(say that fast 5 times!)

It’s fall tailgating season, so I thought I would share some fun tips for tailgating.  Weather your favorite team is the Texans or the Aggies – we can all appreciate good pre-game food and friends.  Some suggestions for healthy menus are:

1. Lentil Chili with low-fat sour cream, baked tortilla chips, and reduced calorie cheddar cheese for toppings.  Use the same seasonings as you would with regular chili, only substitute red lentils.  Really tasty and filling but easy on the calories.  If you aren’t quite ready to go vegetarian try using lean turkey or extra lean beef for your chili.

Add veggies and dip, fruit tray, and some crusty whole wheat bread and you have a tailgate.

2. Jambalaya made with lean beef/turkey, lean ham, and Venison sausage.  I discovered Holmes brand Venison sausage a couple years ago at my local HEB and fell in love.  I hadn’t had good smoked sausage in ages because the fat content just didn’t fit into my plan.  Now I can make my favorites with none of the guilt or tummy ache.  The Holmes Venison sausage is loaded with flavor and very lean.

I make a tossed salad and whole wheat garlic bread to round out the meal.  I also use brown rice in my recipe to bump up the whole grains.  I love fruit salad with this menu to offset the spice in the jambalaya.

3. Boiled shrimp and cocktail sauce (extra spicy, please), Veggies and dip, Turkey po-boys made with lean turkey and low fat mayo/mustard and toppings, whole-wheat and veggie pasta salad, chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert.

4. Pita chips and hummus (don’t freak, hummus is just bean dip), Greek Bulgar Salad, Grilled Veggie pitas with low fat yogurt/cucumber/garlic sauce, and a splurge of Baklava for dessert.

5. Go traditional – Lean beef or turkey burgers, Venison Sausage, Reduced Fat Hot Dogs/turkey/soy dogs, Veggie Burgers – whole wheat buns with all the toppings, Baked chips and dip on the side, grilled sweet potato wedges, and tossed salad.  Finish off with a low-fat apple cake or even grilled pineapple slices.

Most of these menus can be prepped very easily from home, brought to the tailgating site in a big cooler, and then grilled if needed.  Think simple, substitutes, and delicious.

Along with food, most tailgate parties have good quantities of adult beverages to help folks with their cheering voices.  If your tailgate is one such tailgate, try these few tips:

1. Hydrate – before, during, and after

2. Light Beer if you are a beer drinker

3. Pace yourself, have plenty of non-alcoholic drinks on hand

4. Limit yourself a bit – you would hate to drink ALL of your day’s calories, right?

Final thoughts:

Tailgate parties are just that – parties.  They are special events and don’t happen that often.  Make sure to build some wiggle room into your eating plans and enjoy yourself! Fit in an extra class to make up for the splurge and no guilt.

Now – go forth – cheer – have fun – and most importantly, be safe.