How to Give a Healthy Tailgate Party

Tailgating for most of us conjures images of fat sandwiches, greasy snacks and lots of beer. But your tailgate doesn't have to suffer calorie penalties. With a little vision and forethought, you can score big by offering an alternative menu that's nutritious, flavorful and healthy. Read on to learn how to give a healthy tailgate party.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Offer a great selection of crudités, including sweet peas, jicama strips, crunchy baby carrots and grape tomatoes. Plunge all but the tomatoes into ice water to crisp them up before serving with hummus, fat-free bleu cheese or ranch dressings set over ice.
2. Serve pretzels and baked potato chips to cut calories. Try the low-sodium version of both and sprinkle them with other herbs and spices, like grill mix.
3. Offer dips made with no-fat sour cream and low-fat yogurt. Choose recipes that include lots of spices and fresh herbs to boost flavor. Keep dairy-based dips on ice.
4. Fire up the grill with heart-healthy options like chicken, salmon, shrimp, low-fat turkey or garden burgers. Skewer lean meat with veggies and fruit for tasty kebabs.
5. Build sandwiches with whole grain breads, lean meats like roasted turkey and chicken breast, and reduced fat cheese. Kick up the crunch and increase volume by adding lots of lettuce, onion, sprouts and green, red or yellow peppers.
6. Go easy with the condiments. Offer a selection of flavorful mustards, which tend to be lower in calories than other condiments. Use light mayonnaise but be sure to keep it in a cooler, especially on a warm day.
7. Have lots of calorie-free beverages on ice like diet soda, sparkling water, and sugar-free lemonade and iced tea. Make wine spritzers with club soda and save half the calories, and offer lots of ice-cold, reduced-calorie beer.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep mayonnaise-based dressings chilled on ice. Store the extra in a cooler.