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  1. Home
  2. 25 Healthier Super Bowl Snacks

25 Healthier Super Bowl Snacks

January 05, 2022
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Credit: Aaron Kirk
Watching the big game doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your health goals — or feel deprived by skipping out on the snacks. We have plenty of fun bites that save on calories (and sneak in extra veggies, too!). From wings to dips and even nachos, these lighter snacks are sure to win big on game day. 
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Soy-and-Cider–Glazed Drumettes

Credit: Cooking Light
View Recipe: Soy-and-Cider-Glazed Drumettes

These wings get very tender as they cook slowly in the flavorful sauce, and then a quick run under the broiler results in a nice, crispy exterior.

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Classic Deviled Eggs

Credit: Photo: Aaron Kirk
View Recipe: Classic Deviled Eggs

Here's a healthy recipe for classic deviled eggs that you can make again and again. We dress these eggs up with simple and healthy mix-ins and toppings: Canola mayo lends creaminess without the fat, tangy apple cider vinegar sneaks in extra nutrients, and smoky-sweet paprika ties the flavors together.

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Mini Guacamole Bowls

Credit: Photo: Rachel Johnson
View Recipe: Mini Guacamole Bowls

Time for football? Avocado and crunchy blue corn chips are sure to satisfy the gametime cravings.

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Sesame-Soy Nut and Pretzel Mix

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Sesame-Soy Nut and Pretzel Mix

If any one dish is devoured quickly and constantly (usually by the fistful) throughout the game, it’s snack mix. Consisting of salty nuts, pretzels, and cereal doused with a Worcestershire and butter, this innocent munchie racks up sodium and calories quickly. Our healthier version gives you all the salt, crunch, and bold spices of the original with the addition of whole-grain popcorn, toasty whole-wheat cereal, and spicy wasabi peas. The peas inspired an Asian track with toasty sesame oil and reduced-sodium soy sauce, cashews, and pungent ground ginger.

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No-Frills Guacamole

Credit: Caitlin Bensel
View recipe: No-Frills Guacamole

This recipe gets back to basics and makes flavor balance the top priority so no ingredient tramples on the exquisite, subtly nutty, and lightly sweet flavors of avocado. As with all simple recipes, the quality of the ingredients makes or breaks the dish: Be particularly sure to use avocados at peak ripeness. We let the onion and jalapeño macerate with the lime juice and salt to tame their flavors slightly. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, and set out some crunchy vegetables to dip, too, such as radishes, mini sweet peppers, and jicama slices.

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Air-Fried Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Credit: Anna Theoktisto
View Recipe: Air-Fried Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

This spicy air-fried cauliflower bites recipe checks all the boxes, whether you're having vegetarian friends over to watch the game or you just enjoy recipe mashups starring your favorite flavors. A smidgen of blue cheese adds a lot of flavor to the quick stir-together sauce. (If you’re not a fan of pungent blue cheese, try milder gorgonzola, or even feta.) To make this no-fuss recipe even easier, pick up a package of pre-cut cauliflower florets.

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Smashed Double Cheeseburger Sliders

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Smashed Double Cheeseburger Sliders

You can easily make these on the grill instead of the stovetop. Just preheat the grill to high, and set a cast-iron skillet on the grill grate to preheat also. Be careful when touching the skillet, as the handle will be extremely hot. A pinch of sugar in the beef patty mixture helps deliver deep-brown, caramelized crust to the burgers without making them taste sweet.

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Jalapeño Popper Bean Dip

Credit: Photo: Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Jalapeño Popper Bean Dip

Love jalapeño poppers or bean dip? We've combined the flavors of both in a recipe that's perfect for game day. The silky texture of pureed pinto beans enhances creaminess, while broiler-charred jalapeños offer earthy, toasty flavor. Canola mayo helps stretch the cream cheese, providing similar richness with no saturated fat. 

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Spicy Air-Fried Chicken Wing Drumettes

Credit: Gina DeSimone
View Recipe: Spicy Air-Fried Chicken Wing Drumettes

Chicken drumettes are a smart choice for air frying—their small size means you don’t have to spend all day cooking endless batches. Traditional drumettes require tons of oil to guarantee maximum crispy goodness; this genius recipe gets it done with just a tablespoon of super-flavorful sesame oil.

