Healthy Tailgating Recipes (2024)

Credit: Mark Thomas; Styling: Gerri Williams

Score big points for your waistline with these lightened versions of classic tailgating recipes and hearty football fare.

Honey-Ginger Chicken Bites

Tailgating Gone Light Tout

There's no need to sacrifice your favorite tailgating recipes just because you're trying to eat healthy. Enjoy the bold flavors of chicken wings, deviled eggs, potato salad, chili, and cupcakes without any guilt. These recipes have the same great flavor as their traditional counterparts but with a fraction of the fat and calories.

First up, we have Honey-Ginger Chicken Bites. These bite-sized appetizers are steeped in a mixture of garlic, soy sauce, ginger, citrus, and honey for the perfect punch of protein on game day!

Recipe:Honey-Ginger Chicken Bites

Cheesy Potato Casserole

Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe

Rather than using sodium-loaded canned soup, we made our own creamy sauce to update this dish.

Microwave Sweet Potato Chips

Microwave Sweet Potato Chips Recipe

Simple, easy, and at less than 50 calories per serving, what’s not to love about these Microwave Sweet Potato Chips? You’ll want to go ahead and make two or three batches because they’ll disappear before you even know it.

White Chocolate, Strawberry, and Oatmeal Cookies

White Chocolate, Strawberry, and Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Stud these cookies with white chocolate morsels and dried strawberries for a flavorful twist on the traditional oatmeal cookie. Pack the cookies tins to keep them fresh and prevent them from crumbling on the drive to the game.

Lemon-Caper Parmesan Potato Salad Bites

Lemon-Caper Parmesan Potato Salad Bites Recipe

Turn "jacket potatoes" into irresistible potato salad bites. Capers offer a twist on traditional relish; they're actually pickled flower buds and add bright, briny flavor to this appetizer.

Glazed Cocktail Meatballs image

Glazed Cocktail Meatballs Recipe

These mini meatballs are perfect for holiday parties and tailgating. We made them healthier by forgoing sodium-heavy ingre­dients like the usual ketchup and chili sauce and including whole-grain bulgur in place of breadcrumbs. You can also serve a larger portion of these meatballs for weeknight dinner. To up the kid-friendly factor, omit the ground red pepper in the glaze and serve with mashed potatoes (à la Swedish meatballs).

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños Recipe

The rich and creamy combination of bacon, cream cheese, and cheddar nicely contrasts the muted spice of grilled jalapeño peppers. This appetizer recipe is a healthy, fresh alternative to the popular breaded and fried version.

salt-vinegar-boneless-wings

Salt-and-Vinegar Boneless "Wings" Recipe

The popular potato chip flavor translates fantastically to boneless "wings." OK, admittedly, they're basically chicken fingers, but for game day, we're calling them boneless wings. Be sure to line the baking sheet with parchment paper, as the chicken tends to stick to aluminum foil, even if it's coated with cooking spray.

Smoky Carrot Dogs with Nacho Sauce

Smoky Carrot Dogs with Nacho Sauce Recipe

We've embellished the humble carrot to mimic the smoky taste and snappy texture of a hot dog. To lend a dairy-free cheesy flavor to plant-based nacho sauce, we use nutritional yeast; look for it in health food stores or well-stocked specialty grocers. Our recipe saves 8g saturated fat over standard cheese dogs without losing any of the flavor.

Loaded Chorizo Nachos

Loaded Chorizo Nachos Recipe

When we say loaded, we mean it. These nachos require a fork for scooping up all the tasty fillings. Building on a foil-lined pan means instant cleanup: Bring the pan right to the table after broiling, and discard the foil after dinner.

jalapeno-popper-bean-dip

Jalapeño Popper Bean Dip Recipe

Think beyond tortilla chips for this crowd-pleasing dip. You don't want to deny guests the deliciousness of chips, but those can get a little heavy; supplement with veggie dippers to keep things lighter overall. We suggest mini sweet peppers because their sweetness helps offset the heat of the jalapeños.

