{"id":7692,"date":"2026-01-06T19:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T19:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7692"},"modified":"2026-01-06T19:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T19:30:00","slug":"satisfying-tailgating-snacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7692","title":{"rendered":"Satisfying tailgating snacks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"tni-source-date\"><strong>Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-01-06T19:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The nutrition you need to cheer on your team!<\/h2>\n<p>Tailgating is a beloved American tradition. Wherever you live in the U.S., odds are that on any given weekend a tailgate party is nearby. Tailgates are a time of camaraderie before the game begins. Win or lose, one thing is certain\u2014there will be snacks!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Tailgates happen year-round before sporting events. The biggest of them all happens each winter: the Super Bowl. This annual football game gives over 120 million viewers a reason to cheer. \u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Delicious and nutritious tailgating dishes<\/h2>\n<p>This year, wow your friends with a delicious and nutritious dish. Ditch the chips and opt for tasty sides and one-pot meals. Who needs orange, dusty fingers when you can enjoy a fresh and filling naan vegetable pizza? \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Try one of the sweet and savory appetizers from VA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/Healthy_Teaching_Kitchen.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Healthy Living Teaching Kitchen Program<\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/docs\/Recipes\/MainDishes\/Naan-Vegetable-PizzaDEC2021.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Naan Vegetable Pizza<\/a>: Homemade pizza puts the cook in control. Pile on onion, broccoli, mushrooms, and green peppers for flavor and fiber. Use less cheese for a lighter dish.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/docs\/Recipes\/PartiesHolidays\/ArepasOCT2022.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Arepas (Cornmeal Flatcakes)<\/a>: This popular South American street food can spice up a gathering. Cornmeal provides essential nutrients like thiamine, magnesium and selenium.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/Recipes\/Breakfast\/docs\/AvocadoDeviledEggsOCT2022.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Avocado Deviled Eggs<\/a>: Adding mashed avocado to this classic American appetizer boosts healthy fats and fiber, compared to the original version. \u00a0<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/Recipes\/Snacks\/docs\/Crunchy-Oat-Nut-CookiesJUL2021.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Crunchy Oat Nut Cookies<\/a>: Made with peanut butter and oats, these sweet cookies offer protein, fiber and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.veteranshealthlibrary.va.gov\/Search\/3,82072\" rel=\"noopener\">healthy fats<\/a>. \u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0For hearty yet simple meal ideas, try VA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/docs\/Cookbooks\/OnePotMealsCookbookNOV2022.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">One-Pot Meals Cookbook<\/a>. It includes tasty meals like a sheet-pan buffalo chicken quesadilla and ground turkey-sweet potato skillet. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.veteranshealthlibrary.va.gov\/Search\/142,HLM006_VA\" rel=\"noopener\">alcohol<\/a> can be enjoyed responsibly, consider offering non-alcoholic options at your tailgate. Fruity spritzers or warm cider are delicious options that ensure everyone has a safe drive home. These beverages will delight all guests:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/Recipes\/Beverages\/docs\/Blueberry-Kombucha-SpritzerSEPT2021.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Blueberry Kombucha Spritzer<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/Recipes\/PartiesHolidays\/docs\/Slow-Cooker-Mulled-CiderDEC2021.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Slow Cooker Mulled Cider<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/Recipes\/Beverages\/docs\/Cranberry-Rosemary-SparklerNOV2021.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Cranberry Rosemary Sparkler<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If the big game doesn\u2019t go in your team\u2019s favor, at least your party food will be remembered. Learn how certain snacks, meals or drinks fit in a balanced diet that meets your needs by contacting your local VA to speak with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.veteranshealthlibrary.va.gov\/Search\/142,41529_VA\" rel=\"noopener\">Registered Dietitian<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Also, see how you can <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/128569\/score-big-game-savings-at-your-commissary\/\">score big at your commissary and learn more tailgating tips<\/a>. Remember: With the right tips and recipes, your game day celebration will be a win, no matter the score.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/144337\/satisfying-tailgating-snacks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Win more than the big game with tailgating snacks that are both healthy and delicious.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":67,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Satisfying tailgating snacks - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Win more than the big game with tailgating snacks that are both healthy and delicious.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7692\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Satisfying tailgating snacks - 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