Healthy Half Time World Cup Snacks

For all you soccer fans out there, most of your evenings for the next month will be spent in front of the telly. If you are starting to stock up on snacks for the long days and nights in front of the box, Dr. Marian Faughnan from safefood, has some healthy snack ideas to keep you match fit!

When it comes to the crunch…

The temptation is to buy in the large sharing packs of crisps and tortilla chips to get you through football fever. Small amounts of crisps are OK now and again, but once you’re engrossed in the game, it’s easy to just keep munching.

Luckily, there are some healthy options if you fancy something crunchy at half time. Go for popcorn, made without added fat if possible, or toast some tortilla wraps so that they are crispy and serve with salsa, hummus or a yoghurt-based dip. Carrot or celery sticks are also tasty alternatives for dipping.

Nuts about football

Try snacking on small amounts of nuts and seeds which provide both protein and healthy unsaturated fats. Just watch the quantities because nuts are also high in calories. Choose nuts that have no salt or oil added.

Calcium goals

Snacks are a nice way to try to give your calcium intake a quick boost and reach your daily target of three portions of dairy each day. Try a couple of wholegrain crackers with some strong cheese. Just go easy on portions sizes, since cheese is high in fat as well as calcium.

Alternatively, refresh your taste buds and soothe your vocal cords with a yoghurt-based smoothie at half time, ready to shout at the TV for the second half (or extra time!)

Fruitful viewing

When you are busy planning your viewing schedule, the last thing on your mind is your target of five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Make sure you have some vegetables in the house for a quick and tasty stir fry before you get stuck in for the evening. Fruit also makes a great instant snack so keep a bowl nearby while watching the game.

For more information visit www.safefood.eu