football

As we all soak-up this last weekend of summer, we’re also anxiously ushering in the new fall season. And that means one thing – football! This Saturday is the kick-off to college football, and that means stadium parking lots and backyards alike will be fired-up with team spirit and plenty of food. As our dietitian explains, it is possible to socialize without blowing your diet, and without feeling deprived.

So as you grocery shop for snacks and cookout grub, consider some of these healthy tailgating recipes and food swaps. Odds are, they’ll taste better and no one will recognize the difference as they polish off a platter of leaner foods.

Tailgating Food Swaps

• Pork Bratwurst for Turkey Brats: It’s a difference of 450 calories and 37 grams of fat for the pork, versus 160 calories and 9 grams of fat for the turkey. Still boil in beer and soak in mustard and they’re really quite tasty.
  

Did you know that Super Bowl Sunday is known as the second biggest single day of food consumption (right behind Thanksgiving Day)? Football, friends, and food are some of the main descriptors of Super Bowl; and food on this day plays a prominent role. Therefore, it is extremely important to keep two things in mind: 1) food safety and 2) nutrition.

Food Safety

• Because Super Bowl parties can last for several hours, it’s imperative to keep track of the food you have out for your guests.
• Certain foods (containing mayo, sour cream, meats, etc.) should not be out at room temperature for longer than two hours because you don’t want to enter the “Danger Zone.”
  

Are you guys ready for some football? How about some recipes that will satisfy that innate need to munch during the Superbowl, keep even the manliest appetites satisfied, and that have less fat and calories than the typical game-day fare. You better be ready because we’ve got them! Curtis Stone appeared on Biggest Loser season 7 episode 4, and showed the contestants their stand-by appetizer favorites, and some healthy alternatives.

Watch Curtis prepare these dishes, and grab the recipes below.

• Instead of the Mexican-style layer dip with 1755 calories, try this 7 Layer Dip with shrimp and vegetables.
  

Our guest post today comes today comes to us from Andrew Rubalcava, a 26-year-old native of Los Angeles, runs the health and fitness blog Go Healthy Go Fit. His “Healthy Tailgating Recipes” series has featured the top authorities on the grill, including Ray Lampe, author of The NFL Gameday Cookbook and David Joachim, author of The Tailgater’s Cookbook. As we prepare for the Steelers vs. Cardinals to face-off on February 1, he offers some healthier snack choices.

Buffalo Wings Are Out: Deli Platters Are In

Everyone gets deep fried wings, but it takes originality to be a good host. Go to your local supermarket deli and order a platter comprised of beef, chicken and/or turkey cold cuts.

On Thanksgiving, I will be surrounded by 40-50 family members. After we share our feast from appetizers to desserts, several of us will find a spot in front of the television to watch football and doze through commercials. Although I would like to see the Lions hand the Titans another loss (I am a true blue Colts fan!), surrendering to “turkey-daze” is part of the holiday, right? It is commonly believed that the tryptophan in turkey induces sleepiness; however, there is more to our holiday drowsiness than this one chemical.

Tryptophan is one of ten amino acids that the body cannot manufacture on its own and must be supplemented through diet. Tryptophan aids in the production of the B-vitamin niacin which then assists the body’s production of serotonin. Serotonin helps us regulate mood, aggression, anxiety, impulsiveness, body temperature, appetite, and sleep. However serotonin cannot cross the blood brain barrier, meaning we cannot create more serotonin in our bodies.