Samantha Stavola MHA, RDN, LD Lifestyle
October 27th, 2023
Behind every great football game, there is an even better tailgate. No matter what sport you’re watching, the tailgate is the key to having a great day. Even if you’re not a sports fan, I’m sure you’re not opposed to a tailgate. Food, drinks, and good company, what’s not to love? And just because you’re a bariatric patient, doesn’t mean that you can’t love them too. Social events surrounded with greasy food and drinks may be hard to maintain your diet, and honestly just easier to avoid. But that shouldn’t be the case! There are plenty of healthy game day recipes that are guilt free and you too can enjoy!
Everyone knows that tailgate season means grilling season. Although the typical ground beef may not fit in your diet, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a yummy burger. Try out these spinach and feta turkey burgers for a light, high protein meal!
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. extra lean ground turkey
½ cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
2 cloves garlic, minced fine or grated
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 10 oz box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground pepper
*Lettuce for wraps, tomato, onion, and condiments as desired
DIRECTIONS
Buffalo cauliflower bites are a quick and easy substitute for the typical chicken wings, plus they taste great! They’re low calorie, and nutrient packed! Who needs chicken wings anyways?
Servings: 6 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes |
INGREDIENTS:
½ head cauliflower, cut into 1 in florets
¼ cup flour
3 tbs skim milk
½ tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ cup Louisiana Hot Sauce, or hot sauce of choice
* Celery and Carrot Sticks for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Come on, what’s a tailgate without dessert?! These are especially great if you happen to be cheering on the Ohio State Buckeyes. And if you’re not, that’s okay too, because they’re great either way!
INGREDIENTS:
Protein Cookies
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup Peanut Butter Cookie Rebuild Protein
¼ cup sugar free maple syrup
Chocolate Coating
½ cup dark chocolate chips
2 tbsp coconut oil
DIRECTIONS
Avoiding alcohol post-weight loss surgery may be hard for some, and especially hard at a tailgate. Instead of falling off your diet, go ahead and make yourself a mocktail! You can partake in the social aspect of enjoying a drink, while staying on track with your nutrition! This recipe is a cranberry mule mocktail, but feel free to substitute the cranberry juice for other sugar free fruit juices/fruits, make it your own!
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes |
INGREDIENTS:
1 bottle ginger-flavored kombucha (*sub sugar free ginger ale or sugar free ginger beer)
2 cups sugar-free cranberry juice
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Frozen cranberries, lime wedges, sprigs of rosemary for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Just because you’re a bariatric surgery patient, it doesn’t mean that your social life is gone. Food involved around the big game or other social events isn’t always going to fit your diet, and that’s okay! Plan ahead and find easy swaps that allow you to still enjoy yourself while maintaining your diet. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and so is your food, find a way to do both!