Chunky Muhammara

Chunky Muhammara Recipe

Build a healthy "snack dinner" platter with this flavor-packed dip at the center--surround it with crunchy vegetables and whole-wheat flatbread for dipping, and add a tin of oil-packed sardines, olives, nuts, feta cheese, marinated artichokes, and some dried and fresh fruit for a colorful, well-rounded meal.

ck-Smoky Caramelized Onion Burgers

Smoky Caramelized Onion Burgers Recipe

Sometimes we want our grilled beef patties to have just a little more oomph. These burgers deliver exactly that and more. Caramelized onions and garlic go into the ground sirloin mixture to keep the burgers moist, followed by a bold hit of ground cumin and smoked paprika for a jolt of flavor.

This recipe goes with: Thai Beef-and-Cabbage Salad, Skillet Nacho Dip

Creamy Artichoke Dip

Creamy Artichoke Dip Recipe

This is a creamy, rich, yet healthier riff on the classic—and is great for entertaining. We process half of the artichokes to sneak more veggies into the dip, plus a little tofu to help cut back on cheese and boost protein. Using frozen artichokes instead of canned helps keep sodium in check. Serve each ramekin with different sides—we like a medley of vegetables, crackers, or bread. Or keep it super simple and bake in one larger baking dish.

Open-Faced Meatball Subs

Open-Faced Meatball Subs Recipe

Grab a knife and fork for these mile-high Italian subs.

Goat Cheese Queso Dip with Vegetable Chips image

Goat Cheese Queso Dip with Vegetable Chips Recipe

This warm, tangy twist on fundido is perfect with sparkling wine; the bubbles help cut through the richness. We pair with veggie chips, but you can also serve with crudités for a fresher take.

Sheet Pan Beef and Black Bean Nachos

Sheet Pan Beef and Black Bean Nachos Recipe

Load up the nachos on a baking sheet, then bring straight to the table for easy serving and a great presentation. While we love melted shredded cheese, we found that it makes the nachos a bit unwieldy. Instead, a creamy cheese sauce coats each chip and makes it easier to separate from the pack. Topping potential is endless, but we like sliced avocado and jalapeño.

ck-Family-Style Meatball "Fondue"

Family-Style Meatball "Fondue" Recipe

We're using the term "fondue" loosely; the idea is that everyone scoops into a skillet of cheesy meatballs with hearty bread slices. The meatballs are more tender than traditional versions because they don't include breadcrumbs; we like the softer texture for this type of dish, where you want them to give way easily on the bread.

Smashed Double Cheeseburger Sliders

Smashed Double Cheeseburger Sliders Recipe

Shredded Chicken and Avocado Nacho Salad

Shredded Chicken and Avocado Nacho Salad Recipe

Dinner doesn't get any easier than this five-ingredient salad. And it's bursting with Super Bowl Sunday potential.

Five-Layer Dip

Five-Layer Dip Recipe

This popular party dip gets a face-lift with a few simple changes. Keep fat and calories to a minimum by swapping whole-kernel corn for the customary layer of ground beef.

Greek Yogurt Deviled Eggs

Greek Yogurt Deviled Eggs Recipe

When Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard are exchanged for mayo, this party favorite becomes instantly healthier.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs Recipe

To keep these portable snacks from turning on their sides when serving, use a deviled egg tray.

Parmesan-Crusted Zucchini Fries

Parmesan-Crusted Zucchini Fries Recipe

These savory Parmesan-Crusted Zucchini Fries are less than 100 calories, so go ahead and splurge on their cheesy, garlicky goodness.

Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips

Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips Recipe

By making your own potato chips, you can greatly reduce the amount of calories, fat content and sodium. Use Russet or Idaho baking potatoes for these chips.

Tex-Mex Beef and Bean Dip

Tex-Mex Beef and Bean Dip Recipe

You can make this party dip ahead of time and reheat it when you're ready to serve. Chipotle chile powder is spicy, so adjust the amount to suit your taste.

Creamy Ranch-Style Dip

Creamy Ranch-Style Dip Recipe

What’s a tailgate without ranch dressing? Make your own and save on calories, fat, and sodium. Serve this dip with baby carrots, broccoli florets, or other fresh vegetables.

Peanut Butter Hummus with Cucumber Dippers

Peanut Butter Hummus with Cucumber Dippers Recipe

Packed with protein and full of flavor, this Peanut Butter Hummus is the perfect alternative to unhealthy store-bought dips this tailgating season.

