Who’s ready for some football?!? Watching football is usually lounging on the couch (occasionally jumping up to cheer or scream at the refs) and downing copious amounts fatty, comfort foods. There’s another alternative! You can have the fun, the screaming, and the friends, but with healthy snacks? Here are 25 Healthy Game Day Appetizers for you today! All are clean, paleo or Whole30 compliant!)
Football, Food, and Love
Football season is a big deal in my house. To be honest, this came as quite a surprise to me once I got married. My husband and I met Labor Day weekend back in 2007. If you check your calendar, this serendipitous meeting coincided with the start of football season.
However, not one time during our first season together did he mention football or watch a game in my presence. Not once! By the next year, I was shocked to discover that he was a crazy Jets fan. I mean, crazy. What the heck?!?
It became clear to me very quickly that if this relationship was going to last, I needed to get on the football train. Now, I grew up with 3 sisters and a dad who was into cars, not sports, so, to that point, I don’t think I had ever sat and watched one single football game. I’d been to a few Super Bowl parties – but that entailed me hanging out in the kitchen with the other girls and the snacks.
Now that football is a fundamental element of our life, we needed the snacks to go with it.
Healthy Game Day Appetizers are Possible
For years, it was the typical, fatty comfort appetizers you usually think of. However, this winter, we both did Whole 30 and really did an about-face in our eating habits. I didn’t want to toss it out the window for football season, so I’ve rounded up some healthy game-day appetizers. All of them are clean, many of them are paleo and|or Whole30 compliant.
It’s sometimes hard for me to think of burly, beer-drinking type guys eating paleo appetizers, but I promise, they are so tasty and flavorful, they won’t miss the fatty stuff!
More Healthy Foods
If you’re looking for more clean food inspirations, give these healthy crockpot recipes a try – or some healthy, cozy soups! These are also great choices for game day parties!
And if you’re going all out for our game day or Super Bowl party – here’s an entire healthy dinner party menu – over 50 dishes to choose from including apps, main dishes and sides, soups, and desserts!
25 Healthy Game Day Appetizers (Clean | Paleo | Whole30)
buffalo chicken dip
This is so delicious if you are a buffalo sauce fan! Easy to put together and you can make it Whole30 compliant!
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Who doesn't love a good spin dip! This is is even more healthy made with clean ingredients, is paleo, and dairy-free with a mayo base!
Baked Sweet Potato Chips
Every football party needs a good chip! These sweet potato chips taste amazing, are healthy, and made from just 3 ingredients!
Paleo Mini Pepper Nachos
These are filling and pack so much flavor in a small bite! You can make these with ground turkey or beef, and if you're dairy-free, you will not miss the cheese! These are paleo, gluten-free, and Whole30 compliant!
Spinach Artichoke Twice Baked Potatoes
This is a hearty appetizer that would be amazing as a side dish also. Paleo, vegan and Whole30 approved, and a true crowd-pleaser.
Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers
This is one of my personal favorites. Your guest will gobble them up, and they are so, so filling.
Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Any buffalo is perfect for a game-day app, but if you're really wanting to go healthy vegetable route, this is one for you!
Blackened Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Bites
If you want to fancy it up a bit, these shrimp avocado bites are just the thing. Healthy, delicious and a teeny bit fancy.
Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wrap
Mini tacos are a hit any day of the week! Wrap it in lettuce and you've got a healthy snack. If you're not worried about paloe or Whole30, a street taco is another great option.
Sweet Potato Bites with Avocado and Bacon
This finger food will be a hit because you can never go wrong with bacon! Mix it with avocado and sweet potatoes, and you've got a fantastic mix of flavors.
Baked French Fries with Chipotle Ranch Dip
Chipotle is one of my most favorite flavors and this dip is amazing! French fries never disappoint, especially if there will be kiddos in the house!
Sweet and Spicy Paleo Chicken Fingers
This is a fun and unique spin on traditional chicken fingers. Made with almond flour instead of white flour, it's a few notch up on the healthy scale!
Paleo French Onion Dip
Every party needs a good onion dip, whether it's for chips or veggies or crackers. Even if your whole party isn't full of healthy foods, you'll feel good about throwing this in the mix!
Paleo Coconut Shrimp Recipe
You'll love the tropical sweetness in this recipe! Made with almond flour, it's a paleo appetizer that will satify your pickiets guests.
Chicken Zucchini Poppers
These poppers are one of this blogger's most popular recipes! It's paleo and Whole30 compliant. So, so good!
Bacon Wrapped Dates
Just 2 ingredients, this is the perfect mix of sweet and savory. And of course, bacon with anything is delicious.
Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Meatballs
Move over, Swedish meatballs, here comes the sriracha! Meatbalss are a great choice for an appetizer - hearty, delicious and they go a long way! And this paleo recipe is healthy, too!
Chipotle Bacon Deviled Eggs
Here's another app that is healthy, filling and loaded with protein. They are paleo, gluten-free, Whole30 and low carb!
Plantain Carnitas Nachos
Plantains are another great choice when you're going for a healthy chip! By themselves, they're amazing, but this nacho recipe takes it over top. This is paleo and Whole30 compliant.
Chipotle Stuffed Mushrooms
This is another dish that is packed with flavor and protein! This bite-size app is made sausage, chipotle mayo, and onion... yes, please!
Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potato Wedges
Oh my. The salt of bacon and the sweet of sweet potatoes...OK, this is a no brainer.
Homemade Paleo Pigs in a Blanket
This is appetizer heaven! Did you think you'd ever be able to have a healthy pig-in-a-blanket?!? You're welcome.
Clean Chili Sweet Potato Fries
For an app that takes it over the top and will earn you new best friends, be sure to bring out this one! I'm pretty sure your guests will not tear themselves from the table.
Snack Mix
Don't forget the old stand-by for parties - the snack mix! Made with almonds, pecans, walnuts and all kinds of spices, this check off the paleo, Whole30, and Keto boxes!
Easy Healthy Baked Blooming Onion Recipe
The Blooming Onion! One that's paleo and gluten-free? I'm pretty sure I don't need to say another word.
Loaded Taco Sweet Potato Sliders
This is a mouth-watering choice! Paleo Running Momma is amazing with her combinations, and I promise, this will not disappoint!
Football, Family, Fun and (Healthy) Food
Football season can be a great time of family fun and bonding – and it doesn’t have add calories or pounds! Give these healthy and delicious game-day appetizers a shot! I’d love to hear how these clean / paleo snacks worked out for you!
Thoughts? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment!
OMG, these all look so good! Thanks for sharing my paleo french onion dip 🙂
I’m so happy to! It looks so amazing – I am loving all the healthy recipes. Hope you get lots of traffic from it, Cheryl! 🙂
Since I don’t watch football myself, these will be perfect to make for my roommates and hang out without having to actually watch the games! Lol. Thanks for sharing these!
Ha ha – that was totally me until I got married! It was in my best interest to learn a little about football at that point! lol But these apps would be amazing anytime, any place! Thanks for coming by, Kaylyn! 🙂
Shared on Facebook. Thanks for the recipes.
Thank you for sharing, Helena! Really appreciate it! 🙂
Wow! What an awesome combination of snacks! I am definitely going to have to try those out! I love spending my Sundays cooking as my boyfriend watches football! This is the best way to combine them both! Thanks so much for sharing!
So glad to hear that, Taylor! It’s such a perfect afternoon – and so much better when it’s guilt-free snacks, right?!? Enjoy kickoff! 🙂
These all look incredible! I can’t wait to make these for our next neighborhood gathering! Pinned!
Awesome! So glad it helped! I love it that there are SO many healthy options now!