How to Fix a Healthy Snack for Watching a Soccer Game

Watching a game at home can be healthy and nutritious. Enjoy the soccer while you watch your health

2 min

By Ignacio Heredia
November 21, 2022

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Watching a soccer game at home goes hand in hand with a few soft drinks, a few beers and some savory snacks. If you’re very lucky, a handful of nuts and some hummus might sneak onto the soccer menu, but more often than not you’ll be sitting in front of a tray of chips, cold meats and fast food.

If you take into account that a soccer match lasts at least 90 minutes, and that during tournaments such as the World Cup or the European Championship there are matches every day, the number of calories accumulated can skyrocket. That’s why it doesn’t hurt to have a number of healthier alternatives at hand, so you don’t end up paying in tears when you step on the scales.

That’s why we have some ideas for snacks so you can enjoy watching football without having to worry about your health. So that you only need to worry about your team winning the game.

Fruit: You don’t just put a plate of bananas and apples on the table. Try being a bit creative. You can make a brochette with a range of cut fruit: pineapple, melon, mango… You could also create your own snacks. Try soaking some blueberries in yogurt and freezing them for some tasty and super nutritious gummies! Berries are another healthy option. Put some blueberries, blackcurrants and blackberries in a bowl and enjoy a good helping of vitamin C and antioxidants.

Nuts:No! By nuts we definitely don’t mean nachos, Cheetos or chips. Look for the healthier options: walnuts, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts… Did you know that some nuts are a source of plant protein? Peanuts, for example, have more than 25g of protein per 100g. And almonds have between 18 and 20g per 100g. Mix them up and enjoy! Of course, keep an eye on the quantities because the Heart Foundation only recommends consuming between three to seven servings a week, taking into account that a serving would be between 20 and 30 grams of nuts. Which comes to be more or less a handful.

Healthy scallion pancakes: Crispy and chewy, with layers of thinly sliced scallions, pan-fried in coconut oil for crispy edges. These healthy scallion pancakes have chickpea flour in the batter, along with Greek yogurt. Since gram flour is gluten-free, adding a little vital wheat gluten – a special type of flour that you can buy in health food shops – helps improve the elasticity of the dough, while slightly increasing the protein content. Greek yogurt also helps to keep these snacks soft and chewy.

Avocado: The on-trend product par excellence in any healthy and nutritious snack. A food that provides omega 3 in large quantities. Here’s an idea; toast some bread, spread some avocado on top and add some chopped tomato for extra antioxidants. Want to spice it up? Try sprinkling some cheese on top and some Provencal herbs for a touch of zing.

Homemade popcorn: There may be a bit of controversy here. But it all depends on how you make it. The type and amount of fat you use to cook it, and adding salt and butter can turn it from a healthy snack to a calorie bomb. In terms of nutrients, popcorn has carbohydrates (60g per 100g) and proteins (10g per 100g) and, in terms of calories, it will depend on whether you add fat and a lot of salt. It’s up to you! They shouldn’t be used to excess, but are perfect for brightening up snacks for the match.

Low carb zucchini hummus: A high protein, creamy zucchini hummus spread made with sautéed zucchini, tahini, freshly squeezed lemon juice and a little garlic. Not only will this give the sauce a richer flavor and creamier texture, but it also adds extra protein.

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