Healthy Snack Swaps: Simple Pure Whole Strategies & Recipes for Satisfying Game Day & Everyday Snacking!

Snacking is central to many of ournut favorite social gatherings. It can help satisfy our hunger, provide an energy boost between meals and give us a chance to enjoy delicious food with friends and family. Choosing nutritious real food snacks is also a great way to curb cravings and avoid munching away mindlessly. 

With fall in the air and football season upon us, it is also the season of tailgating and game-day gatherings. These lively events are full of fun, festivities, friends and of course lots of food! While the typical spread may not always be packed with nutritious real food options, there are many tasty tailgate treats that you can bring along to stick to your balanced, healthy lifestyle and Simple | Pure | Whole^TM way of eating!
Whether your snacking personality is spicy, crunchy, sweet, savory or a combination of flavors, the key to healthy snacking is sticking to nutrient-rich, satisfying choices based on whole, real foods. These options give you a nutritious boost in a reasonable portion size, to help you avoid overdoing it.

Try these healthy snack ideas to bring to your next tailgate or game-day gathering. You can use the strategies and tips from my blog post on How to Pack a Healthy, Non-Toxic Lunchbox as well, to transport your healthy game-day snacks in a safe, non-toxic way!

For 20+ new recipes including healthy snacks featuring fall produce, check out my Fall Action Plan Festive Cookbook, the perfect fall companion for allergy-friendly, balanced, healthy recipe ideas that are easy to prepare and everyone will enjoy! Start planning your healthy Thanksgiving, family gathering or fall gameday party today with these delicious ideas plus a BONUS e-cookbook with over 50 delicious healthy recipes for any season!

Savory & Creamy:

Instead of sodium-laden dips full of preservatives and processed fats, make your own healthy hummus, pesto or salsa to enjoy with fresh cut organic veggies or baked gluten-free crackers.

• Cut up veggies like crisp carrots and celery, sweet red pepper slices and refreshing cucumber spears to dip into creamy hummus. 
• For a light, refreshing relish or salsa, make my Cucumber & Radish Relish with Lime Vinaigrette:

Salty & Crunchy:

Avoid fried tortilla chips or potato chips drenched in refined oils and choose salty, crunchy snacks like baked veggie chips or homemade trail mix instead.

• Make your own customized trail mix with your favorite organic raw nuts, crunchy raw seeds, naturally dried fruit without sulfites or preservatives, organic coconut chips and even raw cacao nibs for a chocolatey superfood indulgance. The nuts and seeds provide a good dose of satisfying fats and protein to keep you satisfied with a small 1/4 cup or less serving size, while the fruit and cacao nibs balance out the flavors.
• I have several delicious varieties of kale chips in my Glorious Greens for Great Health Cookbook and virtual Workshop!

Warm & Satisfying:

When you fire up the grill, remember your options beyond the traditional hamburgers and hot dogs.

• Grilled veggie skewers are a great tailgating option that can easily be prepared ahead of time to quickly pop on the grill. Cut bell peppers, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, squash and onion into slices or chunks and thread onto skewers. Soak in a marinade of fresh lemon juice, coconut oil, minced fresh herbs and a dash of coconut aminos for a flavor boost. Alternatively, you can use grilling baskets to keep your veggies safely over the grill. 
• Baked Chickpeas are another warm, satisfying snack option. Simply rinse chickpeas, drain well and spread on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sea salt and roast for ~30mins at 375F for a crispy, protein-packed snack.

Simple & Sweet:

Opt for naturally sweet fruit and simple grain-free baked goods to satisfy your sweet tooth without spiking your blood sugar and crashing your energy.

• Pack a batch of my Gluten-Free Spiced Ginger Coconut Cashew Protein Granola Bars for a convenient grab and go snack or dessert option that will keep your energy stable and satisfy your hunger.
• My Sunny Cherry Grain-Free Vegan Cookies are grain-free. gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and egg-free but still delicious and packed with nutrition! You won’t feel deprived with their simple, real food ingredients but get the healthy benefits of avoiding added preservatives, chemicals and additives.

These crowd-pleasing snacks will satisfy while avoiding risking mindless eating or veering from your healthy ways. For more healthy snacking ideas, check out these great tips & snacking strategies from Nuts.com and check out the range of snacks, entrees and even healthy desserts in my Glorious Greens for Great Health virtual workshop and cookbook!! 

 

What are your favorite healthy game-day snacks? 

If you enjoy this Simple | Pure | Whole^TM recipe and want more allergy-friendly healthy options, I would love to have you as part of my free Insider’s Community where you will receive wellness resources, news and opportunities along with a special free gift! Get your FREE Chapters from The Whole Cure and purchase your copy of the paperback or Kindle edition today on Amazon!

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This post was shared with: Motivation Monday, Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural” Party Hop, Tuesday’s Table, Two Cup Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Tip Tuesday, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Pin Worthy Wednesday, Create & Share DIY & Recipe Party, Create It Thursday,  Full Plate Thursday, Crafty & Delicious Party, Plant-Based Potluck, Allergy-Free Wednesday, Family Fun Friday, Gluten-Free Fridays, Weekend Retreat, Real Food Fridays, Friday’s Five Features, Savoring Saturdays