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Healthy Snacks to Keep You Fueled While Watching Football
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Healthy Snacks to Keep You Fueled While Watching Football

Recipes

Author:

Matt Lyons

Simple yet delicious options to snack on while you cheer on your favorite team! 

Something many of us typically look forward to when it comes to sporting events is food! Whether we are watching in person or at home, there are so many great snacks, appetizers, and meals associated with sports like football. Nachos, chips & dip, and wings might be some snack options that come to our minds when we think of watching a football game. Curious about some other snack options that taste just as good but maybe a little bit healthier? Continue reading to find out more! 

Shrimp and pineapple skewers 

If you enjoy combinations of savory and sweet, this first option will be perfect for you. All you need is some shrimp, pineapple, and a few other ingredients to create a jerk marinade for the shrimp if you want to try and make it homemade. However, keep in mind that opting to buy Jamaican jerk marinade made on its own already will save you time and taste just as good. You can find the product in many different grocery stores in person and even online. 

Walkerswood spicy jamaican jerk marinade
Pictured above is the Walkerswood spicy Jamaican jerk marinade. Image courtesy of Bubbly Diaspora where you can buy this product for just a little over $6.

To make this snack recipe:

  • Marinate the shrimp in the jerk spice marinade for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the strongest taste. 
  • Skewer the marinated shrimp along with some cut up pieces of pineapple.
  • Grill over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the shrimp is fully cooked. 

Plan to get at least one pound of shrimp and use about two slices of pineapple to make this recipe. Each pineapple slice can be cut to around a ½ inch. This snack is delicious, light, and perfect to eat especially around seasons when the weather is warmer. 

There are also some health benefits present in both the shrimp and pineapple you’d be surprised to find out about. Shrimp is high in protein while low in calories and fat. Many antioxidants are also found in shrimp, such as astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is known to lessen sun damage, another great reason to indulge in this snack during the warmer months! Along with the shrimp, did you know pineapple has been proven to reduce inflammation throughout the body and speed up the recovery period after an injury

Fried zucchini chips with parmesan and lemon

This next recipe will leave your mouth watering just by the sound of it. All you need are a couple ingredients to create this crispy scrumptious snack. You can either fry or bake the recipe as well!

Ingredients you will need for this snack recipe:

  •  2 medium zucchini. Sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/2 cup flour 
  • 2 eggs. Beat the eggs lightly so they are a little bit fluffy.
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free for gluten-free)
  • 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Salt and pepper. Use however much you feel is needed!

How to make this recipe:

  • First you will want to start by making the coating for the zucchini. In a medium-large mixing bowl, place in the breadcrumbs, parmesan, lemon zest, and a little bit of salt and pepper. Stir gently to make sure the coating is combined together. 
  • Place the zucchini slices into some flour, then dip them in the egg. Then you can coat the slices in the mixture you just created. 
  • Depending on whether you fry or bake this recipe, the cooking instructions will be different. If you decide to fry the zucchini slices, simply fry them in a little bit of cooking oil for about 2-3 minutes on each side. You can also bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes at 425F or 220C. When they are a light golden brown, they should be ready! 

The main ingredient in this recipe, zucchini, is actually classified technically as a fruit. The most important health benefit of zucchinis is their potential impact on your overall eye health. Vitamin C and beta-carotene are those nutrients that have been proven to be important towards our eye health. This crispy yet healthy snack is also a great alternative to other common snacks at football games like potato chips!

Green & gold salsa 

This last recipe is also very simple, yet very refreshing and flavorful. The ingredients of corn and edamame give this snack recipe its unique name. 

The ingredients you will need to make this snack recipe:

  • 1 cup of frozen edamame that has been thawed. Make sure they’re shelled too!
  • 1 cup of frozen corn, also thawed
  • 1 cup of cubed avocado 
  • 1 cup of pico de gallo
  • Add in a pinch of salt for some additional flavor (optional)

To make this recipe, all you need to do is simply combine these four ingredients together. You can go with some chips, or even some cucumber slices to go along with this salsa recipe. If stored properly, this recipe could also last you a decent bit while in the fridge! 

Cucumbers
Along with this recipe, cucumbers are also great to dip in ranch, hummus, cream cheese, and more!

The main ingredients of this recipe all offer unique health benefits of their own. Edamame is another excellent source of protein with lots of fiber, nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Similar to zucchini, corn is always really impactful for your overall eye health. Yellow corn is the source of various carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin. Avocados and pico de gallo both provide plant chemicals that have been proven to help keep cholesterol to a healthy level. This recipe can be made at any point during the football season no matter the weather outside, and will always leave your taste buds feeling satisfied and refreshed! 

Start planning

Do any of these recipes stand out to you? If so, consider buying the ingredients necessary in preparation for the next football game. You won’t be disappointed with any of these various savory, sweet, salty, and spicy recipes!

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