Cleats & Eats: Snacks from the Sidelines

Regan Jones from the Professional Palate takes over Robinsbite today as Football Week begins....

When my friend and (much admired) colleague Robin invited me to be a guest blogger here on her blog, I jumped at the opportunity. I admire Robin’s style, spirit for all things food and overall approach to communicating nutrition news. We are cut from the same cloth when it comes to our approach to making nutrition a “taste-first” topic.  

The fact that she does not share my ardent devotion to college football is something that I have chosen not to hold against her. It is, however, the reason that I am thrilled to step in as her guest blogger today to give the RobinsBite audience the seasonal food nod toward one of this country’s favorite pastimes - football.

College, NFL, fantasy, you name it... when it comes to football, my household is probably paying attention to it. (Ironically, I met Robin while living in Texas- the only place on Earth where people actual tailgate for high school football. It’s insane the love of football those wonderful Texans share with folks like me, born and raised in the Deep South where football truly divides families and decides elections. And frankly, I love Texas all the more for it!! But back to the topic at hand....)

I have come to realize over the years, though, that the problem with a season full of tailgating (or better yet “tablegating” for the poor lot of us who have either been displaced from our alma mater in distance OR have a couple of future football fans toddling around the house keeping us home) is that often the nutrition numbers don’t really add up in your favor.

Don’t get me wrong... I’m a big believer in that classic dietitian mantra of “all foods can fit.” But the question is... if you fit in too many fun foods this season, will you really fit into your jeans come Super Bowl?

I get plenty of requests every year to “lighten” a traditional tailgate dish... and I’m happy to oblige. In fact, I’ve just launched a season long #footballfriday bloghop on my blog celebrating popular tailgating dishes from bloggers across the web. But if you really want to score big not only on taste, but nutrition as well, you can look to those naturally nutrient-rich choices that are already fan favorites:  

• In shell pistachios - In general, nuts are always a good choice because of their vitamin, mineral, protein and fiber content. Where people get into trouble is overdoing their portions (which can mean big calories!) The thing I love about in shell pistachios, though, is that the act of breaking open each pistachio is a natural way to slow down that “grazing” that can otherwise lead to excess calories.

• Black Bean and Corn Salsa - This is one of my all-time favorites. It’s based on a recipe I tested while working in the Test Kitchen for one of Southern Living’s cookbooks. It’s always a hit, even alongside some of it’s heavier, dip competitors. Fresh salsas, whether made from tomatoes, corn, beans, mangos, peaches... you name it... are an ideal way to sneak in something fresh, veggie &/or fruit filled without making people feel like you brought the “diet dip.”

• Fruit & Cheese tray - On this point, I differ with some cheeseheads in that I’m actually “pro” cubed cheese for this type of spread. I’ll confess that once you cube cheese, it does begin to lose its moisture faster, so beware of prepping too far in advance. Likewise, I recommend doing it yourself rather than buying pre-cubed cheese (I think the flavor and texture difference is totally worth the minimal extra effort.) Plus, by cubing yourself, you’re able to opt for reduced fat varieties, many of which now come in flavors and taste nothing like they did years ago (Yay! Score one for cheese lovers!) Because fruit is such a natural alongside cheese, here again you’ve offered your pals another nutrient-rich combo in the form of a fan favorite.

• Roasted Veggie and Olive Antipasto - While traditional antipasto platters contain cured meats, I prefer an all veggie approach. Olives are a classic fixture, as are artichoke hearts. I add to that various roasted veggies (either roasted at home in a 450 degree oven until caramelized or picked up from the local deli). Drizzle with a touch of balsamic vinegar for low fat, high flavor... and can you say antioxidant powerhouse?

• Grilled Chicken Skewers with Buffalo Sauce - As I said, I really hate to hit people over the head with the “this is lighter” notion. But nowhere is it more welcome in my books than ditching chicken wings (which frankly just don’t appeal to me as they’re mostly just poultry skin... *no thanks*), and instead opting for grilled chicken breast skewers and buffalo sauce. I mean really... what’s the appeal about wings anyway? It’s the heat in the sauce, right? This approach gives you that same appeal for far fewer calories.

I can’t really say whether the appeal of football season is the chance for my team to lace up their cleats and take a run at the championship, the opportunity to spend time with friends and family or simply a good excuse to break out the chip and dip bowl for some delicious eats... probably, it’s a combination of all of the above. I can say, however, that whatever the season holds on the field, lining up these choice clearly means winning “off” the field.       


Regan Jones, RD authors the blog The Professional Palate from her home in Georgia where she is actively grooming two young sons for a lifelong football devotion to her alma mater, Auburn University. (Just don’t tell her husband who is equally devoted to doing the same for their in-state rival.)

10 Easy Ways to Save at the Grocery Store with Lauren Marek (and RP's bubbly commentary)

As I write my own grocery list for the week, guest blogger Lauren Marek's comments are speaking loud and clear! Check out my own chatter next to her excellent points!

