15 Healthy Super Bowl Snacks

“Healthy” doesn’t have to mean a salad on that table. (Photo by Ryan McVay.)

All right, so I know that some people consider Super Bowl Sunday foods sacred, and that you are truly looking forward to indulging this weekend on whatever ritual pizza/beer/chips/etc. is your tradition. In my experience, even suggesting healthy recipes to certain friends and family on this day can get ugly. Fast. So, if you want to have pizza and beer — go for it. If you maintain an overall healthy lifestyle, one day should not stress you out.

But … if you are willing to open up your mind to the possibilities, there is a way to enjoy delicious and, yes, healthy food while watching the Patriots win on Sunday. I have scoured the web and enlisted the help of the most talented dietitians and foodies around to bring you this list of 15 healthy party food ideas:

1. Oven “fried” Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
2. Spiked Avocado – Check out the second paragraph for this simple idea from Kathleen Searles.
3. The Nutrition Babes Garlic Shrimp – Shrimp makes awesome low-calorie, high-protein finger food that everyone will love. Have someone who is watching their cholesterol? Don’t worry, even though shrimp gets a bad rap for its high cholesterol content, it has no saturated fat – and that’s the real contributor to blood cholesterol levels. Try this Delicious Shrimp Dip or cocktail sauce for dipping.
4. Sriracha Spiked Artichoke Dip – Go for the 1/2 mayonnaise, 1/2 Greek yogurt version.
5. Toasted Baguette Slices with Hummus and Olive Tapenade – This is a super quick and easy appetizer.
6. Opposing-Sides Two-Bean Dip – dunk away because this dip is heart-healthy!
7. Pork and Pinto Bean Nachos
8. Mango Red Pepper Salsa – delicious on whole wheat crackers or with Garden of Eatin’ Black Bean Tortilla Chips, which you can find at Whole Foods.
9. Fruit Kebabs – Simply cut chunks of fruit and alternate with cubes of Cabot 50 perfect reduced fat cheddar on skewers.
10. Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
11. Grilled Tortilla Pizzas – If you aren’t going to fire up the grill this Sunday, then try making these in a toaster oven.
12. Quick Veggie Dip – This one is a French onion dip but you could also make ranch by cutting up parsley, garlic, chives, and lemon juice. Serve with a veggie tray.
13. Salt and Vinegar Nuts or Seeds – This recipe is for pumpkin seeds, but if you can’t find those, try almonds.
14. Spicy Roasted Garbanzo Beans
15. Edamame – purchase a bag of frozen edamame, steam, and serve sprinkled with a little salt.

Do you have a healthy Super Bowl party food idea? Please share!