Best Super Bowl Party Foods to Heat and Eat
Healthy and tasty ideas for the big game
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For many people, the words “Super Bowl spread” have nothing to do with the betting line and everything to do with the array of party foods they’ll get to choose from.
But just as it is with other “holiday” gatherings where food is the focus, it’s easy to go overboard at a Super Bowl bash, not just on calories but also on sodium and unhealthy fats.
You can’t control which party foods are offered when you’re invited to someone else’s party, but when you’re hosting, you now have more choices. That’s because many brands have begun offering party-food options that seem to be healthy—or at least healthier.
CR’s food testing team checked out whether these party foods are, in fact, more healthful and whether they’re tasty enough to serve to guests.
Our expert tasters ate their way through 72 appetizers that our nutrition experts thought would most likely be on the healthier side, evaluating them for nutrition, taste, and price. From that selection we identified appetizers that were both tasty and met or were slightly above our nutritional criteria for a healthy snack (fewer than 200 calories, less than 5 grams of fat, and less than 480 mg of sodium per serving, which in most cases was more than one piece). We also calculated a nutrition rating for each. To determine the best bites of the bunch, the panelists did a final blind tasting of those picks to assign flavor ratings.
Jamie Chung Jamie Chung
Strategies for Smarter Party Eating
Your eating habits are as important as the party foods you choose. To keep your choices in check, follow these tips:
Never go on an empty stomach. Having a small snack that contains fiber and protein—like a handful of nuts or even a piece of fruit—before you go to a party stabilizes your blood sugar and takes the edge off hunger.
Start munching on lighter fare first. Hungry people at a buffet tend to eat the most of the foods they take first, according to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. So begin at the veggies tray.
Plan ahead. Don’t eat foods you don’t really want just because they’re right in front of you. Scan all the offerings before you pick up a plate, then choose the few specialties that you don’t get to enjoy every day.
Product Picks
Consider these top performers from CR's tests.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated since it first appeared in the January 2017 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
