The 10 Healthiest Foods for Tailgating

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We know many of you get as much joy out of watching sports as you do from playing them. While during the week, it is easy to keep yourself flush with protein shakes and egg whites, it is just as easy to let that go to the wayside when you take a time out from your fitness lifestyle for a Sunday Funday. Sneaker Report wants you to remember that you don’t have to sacrifice your fitness regimen for the sake of your halftime snack regimen. Here are the 10 Healthiest Tailgating Foods to help you take the “pig” out of “pigskin”.

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No. 10 - Turkey Burgers

We love a medium rare burger on game day as much anyone else, but going with turkey over beef does make a huge difference. A turkey burger can have as few as half the calories, half the fat, and one-third of the saturated fat of lean ground beef.

No. 9 - BBQ Chicken Breast

We love wings as much as anyone. Give us blue cheese dressing and a waitress in a skintight referee’s uniform and we are in Sunday afternoon heaven. The breasts you should be focusing on, however, are those on your plate. Chicken breasts have more meat than wings; with wings you can actually end up eating more skin than meat. Also, fried foods can contain double the calories of their grilled counterparts, so whatever part of the chicken you decide to eat, do not toss it in the deep fryer.

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No. 8 - Bloody Mary

Between Saturday Night shenanigans and Sunday afternoon debauchery, why not squeeze in this hangover helper? Not only will get some hair of the dog that bit you, but you’ll also land a few servings of veggies.

No. 7 -  Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potatoes have several health benefits over regular potatoes, including a heavy dose of vitamin A. Unfortunately, to truly reap the health benefits of sweet potato fries, you will probably have to make them yourself. Most restaurants that make these use hydrogenated oil to cook up any fries they serve. You should consider canola or even olive oil if you prepare these on your own.

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No. 6 - Party Sub

We’re not here to tell you anything that Jared hasn’t been preaching for years. Cut out the mayo and extra cheese and load your sandwich with vegetables. Taking a break from the Italian style sub and opting for chicken or turkey could end up saving you hundreds of calories.

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No. 5 - Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Spinach and artichokes are two of the best vegetables for your health. Sour cream, mayonnaise and cheese can take your dip down a notch, so be prepared to get creative with the ingredients if you want to keep this dip on the nutritious side. Even the way that you prepare this dish can change how healthy it is. Think outside the bowl and reap the benefits of vitamin K, calcium, antioxidants and fiber provided by these two stellar veggies.

No. 4 - Bean Dip

Beans are known as a great source of fiber (which is also what makes them notoriously musical), but they also provide a host of other nutrients, including folate, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium. Just be careful with how much cheese and sour cream you add your dipping concoction.

No. 3 - Deviled Eggs

It is easy to overlook this low-carb food as a health-conscious possibility, but eggs are a large part of many a gym rat's diet. You might want to consider a yogurt base rather than one prepped with mayonnaise and using half a yoke per egg to make the dish even healthier.

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No. 2 - Shrimp Cocktail

Seafood has all sorts of health benefits especially when compared with your typical tailgating meats. But, if you aren’t up to cooking up some gourmet salmon burgers, just grabbing a sack of shrimp can go a long way for your health. Shrimp offers a host of health benefits, from those you would expect, like building stronger bones (thanks to high calcium levels), to helping you stave off depression (with omega-3s).

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No. 1 - Guacamole

Guacamole is not exactly the best way to trim the waistline, as one avocado contains over three hundred calories. However, guacamole is packed with a number of vitamins and other nutrients that provide major health benefits, including decreasing your chances of heart disease, stroke, and even cancer.

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