Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner, and we all know what comes along with it…a feast full of delectable finger foods. Let’s be honest, many of these are less than ideal for our health and we know it. So, let’s not deny the fact that we love these foods and they’re associated with a great time! Denying it only leads to shame and guilt when we indulge in them.

Instead of trying to eliminate these foods altogether or thinking that we’ll actually have some self-control this time and not continue eating the entire evening, let’s learn to enjoy ourselves while indulging in healthier alternatives that will actually contribute to our bodies feeling better! What’s the sense in trying to enjoy life when the things we love are taken away from us? We just need better options, and that’s what I’m going to provide in this article.

Here is my Top 10 list of healthier Super Bowl Sunday snack alternatives. Try one, two, or all of them! Remember, you’re not taking anything away, you’re just making slightly better substitutions.

1.     Chips, Guacamole, and Salsa

It doesn’t get much easier than this, folks. All it takes to make this a healthier option is to replace the traditional Tostito’s chips with a slightly better alternative that’s made from plant-based flours and avocado oil rather than sunflower and/or safflower and/or canola oil (which is largely what you will see on traditional tortilla chip ingredient lists). One such brand with these better ingredients is Siete. Look for it at your local grocery store or find a brand with similar ingredients.

Guac is super easy to make. Start with five ripe avocados. Smash them and add in ½ diced tomato, ¼ diced onion, 2-3 cloves of garlic, cilantro, juice of lime, and salt to taste. Mix it all up and adjust the seasonings and lime for the flavor you desire.

Choose a basic salsa without any added sugars. It’s delicious, flavorful, and packs a bunch of veggies and herbs.

2.     Cheese and Almond Flour Crackers

Skip the boring white flour crackers and go with an alternative made from plant-based flours. A tasty brand that I’ve found is Hu. They’re on the smaller side, but still tasty, and they have multiple flavors. You can find them at your local Whole Foods Market or choose another alternative with similar ingredients.

Choose a cheese that has been aged at least six months. These cheeses often provide more nutrient value, a more favorable fatty acid profile, and are very flavorful. Check out this article for a list of nine healthy cheeses you can try. I also really like the Kerrygold brand of cheeses.

3.     Bacon-wrapped Dates

Like bacon? Like dates? Perfect! Wrap the dates in bacon, put them in the oven, and enjoy! Simple as that. Try this recipe if you want some cream cheese along with that. You may be asking yourself, “Bacon? That’s healthy?” Remember, this is about making better and healthier choices. So, how do we make bacon slightly better and healthier? Look for bacon without added sugars and uncured like this brand. As for the dates, they are high in sugar indeed, however, they’re a whole food and do contain fiber, which will slow the absorption of sugar. Enjoy them but be mindful of how much you’re eating. If you’re still hungry but you’ve had a bunch of these, opt for a lower-sugar option like guac as your next helping of food.

4.     Ezekiel Burgers

Ezekiel refers to the brand of bun you are using for your burgers. Skip the white flour buns that provide zero nutritional value and try the Ezekiel brand instead. If you haven’t tried the bread, you must! It makes for a very delicious avocado toast as well. Just making this one simple switch instantly boosts the nutritional value of your burgers (more fiber, more vitamins, more minerals).

For the meat, opt for grass-fed and finished ground beef or bison. 85/15 protein-to-fat ratio is typical and packs more flavor, but if you want to go leaner then 93/7 is also a readily available option at the grocery stores. Take it easy on the ketchup, as much of what people still buy contains high fructose corn syrup. Try a better brand like Primal Kitchen. Add some sliced onions and a pickle to your burger and you’ve got yourself a pretty darn good healthier option.

5.     Air Fried Wings or Chicken Nuggets

The air fryer has been an absolute game changer for my home cooking experience. It essentially circulates hot air via fan in a mini oven and cooks your food into a nice crispy goodness, without the need for frying it in oil. Buy yourself some plain pasture-raised chicken wings or chicken breasts (chop these into little cubes to make nuggets). Toss them in some healthier breading like Paleo Powder and let them cook at the desired air fryer preset option. After you take them out, you can dip them in some buffalo sauce or ranch dressing if you desire. Noble Made buffalo sauce and Primal Kitchen ranch are both great options! 

