With football season in full swing, slow cooker recipes are a simple and hearty way to feed a crowd. Plus, they typically require little effort to prepare, which means you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time getting hyped for the game with your friends and family.
But it’s easy to lose sight of your health goals when grazing at a tailgate buffet. Maybe you’re trying to hit a daily protein goal or cut back on fats and sugar. Whatever nutrition objectives you’re aiming for, we’ve got you covered. We ranked the healthiness of 22 popular tailgate slow cooker recipes from AllRecipes.com based on the following categories:
Protein: A high-protein diet has been found to increase muscle mass, even if you’re on a weight loss journey.
Saturated Fat: Research shows that saturated fat intake contributes to higher LDL cholesterol levels. That, in turn, could possibly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Fiber: Fiber has a number of health benefits, including reducing hunger, fostering better metabolism, and improving heart health.
Calories: Calculating the right amount of daily calories for your body is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you’re trying to lose weight, you may also consider creating a calorie deficit.
Net Carbs: Not all carbohydrates are created equal, but eating too many can negatively impact your health—especially when it comes to refined carbs.
Sugar: Consuming too much sugar can lead to compulsive overeating in general, so it’s wise to pay attention to your intake.
Key Findings
Lean protein options shine as some of the healthiest tailgate dishes.
Processed and fried meats are among the least healthy recipes, including little smokies, cocktail meatballs, and bacon wrapped smokies.
Warm dips appear on both the best and worst lists, highlighting the importance of using health-conscious ingredients no matter what dish you’re making.
Here are the healthiest and unhealthiest tailgate dishes to craft the perfect spread for your next game day.
Slow Cooker Tailgate Recipes Ranked from Healthiest to Unhealthiest
- Outrageous Warm Chicken Nacho Dip
- Rachael’s Superheated Cajun Boiled Peanuts
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Cowboy Mexican Dip
- Hearty Vegan Slow Cooker Chili
- Easy Slow Cooker French Dip
- Slow Cooker Bar-B-Q Party Mix
- Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Wings
- Big Game Dip
- Cola Beans
- Emily’s Chipotle Chili
- Warm Mexican Corn Dip
- Bacon Wrapped Smokies
- Buffalo Chicken Dip (tied)
- Spicy Hot Chicken Legs (tied)
- Easy, Two-Ingredient Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Jalapeño Popper Taquitos
- Pepperoncini Beef
- Cocktail Meatballs (tied)
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs (tied)
- Little Smokies
Tailgate Dish Nutrition: Trends and Insights
Everyone has their own nutrition priorities, so we’ve broken down these tailgate dishes by each category so you can find the best options for your own weight loss diet plan.
Which Tailgate Dishes Have the Most Protein?
Dishes With the Most Protein
- Slow Cooker Jalapeño Popper Taquitos
- Pepperoncini Beef
- Spicy Hot Chicken Legs
Dishes With the Least Protein
- Warm Mexican Corn Dip
- Slow Cooker Bar-B-Q Party Mix
- Little Smokies
Which Tailgate Dishes Have the Most Fiber?
Dishes With the Most Fiber
- Emily’s Chipotle Chili (tied)
- Rachael’s Superheated Cajun Boiled Peanuts (tied)
- Hearty Vegan Slow Cooker Chili
Dishes With the Least Fiber
- Little Smokies, Bacon Wrapped Smokies, Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Wings, Slow Cooker Carnitas, Spicy Hot Chicken Legs (tied)
Which Tailgate Dishes Have the Most Calories?
Dishes With the Most Calories
- Slow Cooker Jalapeño Popper Taquitos
- Pepperoncini Beef
- Spicy Hot Chicken Legs
Dishes With the Least Calories
- Slow Cooker Bar-B-Q Party Mix
- Cowboy Mexican Dip
- Hearty Vegan Slow Cooker Chili
Which Tailgate Dishes Have the Most Saturated Fat?
Dishes With the Most Saturated Fat
- Slow Cooker Jalapeño Popper Taquitos
- Pepperoncini Beef
- Spicy Hot Chicken Legs
Dishes With the Least Saturated Fat
- Hearty Vegan Slow Cooker Chili
- Cola Beans (tied)
- Slow Cooker Bar-B-Q Party Mix (tied)
Which Tailgate Dishes Have the Most Net Carbs?
Dishes With the Most Net Carbs
- Pepperoncini Beef
- Slow Cooker Jalapeño Popper Taquitos
- Easy, Two-Ingredient Pulled Pork
Dishes With the Least Net Carbs
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Outrageous Warm Chicken Nacho Dip
- Big Game Dip, Spicy Hot Chicken Legs, Warm Mexican Corn Dip
Which Tailgate Dishes Have the Most Sugar?
Dishes With the Most Sugar
- Cocktail Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
- Little Smokies
Dishes With the Least Sugar
- Slow Cooker Carnitas (tied)
- Outrageous Warm Chicken Nacho Dip (tied)
- Warm Mexican Corn Dip (tied)
Methodology: How Scores Were Calculated
We looked at 22 savory tailgate slow cooker recipes from Allrecipes.com, making it easy to cook and dish out these dishes whether you’re hosting friends at home or setting up in a stadium parking lot. Using this list of recipes, we ranked each one based on six categories of nutrition content. Higher levels of protein and fiber were ranked favorably and dishes with higher amounts of calories, saturated fat, net carbs, and sugar were ranked lower. Protein and saturated fat content also received a 2x multiplier.
How to Stay Healthy During Your Next Tailgate Party
Support your favorite team and your own health goals by following these tips at the tailgate.
Participate in physical activities: Incorporate some movement into your tailgate, whether it’s cornhole, ladder toss, frisbee, or tossing a football. Moving around after a meal has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar levels.
Limit alcohol intake: The best way to limit alcohol intake is to set a drink limit in advance and drink water in between hard beverages. For men under 65, the CDC recommends no more than two drinks per day. Bonus points: consume extra water to help you feel full longer. There are also plenty of non-alcoholic beers on the market that can help you stay on track.
Pay attention to portion sizes: It’s easy to zone out and graze all day at a football game or viewing party. While it’s fine to indulge, be mindful of the food groups and serving sizes you fill up on.
8 Sources
- Carbone, J. (2019). Dietary protein and muscle mass: translating science to application and health benefit. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6566799/
- Gershuni, V. (2018). Saturated fat: part of a healthy diet. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30084105/#:~:text=Saturated%20fat%20can%20lead%20to,association%20does%20not%20assign%20causation.
- Akhlaghi, M. (2022). The role of dietary fibers in regulating appetite, an overview of mechanisms and weight consequences. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36193993/
- Gearhart-Serna, L. (2022). Health benefits of dietary fibers vary. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/health-benefits-dietary-fibers-vary
- Clemente-Suarez, V., et al. (2022). The burden of carbohydrates in health and disease. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36145184/
- Freeman, C., et al. (2018). Impact of sugar on the body, brain, and behavior. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29772560/
- Ageel, M., et al. (2020). The effect of timing of exercise and eating on postprandial response in adults: a systematic review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7019516/
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/moderate-alcohol-use.html
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