If You Avoid Any Super Bowl Snacks—It Should Be These

For the sake of tradition, there’s no point in trying to swear off all delicious food this weekend. After all, there’s nothing better than enjoying something tasty while watching hours upon hours of football—and entertaining commercials.

Now, considering that many of us in the great state of GA are in a bit of a football hangover, we may be doing more eating than watching. Unfortunately, though, many of the go-to foods for Super Bowl Sunday aren’t exactly healthy—that’s right, we’re talking about you, buffalo chicken dip.

By now you’re probably tired of seeing different, healthy Super Bowl snack recipes, so instead of adding to that list, we’re opting for a short list of the unhealthiest foods you should steer clear of (or at least limit your intake).

   1. Deep-Fried Wings. You may try and argue that these tasty eats are full of enough protein to be considered healthy. That’s not exactly the case—nice try, though. Unfortunately, many deep-fried varieties boast a whopping amount of saturated fat and calories.

But if you’re someone that sees the wing as just a vessel for the delectable sauce, you can try a baked wing recipe, or cauliflower wings.

   2. Nachos. With nachos you’re getting the perfect trifecta of spicy, salty and meaty. And while they have no shortage of taste, they also have no shortage of calories, fat and salt (nearly a whole day’s worth).

If you can’t live without the chips, try a low-sodium variety with a side of fresh salsa or guacamole. You can also do a healthy taco bar!

   3. Dip. Whether you’re a fan of the sour cream and onion variety, or ooey-gooey queso, it doesn’t exactly matter—neither one is particularly healthy. Not only do these dips pack a surprisingly high amount of calories and saturated fat, the chips you use aren’t doing you any favors.

To avoid a double dip of calories, try opting for a healthy dip like hummus. Even better, you can use assorted veggies to dip.

   4. Pizza. I don’t like anything covered in delicious marinara, cheese and toppings—said no one ever. Pizza is always a fan favorite and it’s hard to argue with its convenience and versatility. But, once you add up all the fat and calories, for just two slices, it may not be worth it.

However, if you just can’t go without pizza, at least try loading up on healthy toppings, like veggies. And make sure to opt for thin crust.

   5. Fried potatoes. Delicious, fried potatoes come in all shapes and sizes—fries, wedges, curls tater tots and many, many more. Don’t let their mouth-watering golden color fool you, though. They’re loaded with calories, saturated fat and salt. Just one order of fries can cost you close to 600 calories.

An easy way to get your fix is to try making your own fries by using fresh potatoes (with a little olive oil and seasoning) baked in the oven. You can your potatoes into fry shapes, or make old-fashioned potato skins.

Score a touchdown for good health.

It’s hard to turn down delicious snack after delicious snack—we know. And after covering just a few of the top finger-foods for Super Bowl Sunday, it’s no wonder that this day is known as the second biggest eating day each year (after Thanksgiving). But it doesn’t have to be.

Give some of these tasty, and healthy, options a try. And don’t just stop there. Make sure to work with your primary care provider to ensure that you are receiving customized care for all of your unique health needs. Choose Gwinnett Medical Group Primary Care for the win.