ‘em up and stab a toothpick in the center for a great appetizer or pile up some slices and cover it with sour kraut for a tasty and filling meal.
Deviled eggs
If you wanna talk about low carb, not much can beat a deviled egg. Prepare these guys in advance for a quick grab when the guests show up. Like the Layer Dip, you can adjust deviled eggs to suit your preference. Avocado Oil Mayonnaise is popping up on the shelves a lot recently, giving you a great “good fat” mayo for the yolk blend. Throw in some mustard and spices to taste, and you’ve got a great low carb, good fat snack. Check out Chosen Foods for some awesome avocado oil products.
Bacon-Wrapped Cauliflower
Veggies are a tricky food to incorporate into a tailgate party, but not if you wrap them in bacon! Since we’re always fans of cauliflower, we found a great recipe for Paleo Bacon-Wrapped Cauliflower that looks ridiculously tasty. Your guests won’t even know they’re eating vegetables.
Pizza
What would a tailgate party be without pizza? For those worried about party snacks getting cold due to the lengthy game, we have great news! Our recipes that use our cauliflower crusts actually taste good cold! So don’t be afraid to serve up pizza by the slice that might sit if the game goes into unexpected OT!