Students share a few of their favorite sideline munchies

Mouth-watering cheesy pizza, crisp potato chips, juicy barbecued chicken wings and . gummies?

The usual Super Bowl grocery list may be filled with uninspired snacks, but opting for unique or nutritional alternatives can taste good while showing good taste.

Ian Grogan, junior paralegal studies major, usually chooses to snack on chips, pretzels and, his favorite, Swedish Fish.

“(Swedish Fish) are not really party snacks, but they’re always good,” he said, adding they are a gummy with “perfect balance” being “chewy but not too chewy.”

“Gummy Bears are way too chewy,” Grogan said.

Chris Baldwin, freshman theater production major, also enjoys gummies, but his favorite Super Bowl snack is Gummy Bears.

“It gives me something to chew on without stuffing myself,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin’s other Super Bowl snack picks include reduced-fat Cheez-Its – not because they’re healthy but because he just likes them – French Onion dip and chips, trail mix, ice cream and, every once in awhile, Oreos on pizza.

The Oreo pizza came about while looking for gross foods to eat, Baldwin said, “It started out as a dare.”

Instead of finding it gross, however, the person who tried it liked the pizza, so everyone else involved in the dare began eating it, too.

But if Oreo pizzas and gummies don’t seem so delectable, a variety of other interesting snack options are available. One alternative is to create football-themed food or cuisine native to the city of either competing team.

For some Patriots-inspired food, a quick online search produces many recipes to choose from, including Boston baked beans, New England clam chowder and Tri-Sum potato chips.

According to the Tri-Sum online store, Tri-Sum Chips have been a signature New England product since 1908.

If partygoers are Giants fans and would rather have a taste of New York, some of the many snack choices include pizza, hot dogs, soft pretzels or even a big apple. While some may be typical Super Bowl snacks, the authentic New York eats can be ordered online from Foods of New York, which delivers hot dogs, knishes, pretzels and condiments. New York style pizza can be ordered at www.IWantNYPizza.com.

Another way to add some Super Bowl spirit to snacks is by incorporating team colors into food or using a football-shaped mold.

Football food molds could become football-shaped cookies, Jell-O, cake, or whatever football-shaped food imaginable.

Sophomore accounting major Katie Hintze said a football cake would be something out of the ordinary to make for Super Bowl parties. But for the usual snacks, she enjoys cookies, pizza and “definitely salsa and chips.”

Alan Groudle, senior visual communication design major, normally snacks on pretzels, pizza and chips during the Super Bowl. He said his favorite food to snack on is pizza because of its many different toppings and deliciousness.

“Pizza’s pretty traditional at a football party,” Groudle said.

But for students trying to eat healthy or keep New Year’s resolutions, these Super Bowl snacks don’t have to be their downfall.

Jodie Luidhart, registered dietician and coordinator of the Nutritional Outreach Department, said including vegetables on pizza and eating thin crust instead of thick can be more healthful.

“Loading up on the vegetables rather than meat is a good way to cut back on calories and fat,” Luidhart said.

For those who like chips and dip, healthy choices include baked or whole-grain chips and salsa, and hummus and guacamole dips rather than creamier cheesy dips. As for beverages to sip while snacking, Luidhart said “water’s always healthy.”

Baldwin, who doesn’t like carbonated beverages, drinks lemonade. He said it’s a sweeter drink he likes to substitute for water.

Grogan also doesn’t drink pop and chooses to have milk with his Super Bowl snacks instead.

Other than water, 100 percent juice and even Gatorade is healthy, as long as the portion of Gatorade is reasonable, Luidhart said. Those students who prefer pop can drink diet instead.

“I’m not saying it’s the healthier route, but you’ll cut back on calories by choosing diet pop rather than regular pop,” Luidhart said.

Fruit and veggie trays are also good alternatives to less healthy foods, Luidhart said. But if students are going to indulge in the “not-so-healthy snacks,” she said having smaller portions and refraining from extra helpings can help.

Her advice for Super Bowl snackers: “Moderate your intake.”

Contact features correspondent Kelly Byer

at [email protected].