Healthy Tailgating Recipes

Find healthy, delicious tailgating recipes, including chili, wings and finger foods from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Chilaquiles Casserole

Rating: 4.78 stars
55
Our version of this enchilada-style chilaquiles casserole is packed with nutritious beans and vegetables. Canned prepared enchilada sauce has great flavor and keeps the prep time quick. It can vary in heat level so find one that suits your taste. If you want to eliminate the heat altogether, try a green enchilada sauce (which is often milder than red) or substitute two 8-ounce cans of plain tomato sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Avocado Hummus

Rating: 5 stars
5
This vibrant green hummus recipe couldn't be easier--just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) and avocado make this healthy dip extra smooth and creamy. Serve with veggie chips, pita chips or crudités.
By Devon O'Brien

Tortellini Salad

Rating: 5 stars
2
A tomato-rich dressing boosts the flavor and lowers calories and fat in this tortellini salad (the dressing is also great on green salads or grilled fish). Roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes add a good dose of vitamins A, C and fiber.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Rating: 4.63 stars
23
Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled at mealtime. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Salsa-Black Bean Burgers

Rating: 4.71 stars
17
Salsa and some pantry staples give this vegetarian bean burger recipe tons of flavor. We use crushed tortilla chips to bind the burgers together, making them a great vehicle for using up those crumbs that inevitably fall to the bottom of the bag.
By Carolyn Casner

Seafood Chowder Casserole

Rating: 4.71 stars
7
New England seafood chowder inspired the flavors here, but we've enhanced them further with Gruyère cheese and a crispy crumb topping. We like the combination of shrimp, cod and crab, but feel free to experiment with other types of seafood--scallops, clams and mahi-mahi would also work well.
By Jessie Price

Italian Vegetable Hoagies

Rating: 4.88 stars
15
This delightfully easy, and somewhat messy, sandwich packs a punch with sweet balsamic vinegar, artichoke hearts, red onion, provolone cheese and zesty pepperoncini. We love it for dinner as well as lunch. If you're packing the hoagies to take along, keep the ingredients separate and assemble right before eating to avoid soggy bread. Serve with tomato and cucumber salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Elderflower Champagne Cocktail

Elderflower adds sweet and fruity notes that mingle seamlessly with mint in this refreshing Champagne cocktail.
By Stephanie Olson

Dried-Fruit Bars

Rating: 5 stars
1
Make a batch of these easy homemade dried-fruit bars to tuck into your kid's lunchbox all week.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Blackened Salmon Sandwich

Rating: 4.94 stars
1
Blackened salmon is great in a sandwich with a spread of mashed avocado and low-fat mayonnaise plus peppery arugula leaves, cool tomato slices and zesty red onion. We grill our Cajun-style salmon so there is no need for any added cooking oil. Catfish makes an excellent stand-in for the salmon but you'll want to use a grill basket if you have one to keep the fish from breaking apart.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lemon Squares

Rating: 2.5 stars
2
Lemon squares are so delicious, but classic lemon square recipes tip the scales with their calories and saturated fat. Our healthy lemon squares recipe shaves almost 200 calories and more than 5 grams of saturated fat per lemon square. For a variation, use lime juice in place of the lemon juice.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Homemade Trail Mix

Rating: 3 stars
1
Try this with portable mix with any combination of dried fruits and nuts.
By Joyce Hendley
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Inspiration and Ideas

Sriracha-Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Sriracha-Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
This recipe for spicy Buffalo cauliflower bites is a great vegetarian alternative to Buffalo wings.
Barbecue Snack Mix

Barbecue Snack Mix
This crunchy snack mix has just the right blend of sweet and savory spices.
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
16 Loaded Recipes That Aren't All Baked Potatoes

16 Loaded Recipes That Aren't All Baked Potatoes
Our 50 Best Homegating Recipes

Our 50 Best Homegating Recipes
Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili
Rating: Unrated
3

Fresh Apple Squares

Rating: 3.5 stars
4

One batch of dough does double duty as both the crust and streusel topping to make one of the easiest desserts around.

All Healthy Tailgating Recipes

Creamy Red Potato Salad

Rating: 4 stars
1
A dressing of nonfat yogurt enriched with a little reduced-fat mayonnaise and Dijon mustard replaces the heavier dressings in more traditional potato salad recipes.
By Patsy Jamieson

Stuffed Mini Peppers

This fun side-dish is easy to make and wonderfully compliments any main dish.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

BBQ Ranch Wraps

Rating: 3 stars
1
Pack these yummy wrap sandwiches for an easy meal on the go.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Cucumber Cups with Deviled Ham Salad

Swap crostini for cucumber cups to hold ham salad in this easy appetizer recipe. Bring these healthy, crunchy bites to your next potluck or serve them at brunch and watch them disappear.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Quick Mixed Berry Topping

Rating: 4 stars
1
Frozen mixed berries become an almost instant fruit topping in the microwave. Serve over angel food cake or Greek-style yogurt.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken

Rating: 5 stars
1
Marinating is a healthy way to add terrific flavor to foods. It also adds a make-ahead step to a recipe. Marinate the meat in the morning, then cook it at night.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Broccoli, Beef & Potato Hotdish

Rating: 3.78 stars
18
This easy casserole, full of ground beef, roasted broccoli and topped with hash browns, was inspired by the classic Minnesota Tater Tot hotdish. Roasting the broccoli before adding it to the casserole gives the whole dish a much more complex and exciting flavor, but it's by no means necessary. If you want to keep it simple, skip roasting the broccoli (Step 2) and use 6 cups frozen broccoli, thawed, in its place (omit 1 tablespoon oil, as well).
By Jessie Price

Honey Glazed Cajun Chicken Wings

These oven-baked wings are designed to be cooked ahead, taken to a tailgate or picnic, and reheated on a charcoal or gas grill. We love the sweet-spicy glaze--just be sure to pack plenty of napkins!
By Laura Marzen, R.D., L.D.