Caramel-Toffee Dip

Caramel-Toffee Dip Recipe

Store bought goodies are often laden with sugar and fat. For a healthy option, serve this slightly sweet Caramel-Toffee Dip with apples slices or graham crackers.

Sour Cream and Onion Dip

Sour Cream and Onion Dip Recipe

Looking for a healthier chip dip? Give this Sour Cream and Onion Dip a try and swap out greasy chips for oven-baked pita Looking for a healthier chip dip? Give this Sour Cream and Onion Dip a try and swap out greasy chips for oven-baked pita chips or crunchy veggies, like celery, bell peppers, and carrots. chips or crunchy veggies, like celery, bell peppers, and carrots.

Double-Chocolate Cupcakes

Double-Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

For a fourth quarter treat, give these rich, chocolatey cupcakes a try. Not only are they packed with antioxidants, they are lower in fat and calories than their store–bought counterparts.

Zesty Green Goddess Dip

Zesty Green Goddess Dip Recipe

Good news! Because fresh herbs are increasingly available, you can make this tangy, peppery dip year-round.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki Recipe

This is a traditional Greek dish that combines cucumber and yogurt. The ingredient piment d'Espelette is a French variety of mild ground chile.

Ham and Cheddar Potato Skins

Ham and Cheddar Potato Skins Recipe

This traditionally high-fat nibble got a lighter makeover to make it much healthier and using smaller potatoes keeps these bites portion-controlled.

Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo Recipe

Pico de Gallo is best when made the day you plan to serve it. Prepare it early the morning of the tailgate enjoy with chips that day.

Creamy Pesto Pinwheels

Creamy Pesto Pinwheels Recipe

Make quick and easy appetizer pinwheels with sandwich bread, cream cheese and prepared pesto.

White Bean and Turkey Chili

White Bean and Turkey Chili Recipe

When the temperature starts to drop, a warm bowl of this hearty chili does just the trick to put you in the football mood. Transfer the chili to your tailgate in a slow–cooker and keep it warm in there throughout the day. Substituted chopped cooked chicken for the turkey, if desired.

Roasted Potato Salad with Mustard Dressing

Roasted Potato Salad with Mustard Dressing Recipe

With flavors from salty bacon, caramelized onions, oven-roasted potatoes, and tangy Dijon mustard, no one will ever guess that this recipe is light. Make the potato salad before the game, store it in an airtight container and then pack it in your cooler until it's time to eat. The recipe makes 8 cups, so double it if you're serving a big crowd.

Cajun Oven-Fried Chicken

Cajun Oven-Fried Chicken Recipe

Ditch the bucket of cold, greasy chicken and load up on these extra–crispy chicken breasts, drumsticks, and thighs. If you want a spicier kick, add a few drops of hot sauce to the buttermilk coating. If you prefer chicken fingers, you can use this same coating mixture on boneless chicken tenders.

Barbecue Pork-and-Coleslaw Hoagies

Barbecue Pork-and-Coleslaw Hoagies Recipe

Transport the slaw, pork, and rolls separately and allow fellow fans to assemble their sandwiches at the tailgate. Making your own creamy slaw results in less fat and calories than a store–bought counterpart.

Potato-Sour Cream Biscuits

Potato-Sour Cream Biscuits Recipe

For those early morning games, stuff these biscuits with ham and pair with a Bloody Mary to kick off the game-day festivities.

Spicy Black Bean Hummus

Spicy Black Bean Hummus Recipe

Black beans are packed with nutrients such as protein, fiber, and iron, so you don't have to worry about empty calories when you dip into this spicy hummus. Serve with baked pita chips or carrot and celery sticks.

Shrimp and Bacon Deviled Eggs

Shrimp and Bacon Deviled Eggs Recipe

Potato flakes add bulk to the filling so you can use less yolk and decrease the overall fat, calories, and cholesterol. The shrimp, bacon, and parsley add extra color and flavor, resulting in an impressive finish.

Guacamole with Chipotle Tortilla Chips

Guacamole with Chipotle Tortilla Chips Recipe

Making your own chips gives you the same crunchy flavor without all of the fat of regular tortilla chips. These chipotle–flavored chips highlight the fresh ingredients in the guacamole. Serve guacamole for a creamy dip that is rich in heart-healthy fats.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

These tasty pop-em-in-your-mouth Stuffed Mushrooms are the perfect way to kick off any party