With the big game just around the corner, football fans are getting geared up for a night of face paint, festivities, and food. Football Sunday is known as a day that calls for heaps of hearty, savory dishes—but did you know that hearty dishes can be healthy too?
We’ve compiled a list of our favorite recipes that are healthy, hearty, and can be made for large groups of people.
No matter who you’re cheering for on game day, everyone will win with these health-conscious and delicious recipes!
When To Start Preparing These Dishes
We recommend planning the dishes you’re going to serve around 2 days in advance. Depending on how many people you’re cooking for, you’ll have to plan out doubling or tripling recipes to ensure you have enough to go around.
Planning days ahead gives you time to buy the ingredients before the supermarkets get busy with other football fans. It also gives you more time to enjoy the game on Sunday. Just washing and dicing vegetables in advance will offer a much faster prep time later on.
Without further ado, enjoy our hearty, healthy, and crowd-pleasing recipes that will be a total touchdown on game night!
Chicken & White Bean Chili
This Chicken and White Bean Chilli can be prepared in just 15 minutes! Enjoy this hearty, healthy recipe that will give you the energy you need to cheer on your favorite team.
What You’ll Need
- 1 pound extra lean ground chicken
- 1 can no salt added white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup diced NatureFresh™ Red Bell Peppers
- 1 cup diced NatureFresh™ Tomatoes-on-the-Vine
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp. chili powder
- ½ tsp. turmeric
- ½ tsp. paprika
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup
One-Pot Healthy Turkey Skillet
There’s no other way to say it—this skillet is downright delicious. Creamy with a kick, it’s a mix between chilli and macaroni and cheese. You can make multiple batches of this recipe and store it all in a dish in the oven so it’s hot for game time!
What You’ll Need
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 medium NatureFresh™ Farms Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 3 NatureFresh™ Farms Roma Tomatoes, chopped
- 8 oz whole wheat elbow macaroni cooked according to package directions
- 1 can (15.5oz) kidney beans, drained, rinsed
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 2 tbsp. chili powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
source:produceforkids.com
Irish Superbowl Nachos
Lucky you! These Irish Nachos are not only delicious but packed with the goodness of vegetables. By exchanging sliced roasted potatoes for tortilla chips, you get all the flavor with less of the sodium and fat. Hop to it and dig in!
What You’ll Need
- 4-5 red potatoes
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef, chicken, or veggie ground round
- 2 tbsp. BBQ sauce
- 2 Naturefresh™ Farms Yellow Bell Peppers, diced
- 1 large NatureFresh™ Beefsteak Tomato, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 tbsp. nacho seasoning
- 1 cup shredded cheese
Saucy Wings
Be sure to print out the recipe for these wings because your guests will surely be asking for it at the end of the night. They pair perfectly with ranch or blue cheese dressing, or impress your guests with a homemade 5 Ingredient Tzatziki Dip.
What You’ll Need
- 3 NatureFresh™ Tomatoes on the Vine
- 2 NatureFresh™ Red Bell Peppers
- 2 lbs. of chicken wings
- 1 white onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp. chili flakes
- 1 tbsp. curly parsley
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 tbsp. of Old Bay seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
Grilled Vegetable Naan Pizza
This veggie pizza is unique, rich, and delicious—the ultimate crowd-pleaser. It’s the perfect hearty option for any vegetarians at your party who can’t dive into the wings or chili (or anyone who just really loves veggies on pizza).
What You’ll Need
- 1 NatureFresh™ Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- 4 cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 zucchini, sliced into 1-inch sticks
- 1/2 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
- 4 naan breads
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls, shredded
- Sea salt & ground pepper to taste
Super Bell Nachos
There’s a reason we called them “Super Bell Nachos”—they were practically made for game night. These nachos can be as cheesy as you wish and can quickly turn into a meat lover’s dream by adding chicken, pork, or ground beef. The stuffed peppers are not only delicious but wonderfully versatile so everyone can dig in!
What You’ll Need
- 4 NatureFresh™ Bell Peppers any combination of Red, Yellow or Orange
- 2 cups of TOMZ® Red Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 cups canned corn or frozen kernels thawed out in advance
- 1 (540mL) can of black beans
- 2 small to medium red onions
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. cumin
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 1/2 cups low fat cheddar/mozzarella blend – grated
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
The Best Way To Serve These Dishes
Typically, when many people come over for dinner, tables are set and everyone sits down for a meal together. Sunday night’s football game will call for a different type of set up. Your guests will want the freedom to pick up their food, watch the game, and return for seconds and thirds throughout the night.
The best way to accommodate this? Buffet style.
Use your kitchen countertop or dinner table to serve your dishes and your guests can serve themselves throughout the night.
No matter who wins the game on Sunday, it will be a wonderful time to celebrate with friends and family over some delicious food. Cheers!