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Mini Pineapple Pizzas

Credit: Photo: Jamie Vespa
View Recipe: Mini Pineapple Pizzas

There is a longstanding argument surrounding the merits of pineapple on a pizza. Here at Cooking Light, not only do we believe in pineapple as a pizza topper, we believe it can be the base too. Look for peeled and cored pineapple in your supermarkets produce aisle for even slicing. Canadian bacon adds salty, savory depth, which cuts the sweetness of the fruit while lending hearty texture. Use any toppings you like – we look to briny black olives, sautéed red onion, and fresh basil for a delicious flavor trifecta. This easy recipe comes together in 20 minutes and is very kid-friendly. Not to mention a genius way to sneak in an extra serving of fruit.

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Vegan Cauliflower Queso Dip

Credit: Aaron Kirk
View Recipe: Vegan Cauliflower Queso Dip

Yes, it’s vegan, but this queso is every bit as creamy as the cheese-based versions, with a nutty richness, and all the Tex-Mex notes you’d expect from a good dip. Though many recipes call for an overnight soak of the cashews, we found two hours in hot water to be plenty. Serve with chips, drizzle over baked potatoes or broccoli, or use as dip for crudité.

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Buffalo Tempeh Sliders With Celery Seed Slaw

Credit: Photo: Jamie Vespa
View Recipe: Buffalo Tempeh Sliders with Celery Seed Slaw

Yet another reason why we love tempeh: It makes a delicious plant-based riff on a buffalo slider and packs 9g fiber (a third of your daily needs) into just 3 ounces. This soybean-based veggie protein is a great option for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, as its firm texture and adaptable flavor can renovate just about any meat-based recipe. Here, we braise tempeh in hot sauce to infuse it with buffalo-flavor before tucking it in a toasty whole-wheat bun.

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Bacon-Horseradish Deviled Eggs

Credit: Photo: Rob Culpepper
View Recipe: Bacon-Horseradish Deviled Eggs

Horseradish adds a zing of spice and flavor to the yolk mixture, warming the mouth with each bite. It'll keep guests reaching for more. Plus, a two-piece serving is only 100 calories.

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Air-Fried Coconut Shrimp

Credit: Robin Bashinsky
View Recipe: Air-Fried Coconut Shrimp

Transport yourself straight to a Caribbean beach by making this air-fried coconut shrimp recipe. Coconut and panko team up to create an amazingly crispy coating for the shrimp; use finely shredded coconut to guarantee better crust adhesion. These beach-dive-inspired crustaceans are even better when dunked into the sweet-and-tangy honey-lime sauce.

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Skillet Nacho Dip

Credit: Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Skillet Nacho Dip

We took our favorite elements of cheesy queso dip and loaded beef nachos and combined the two into one epic skillet nacho dip, a one-pan main that couldn’t be more fun to eat. It starts with a base of onion and jalapeño, followed by crumbled cooked beef patties, pinto beans, and two kinds of cheeses for a maximum melty factor. Top with red onion, tomato, and avocado or other fresh toppers like sliced jalapeños, scallions, and cilantro (just be sure your chips are sturdy enough for dipping). 

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Air Fryer Italian-Style Meatballs

Credit: Aaron Kirk
View Recipe: Air Fryer Italian-Style Meatballs

Moist and tender, these meatballs are absolutely jam-packed with flavor—and cooking them in the air fryer might be one of the best recipe applications for this device. The meatballs are great on their own; they would also be totally delicious over pasta, rice, or spiralized zoodles. To prevent the meatballs from getting too over-worked as you form them, use what we call the “claw method”: shape your hand into a claw shape and don’t squeeze too hard when shaping.

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Black Bean Dip

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Black Bean Dip

Use leftover dip as a spread for sandwiches or burritos, or stir into a bean soup or chili for added body.

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French Bread Pizzas With Sausage

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: French Bread Pizzas With Sausage

Your favorite throwback after-school snack gets a healthy makeover courtesy of a whole-grain baguette crust and vitamin A–packed spinach. Use mild sausage to make it kid-friendly.

