Making SuperBowl Snacks
Become your own chef to save money, eat healthier and have fun in the kitchen.
The Super Bowl is happening in a few days. A big part of this day is the food. In grocery stores, there are lots of tempting snack foods. On social media, the grilling gurus show us ways to spend hours cooking a brisket of beef.
Making your own Super
Bowl Snacks has many benefits:
Save money. Instead of buying ready made food, find recipes, get the ingredients and make your own.
Food preparation with friends is fun. Invite the gang over 1 hour earlier and make your own snack food. Examples are hummus, chicken wings and drumsticks, vegetable tray and dips, loaded potato strips. Crank the music and assign duties, including cleanup.
It is healthier! Prepared foods from stores and restaurants are higher in salt and fat to make it taste better. Do you think those football players are eating that stuff? They may pay a chef to make the food for them; you can be your own chef and create healthier food for yourself.
Preparation ideas:
Print recipes and create a shopping list. Check your cupboards and fridge for ingredients that you already have.
Figure out timing. Here is a rough outline for a few snack foods.
Stuffed potatoes take the longest time - Wash, wrap each in foil and put into the oven to roast - may take an hour, depending on the size. If not done, finish in the microwave. When cooked, cut lengthwise into wedges, remove some of the inner potato and load with bacon bits, pickled peppers, chopped tomato. Finish with grated cheese. Bake in the oven after the chicken is done if you don’t have the oven space. Serve with sour cream and chopped green onions.
Wings and/or drumsticks - Toss them in a coating mix (panko crumbs, garlic powder, dried lemon peel, chili powder), line a baking sheet with parchment paper (not waxed) and pop into the oven. While that is cooking, make the dips.
Dips - Hummus is made by grinding chick peas, garlic, lemon, oil and tahini in a blender or processor. A creamy dip could be a thick salad dressing, or sour cream mixed with garlic powder, salt and pepper, smoked paprika and ancho chili powder. Put into the fridge to cool.
Vegetables - Celery and carrot sticks, plus endive for scooping up lots of dip. Slice fresh bell peppers; get the different colors of peppers if available.
Serving - Put the wings/drumsticks and potatoes on trays or plates, serve the vegetable tray with the dips, and some good quality chips.
When buying chips, if you can eat them all in one sitting they are not good quality. If you had enough after a handful or two, they are better for you. Companies research how to make food addictive and that stuff is not good for you!
If the above plan is too much to do or consider, select one or two ideas. The goal is to have protein (meat, beans, nuts for example), vegetables and maybe some fruit.
The result will be pride because you created this feast yourself, or with friends.
Your body will be happier because you fed it nourishing, tasty food.
Find ways to make easy healthy food.
You may be rewarded with a healthier body in the coming years; however there are no guarantees.
Another easy option is individual pizzas. Everyone helps with preparing the toppings, like cooking shrimp, slicing fresh peppers, gathering the meats like salami and pepperoni, plus grating the cheese and setup.
Each person can spread some pizza sauce on their pie, then add their toppings.
The hard part will be cooking but with some cooperation, it can be done of course.
Remember, get everyone to pitch in with the cleanup too.