6.     Coconut Flour Tortilla Tacos

Like the burgers mentioned above, tacos are a very easy food to upgrade to a healthier option. All you have to do is swap out the boring white flour or corn flour tortillas with a plant-based alternative like Sana coconut flour tortillas! Be sure to warm them up prior to eating so they’re softer and more enjoyable. Also, skip the traditional Ortega taco sauce (which is filled with corn syrup) and try a simple homemade recipe like this one. Add some tomatoes, lettuce, and a sprinkle of cheese and that’s a pretty big step in the right direction toward helping your body feel better after the big game!

7.     Deviled Eggs 

Eggs are packed with nutrition and the “deviled” variety can make for a very delicious snack. The myth that cholesterol in the yolks is “bad for you” has long been debunked. You should through the myth out the window instead of your yolks. There is plenty of evidence to show that yolks from pastured chickens or omega-3 enriched eggs are highly beneficial for health and don’t make your cholesterol numbers worse.

You will be using your egg yolks to make these deviled eggs. I found this great recipe for twelve different varieties! All have the same initial preparation process, and you simply switch up the toppings of the eggs to your liking. Be sure to use a mayo like Primal Kitchen brand to ensure you are eating higher quality fats, and you’re golden!

8.     Whole30 Buffalo Chicken Dip

Who doesn’t love Buffalo Chicken Dip on Super Bowl Sunday!? Traditionally, Buffalo Chicken Dip is made with cheese, but if you don’t handle large quantities of cheese very well this can turn into a problem. So, I found a better alternative that does not include cheese but is just as delicious! Give this recipe a shot and use the crackers I mentioned above. I personally like some diced celery in the dip as well, so that may be worth adding to the recipe. 

9.     Paleo Nachos

Once I found this recipe it became a staple in my household. You simply replace the nacho chips with sweet potato chips! You can either bake them or throw them in the air fryer. The air fryer will make them a bit crispier in my experience. As mentioned above, be sure to use grass-fed and finished ground beef to maximize the nutrient value of the meat, and feel free to sprinkle some cheese or sour cream on top if you’d like.

Sweet potatoes are packed with fiber and micronutrients versus classic tortilla chips which have next to none. It’s amazing how much of a difference one simple switch can make.

10.  Sprouted Grain Crust Pizza

Skip Papa John’s and Domino’s. They will be busy enough delivering to those that are unaware of healthier alternatives. But you will be making a faster, cheaper, and more delicious pizza using a sprouted whole grain crust like the Flatzza brand. If you can’t find it, just look for another pizza crust option that uses sprouted whole grains in the recipe. This will provide much more fiber and micronutrient content than regular white flour in traditional pizzas. We’re not trying to change everything at once, so put whatever usual ingredients on it you desire, but make sure to add at least one vegetable (e.g. spinach, onions, peppers) to further increase the micronutrient content of your pie.

That concludes my Top 10 list of healthier yet still delicious Super Bowl Sunday snack options. In closing, as you enjoy your day, please keep the following three simple principles in the back of your mind. You may not always follow them, but you may also find that they’ll help when you need them most:

• Chew your food slowly and make it last

• Eat until satisfied (~80% full)

• Before eating more food, ask yourself these questions first:

  • “Am I bored?”

  • “Am I stressed or tired?”

  • “Am I actually thirsty instead of hungry?”

If you answer yes to any of these questions you probably don’t need more food. Recognize the situation, then decide.

about the author

Coach Adrian Wolff has been working in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and group fitness coach since 2016. He grew up in Chicago, IL playing ice hockey, soccer, and tennis, and developed his passion for fitness while serving as an officer in the U.S. Navy.

Shortly after leaving active duty, he began a career in the fitness industry as a volunteer CrossFit coach. Then he decided to pursue a master’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. While working on his degree, he continued to coach people of various backgrounds in the aspects of sports performance, functional fitness, and nutrition.

He graduated with a Master of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Physiology in 2019, and moved to Las Vegas. He continues to work with youth to Division 1 collegiate athletes, and everyday people to help them achieve their fitness goals.