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Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip

Credit: Cooking Light
View Recipe: Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip

Pimiento cheese is a Southern sandwich staple, but it also makes a delicious dip. Serve it in your slow cooker to keep it warm and velvety. Using both reduced-fat and regular sharp Cheddar cheese results in great flavor and a lower fat content.

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Sheet Pan Beef and Black Bean Nachos

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
View Recipe: Sheet Pan Beef and Black Bean Nachos

Load up the nachos on a baking sheet, then bring straight the to the table for easy serving and a great presentation. You can use pinto beans instead of black beans and shredded rotisserie chicken instead of ground beef. While we love melty shredded cheese, we found that it makes the nachos a bit unwieldy. Instead, a creamy cheese sauce coats each chip and makes them easier to separate from the pack. The topping potential is endless: Try adding diced avocado, sliced jalapeño for the hotheads in your family, or chopped bell pepper.

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Air-Fried Corn Dog Bites

Credit: Gina DeSimone
View Recipe: Air-Fried Corn Dog Bites

Who doesn’t love a corn dog? These whimsical, perfect little bites of smoky hot dog goodness come with a crunchy cornflake coating—thanks to the air fryer—that will make party guests smile. Look for high-quality uncured hot dogs at upscale grocery stores such as Whole Foods. Mustard is best friends with corn dogs, so pick out your favorite to serve with these fun and festive snacks.

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Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Mole Nachos

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch
View Recipe: Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Mole Nachos

Everyone's favorite snack dinner just got a smoky upgrade with the addition of warm, chocolaty mole sauce. The chicken gets a rich braise in the Instant Pot, making for an extra-tender topping for chips. Serve with all the fixins—fresh avocado, salty Cotija cheese, and spicy-sweet candied jalapeños—to finish this feast-worthy favorite out. You can make the chicken mole ahead of time and add to the nachos just before serving.

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Pumpkin-Poblano Chicken Taco Cups

Credit: Cooking Light
View Recipe: Pumpkin-Poblano Chicken Taco Cups

Start cooking the pumpkin and chicken filling several hours before the party, and then assemble the cups just before your guests arrive.

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Cheesy Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Credit: Cooking Light
View Recipe: Cheesy Spinach-Artichoke Dip

This slow-cooker spinach-artichoke dip is so rich and satisfying, you won’t even know that it’s low in fat and calories, too!

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Air Fryer Buffalo Mushroom Poppers

Credit: Aaron Kirk
View Recipe: Air Fryer Buffalo Mushroom Poppers

A genius combination of jalapeño poppers and stuffed mushrooms, this appetizer lovechild gets a healthy makeover thanks to your air fryer. With loads less fat than their traditionally deep-fried parents, these mashup snacks get another kick of bold flavor from a quick stir-together blue cheese sauce.

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    View All

    1 of 25 Soy-and-Cider–Glazed Drumettes
    2 of 25 Classic Deviled Eggs
    3 of 25 Mini Guacamole Bowls
    4 of 25 Sesame-Soy Nut and Pretzel Mix
    5 of 25 No-Frills Guacamole
    6 of 25 Air-Fried Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
    7 of 25 Smashed Double Cheeseburger Sliders
    8 of 25 Jalapeño Popper Bean Dip
    9 of 25 Spicy Air-Fried Chicken Wing Drumettes
    10 of 25 Mini Pineapple Pizzas
    11 of 25 Vegan Cauliflower Queso Dip
    12 of 25 Buffalo Tempeh Sliders With Celery Seed Slaw
    13 of 25 Bacon-Horseradish Deviled Eggs
    14 of 25 Air-Fried Coconut Shrimp
    15 of 25 Skillet Nacho Dip
    16 of 25 Air Fryer Italian-Style Meatballs
    17 of 25 Black Bean Dip
    18 of 25 French Bread Pizzas With Sausage
    19 of 25 Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip
    20 of 25 Sheet Pan Beef and Black Bean Nachos
    21 of 25 Air-Fried Corn Dog Bites
    22 of 25 Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Mole Nachos
    23 of 25 Pumpkin-Poblano Chicken Taco Cups
    24 of 25 Cheesy Spinach-Artichoke Dip
    25 of 25 Air Fryer Buffalo Mushroom Poppers

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