Pulled Pork with Caramelized Onions

Rating: 4.52 stars
14
Traditional pulled pork is barbecued, which gives it a smoky flavor. But the slow cooker happens to be the absolute easiest way to cook pulled pork--and you can get a hint of smoke by adding chipotle chile. Serve the pulled pork with potato salad, collard greens and grits. Or make it into a sandwich and serve it on a bun with coleslaw.
By Judith Finlayson

Skinny Guacamole

Rating: 4 stars
2
This delicious guacamole recipe replaces half the amount of high-calorie avocado in a traditional guacamole recipe with a stealth, low-calorie vegetable--zucchini--to cut 100 calories and 6 grams of fat so we can eat more guacamole with fewer calories. We use the microwave to cook the zucchini until it's very tender, but you can steam it on the stovetop if you prefer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

No-Chop Skillet Chili

Rating: 5 stars
1
This dump-and-simmer recipe is terrific for camping--or for dinner on a busy weeknight.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Creamy Coleslaw

Rating: 4 stars
2
Red and green cabbage and bright orange carrots make a colorful, healthful combination. For an especially nutty flavor, use Savoy instead of regular green cabbage.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chili Cornbread Casserole

Rating: 3.76 stars
9
Here's a fun way to serve chili and cornbread together. Don't let the ingredient list intimidate you--this casserole is easy to make and a real crowd pleaser.
By Jessie Price

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rating: 4.81 stars
10
This makeover recipe was one of the favorites chosen for our 30th anniversary issue. Tahini gives this cookie a subtle sesame flavor.
By Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough

Bobby Flay's Honey-Rum Baked Black Beans

Rating: 3.5 stars
4
Chef Bobby Flay cooked these baked black beans, spiked with chorizo and rum, on one of his television shows, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, to compete with a more-traditional batch of Carolina baked beans. We adore the results. If you bring them along to a summer party, reheat before serving or bring them in a crock-pot and plug it in when you get to the party. Recipe adapted from Bobby Flay's Throwdown! by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Miriam Garron (Clarkson Potter, 2010).
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Shrimp, Scallop & Pineapple Skewers with Cilantro Aioli

Fire up the grill and make these delicious citrusy seafood skewers.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Curried Baked Beans

If you're a fan of classic baked beans, give this healthy recipe with curry powder, lime juice and molasses a whirl. These stovetop baked beans also have half the sugar and three-quarters of the sodium compared to a traditional recipe--and take a few hours' less cooking time. Serve with pistachio-crusted pork tenderloin or grilled fish.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Air-Fryer Buffalo Wings

Rating: 5 stars
2
A sports bar favorite comes home with these deliciously crispy chicken wings, which require just 10 minutes of active prep time, thanks to the air fryer. In fact, one of EatingWell's recipe testers declared this air-fryer Buffalo wing recipe "a reason to buy an air fryer." Add a spicy sauce, carrot sticks, celery sticks and ranch dressing for dipping and you have a healthy take on wings that's sure to score.
By Robin Bashinsky

Kickin' Hot Chili

Rating: 4.5 stars
1
If you like your chili seriously hot, this recipe is for you. For an even bigger kick, use the whole teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Oven-Fried Chicken on a Stick

Rating: 4 stars
2
Here's a fun way to serve oven-fried chicken for a picnic: put it on a stick. It's fabulous served with this homemade Vidalia onion and honey-mustard sauce, but it's also great with barbecue sauce or Frank's hot sauce. This is an easy recipe to double if you're serving a crowd.
By Virginia Willis

Chile-Lime Tortilla Chips

Rating: 4 stars
1
These tortilla chips are baked, not fried, and a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of chili powder add flavor without tons of calories. Plus with 5 grams less fat per serving than a packaged version, they deliver all the crunch without the guilt.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Shrimp Banh Mi

Rating: 4.83 stars
2
French colonial rule in Vietnam influenced the country's cooking profoundly, as here with this street-food sandwich (banh mi), usually served on a baguette. The spicy mayo melange really adds tartness and spice. You could also use it for dressing a Vietnamese-inspired coleslaw.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cheesy Potato Casserole

Rating: 3.67 stars
3
The original version of this cheesy potato casserole stars canned soup, full-fat sour cream, a stick of butter and a crust of crushed potato chips. We lightened it considerably by using a homemade white sauce instead of canned soup and swapping nonfat Greek yogurt for the sour cream. Crushed corn flakes replace the potato chips. All in all, we slashed 200 calories, 25 grams of fat (12 grams saturated) and 170 milligrams of sodium per serving. Dig in!
By Carolyn Malcoun

Slow-Cooker Brisket Sandwiches with Quick Pickles

Rating: 5 stars
2
Make your BBQ or cookout easy with this slow-cooker beef brisket recipe. Rauchbier, a smoky German beer, gives this fork-tender brisket real pit-barbecue flavor, but you can use any beer that suits your taste, or even substitute beef broth, to achieve mouthwatering results. While the brisket is cooking, whip up the quick pickle recipe and stir together a garlic mayo to top off the sandwiches.
By Carolyn Malcoun
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