It’s that time of year again. As the football season is underway, you know there are gonna be plenty of cold-weather parties, fantasy league gatherings, and pickup games—and you better be prepared with tasty football party food!

We all know the usual easy game day snacks. Nachos, pizza, chicken wings, burgers and franks, 7-layer dip, and the oh-so-lonely veggie tray sitting off to the side… With so many tasty options, most people might grab a carrot stick out of obligation, but generally the rabbit food doesn’t stand a chance. Unfortunately, football party appetizers tend to look less like a healthy spread, and more like an excuse to be unhealthy.

However, if you serve up a spread of salads and celery sticks, you can be sure that no one’s coming back to your house for the next game! So if you’re hoping to make it through 4 quarters of the game without packing down a ton of greasy, unhealthy calories, you’re gonna have to get creative with your game day recipes to make sure your guests are full and happy!

Hummus: The Ideal Football Party Food!

We’ve all heard about hummus’ amazing rise in popularity as a health-food miracle. And with that increased demand, has come a bevy of new and exciting flavors to choose from. This means you don’t have to settle for simple veggie or pita dips—there are tons of amazing flavors and recipes to check out! Turns out it’s possible to impress your friends with delicious and easy game day snacks, that are also surprisingly nutritious.

Before we get to game day recipes, here’s a little breakdown of creative flavor options to help you understand what we’re talking about:

• Buffalo Bleu – a long-standing classic flavor gets a makeover in this zesty yet smooth hummus. Definitely a welcome surprise, this tasty upstart is making waves in traditional health-food circles with its hot-wing deliciousness!
• Spicy Avocado – if you’re hosting guacamole fans, look no further. You can upgrade a ton of game day appetizers with this warm and spicy mashup of guacamole smoothness and hummus healthiness!
• Jalapeño Red – When your team’s bringing the heat, hopefully your football party appetizers can too! This fresh jalapeño flavor will get people talking about more than the game.
• Black Garlic – Maybe you’re not all about spice. If you want something warm and mellow, try the flavor of roasted black garlic on just about anything, and see if your guests don’t declare it a touchdown!

But just talking about these flavors isn’t going to magically make your game day snacks healthy and delicious… how about we give you a few tantalizing ideas?

Healthy and Delicious Game Day Recipes

Buffalo Bleu Cauliflower Wings
If you’re hankering for a one-up on the usual game day appetizers, try this delicious plate! Turns out cauliflower wings with Buffalo Bleu hummus and spices are super-delicious as well as healthy… and even vegan to boot! Or, if you want to put a tangy twist on things, grab a container of Jalapeño Cilantro hummus and cook up some Mango Jalapeño Cauliflower Wings!

Jalapeño Red Deviled Eggs
If you’re looking for flavorful and healthy football party appetizers, these are both filling and super easy to make! Ditching mayo for healthy and tangy Jalapeño Red hummus is a great way to make your game day snacks healthy without punting on flavor.

Tomato and Olive Crostini
It would be tough to find an easy game day snack that can class up your joint as much as this one. Ready in only 3 minutes, these toast points come with a layer of Roasted Black Garlic hummus, topped with cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, basil, and balsamic glaze. Great for when the national anthem’s already playing.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. At HOPE Hummus, we’ve got you covered on pre-game, in-game, or post-game snacks—just visit our Instagram community, HOPE Kitchen, or YouTube channel for hundreds of delicious ideas. So get cooking… and we’ll see you at kickoff.

Cheers and happy watching!