Feb. 1--Other than Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday could be the biggest food day of the year.
Living rooms and dens are converted into all-you-can-eat game-day buffets, with plates of potato chips, pizza, chicken wings and subs covering every table in sight.
One leading health magazine recently estimated that Americans will consume 156 billion calories on Feb. 7, when New Orleans plays Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLIV.
But your Super Bowl party doesn't have to be a fat- and calorie-laden feast, said Marianne Schneider, a Saint Vincent Health Center dietitian.
"There are simple things you can do to cut the fat and reduce the calories," Schneider said. "One thing is to simply serve food in smaller bowls. Studies have shown that people will take less food from smaller serving bowls than they will from larger ones."
Other changes involve the foods themselves. Schneider took a look at five popular Super Bowl foods (and two drinks) and offered healthier versions that are still tasty and fun.
PIZZA
- Tale of the tape: 1 slice of pepperoni pan-style pizza has 28 grams of fat and 280 calories.
- How it can be healthier: Order a thinner crust and pile on the vegetables, Schneider said. "Pile on the veggies and don't get double cheese or double meat," she said. "It really makes a difference."
- The result: 1 slice of thin-crust vegetable pizza has 7 grams of fat and 180 calories.
CHICKEN WINGS
- Tale of the tape: 6 fried chicken wings contain 30 grams of fat and 480 calories.
- How it can be healthier: Baking the wings instead of frying them helps a little, but you have to make a radical change to really make it healthy, Schneider said. "Take chicken breast and cut it into strips," she said. "Roll them in some ground up cornflakes, and bake them. You can even add your favorite wing sauce for flavor, as long as it's low-fat and low-calorie."
- The result: 6 chicken strips contain 2 grams of fat and 186 calories.
NACHOS
- Tale of the tape: 1 ounce of tortilla chips covered in 1 ounce of Velveeta cheese has 12.7 grams of fat and 219 calories.
- How it can be healthier: Start with baked or multigrain tortilla chips, Schneider said. "Then use peppers and black olives -- don't just drown the chips in cheese," she said. "If you add meat, use ground turkey or low-fat beef."
- The result: 1 ounce of baked tortilla chips with 1/2 ounce of Velveeta Lite cheese contains 4.5 grams of fat and 150 calories.
CHILI
- Tale of the Tape: 1 cup of Hormel chili with 1/4 ounce of cheese contains 8.7 grams of fat and 285 calories.
- How it can be healthier: "Chili is already one of the healthier options, but there are ways to improve it," Schneider said. "Use low-fat beef or turkey instead of regular ground beef," she said. "And either skip the cheese and sour cream or use low-fat versions of each."
- The result: 1 cup of Hormel turkey chili without cheese contains 3 grams of fat and 200 calories.
SUB SANDWICHES
- Tale of the tape: A 6-inch cold-cut combo from Subway contains 16 grams of fat and 410 calories.
- How it can be healthier: There's plenty of room for improvement, Schneider said. "Stay away from the high-fat meats like salami and pepperoni," she said. "Use low-fat condiments and load up on the veggies."
- The result: A 6-inch turkey and ham Subway sub contains 4 grams of fat and 296 calories.
BEER OR SODA
- Tale of the tape: 1 12-ounce Budweiser or Coca-Cola has 144 calories and 0 grams of fat.
- How they can be healthier: Light beers and diet sodas are one option, Schneider said. "Pace yourself," she said. "Rotate your beer or soda with water. It's always better to eat first, you will feel more full and likely drink less."
- The result: 1 12-ounce Bud Light has 65 calories and 0 grams of fat; 1 12-ounce Diet Coke has 0 calories and 0 grams of fat.
Staff writer Jennie Geisler contributed to this story.
DAVID BRUCE can be reached at 870-1736 or by e-mail.
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