“On Sundays, we watch football.”
In our house, we love watching sports. One of our most favorite days is Super Bowl Sunday and hosting a Super Bowl Party. Super Bowl parties are fun! There is a lot of excitement when gathering with family and friends to watch the commercials, eat delicious food, and maybe even watch a little football. Super Bowl Sunday is unofficially considered the second biggest day of eating right behind Thanksgiving.
Similar to the holidays, eating at a Super Bowl Party can be tricky to navigate when wanting to live a healthy lifestyle. Establishing a game plan of how we are going to eat at any party is helpful to do before attending. Below are tips that can help with keeping a healthy mindset and eating balanced at parties.
Tips for Eating Healthy at Parties:
Bring healthy dishes to the party. No matter what type of gathering you are going to, if you are bringing food, pick a dish that adds healthy food choices to the table. Try our Game Day Spinach Artichoke Dip!
Eat normal meals before the party. Be sure to follow your regular eating times the day of a big party. Skipping meals and snacks the day of a party can leave you too hungry and more likely to overeat.
Drink lots of water. It is always important to stay hydrated. One benefit of adequate hydration is hunger control. On party days, drink water before, during, and after the party.
Check out all the foods being offered before you fill a plate. Pick which foods you really want to be sure you try and pass on foods that are easy for you to not have at a party..
Stand away from the table where food is served. If you are visiting away from the food table during the party, you are less likely to keep munching on snacks you aren’t hungry for anymore.
Liquid calories count. Drinking alcoholic beverages and/or sugar drinks do not fill us up the same way eating food does. These drinks do have calories and they add up quickly. It is important to be mindful of how many calorie-filled drinks you are consuming and space them out by drinking water in between.
Portion size matters most. Be mindful of how you are filling your plate. It is okay to come back for seconds if you are still hungry. When eating foods that are high in fat and calories, a small portion may be enough to enjoy and savor the food.
Don’t be a member of the “clean plate club”. It is okay to not finish all the food you portioned out for yourself at the party. If there is food you don’t care for, don’t continue to eat it just because you took some. Leaving food behind is acceptable especially when listening to your hunger and fullness cues.
Fill up on fruits and vegetables. If you are most likely to graze throughout the party, be sure to choose fruits and vegetables the most. This way you will feel better at the end of the party and have filled up on nutrient-rich foods.
Relax. It is important to enjoy our favorite foods and treats. Taking time to eat, sitting to eat, and feeling relaxed while eating allows us to truly taste and delight in each bite.