Way to Save Money at the Grocery Store

We are all trying to cut back on our spending these days. Food is one of our biggest monthly expenditures, so why not find easy ways to save, but still get the high quality foods that you like?

Here are some easy tips to save money on groceries:

1. Watch the scanner at checkout. Did you know that Americans lose 1 to 3 BILLION DOLLARS in pricing discrepancies each year? Make sure that the price on the food matches the price on the scanner.
RP says: Seriously folks-watch this closely. I have found many an error by doing so and thereby saved money!

2. Make your own mixes. Pre-made mixes are expensive, and not as good! Bring out your inner Martha Stewart and mix up your own brownies!
RP says: I love www.epicurious.com and www.thekitchn.com for recipes.

3. Keep track of what you have at home. How many times have you showed up with a just purchased item, only to realize you already had 2 at home?!
RP says: Sadly, I do this all the time-I recently had 5 boxes of Triscuits in my cupboard. Seriously!

4. Eat first. You have heard this over and over: if you shop hungry, you buy more.
RP says: this is true. Especially during Halloween season. Those mini Kit Kat's and Reece's may be calling your name, but remember that just a few of the "minis" become a full blown extra large candy bar faster than you know!

5. Grate and chop your own foods. Pre-grated and chopped cheese, meats, carrots, etc. are expensive, and it's just too easy to do it yourself to justify the cost difference.
RP says: Do this on Sunday. You will thank yourself by Thursday when you are temped to call Pizza Hut for take out.


6. Watch out for aisle manipulation. Grocery stores purposely put the diary and meat products in the back of the store. Why? They want you to walk through all of the aisles and face the temptation of all the fun colored, new products on the way. Keep this in mind next time you're making a quick milk run and avoid the maze.
RP says: Those food marketers are smart cookies. Just take a look at how big the chip and soda aisles are these days.

7. Beware of bulk. Just because it's packaged in bulk does not mean it's necessarily a better deal. Before you buy that year long supply of marshmallows, try bringing your calculator to find out if it's really cheaper.
RP says: if you do buy in bulk, repackage into correct portion sizes when you get home. Just check the label for proper serving sizes.

8. Eat more beans! Beans are not only cheap, but they're a great source of protein and fiber.
RP says: I heart beans. What more needs to be said?

9. Make a coupon file. Instead of cutting them out and throwing them in your purse to forever be forgotten, make a coupon file and look in it for the items you need before you hit up the super market.
RP says: I am not a coupon queen, but I am getting better. It's amazing how much you can save if you are looking for the RIGHT coupons. Don't clip something you don't buy just to get the discount!

10. Cut back on bottled water. According to the New York Times, "Almost all municipal water in America is so good that nobody needs to import a single bottle from Italy or France or the Fiji Islands. Meanwhile, if you choose to get your recommended eight glasses a day from bottled water, you could spend up to $1,400 annually. The same amount of tap water would cost you about 49 cents." This is not to mention all of the plastic Americans are wasting...
RP says: I do drink Dallas water on a daily basis and I feel pretty good.

This last tip from me doesn't save money per se, but it does save the environment. Hoping up right now to put my recycled bags at the back door so I don't forget them!

How do you save at the grocery store? Post a comment and let us know!

Once In Love With Amy

Yesterday was my first taste of the goodness that is Amy's Natural Foods. Hard to believe that I've never tasted it before-wait, I take that back. Amy's was at a food show I attended several years back. They were serving up their delicious pizza and creating long, annyoning lines of people waiting to wolf down their mini slice of the good stuff.

I digress. It was a cold and rainy day yesterday and I had 2 big deadlines I had to meet. Lunch rolled around and the Amy's Tamale Verde with Black Bean frozen meal was calling my name. Purchased the day before, I had my eye on it and knew that it would be consumed in short order...it's work related research, you know. Many a friend and colleague had waxed on about the deliciousness of the Amy's brand. Now I know why. These people know how to do frozen food.

My Tamale Verde was plump full of whole black beans and actually identifiable niblets of corn. The masa on the tamale was moist and substantial and the rice-which is something I usually do not eat-was tasty with the appropriate amount of spice and flavor. I was satisfied after I ate it (at 1:00pm) and stayed that way until about 4:30 when an orange called my name. This tells me that it had the right amount of calories, protein, carbs and fat for my body's needs.


The folks at Amy's have been doing this for years. Their products are all natural, organic, trans fat free and made with fresh ingredients. Over 50% of their ingredients are grown within a 200 mile radius of their "kitchen". They cater to those who are vegan, gluten-free, dairy free and lactose free as well as sodium restricted. Click here for more info on their comprehensive website. (www.amys.com)

The Enchiladas with Vegetables and Black Beans is still in freezer..but not for long.