No Fuss Gluten-Free Game Day Snacks

Food allergies can make game day snacking tough, but with a few pantry and fridge staples you can be out of the kitchen and cheering for your favorite team in no time with these no fuss gluten free game day snacks.

gluten-free-game-day-snacks

[Tweet “No fuss, #glutenfree game day snacks. #gamechangingflavors”]

We are all about some game day over here. If it’s fall and it’s football, it’s on our tv.

three year old panthers fan

Ok perhaps I should clarify. The husband is all about some game day. I, on the other hand, am all about some game day eats. I’d be the first one to say hey let’s have a bunch of people over to watch the game simply so we could snack on a bunch of game day food.

gluten free game day snacks

However, since food allergies have come into our lives, it makes simply grabbing a bunch of game-ready food from the store less of a convenience and more of a hassle. We can’t just go to one store and grab everything we need or make last minute plans and pick something up along the way. Instead, we have to plan in advance, which on occasion has made me not want to host a game day celebration at all. If it’s work it’s not fun.

no fuss game day snacks

But slowly and surely over the years I’ve figured out how to get around that hold up. I have a few go-to game day recipes up my sleeve that are easy to prepare, but better yet, I’ve figured out how to prepare practically nothing and still have a game-day worthy spread.

gluten free meatballs easy spinach dip

 

 

 

 

 

The trick is pairing your snacks so they not only complement each other but you cover all your bases. Fruits, veggies, and chips are easy to throw on the counter, but unless I have some homemade meatballs hiding in the freezer, I don’t always have an easy protein option. Or do I…
blue diamond flavored nuts

You know I’m a fan of flavored almonds {the blueberry ones are a staple favorite around here} and these bold, smokey, game changing flavors are perfect for an easy game day treat to help keep you full and satisfied while you munch away and watch the game.

gluten free game day snacks

They’d make a great game day pairing on their own with some salami & cheese, or even mixed with something unexpected and sweet like dried fruit. The smokehouse almonds scream manly game day and the wasabi & soy are delightful for something different {and just spicy enough without crossing the line}.

blue diamond almonds

These rounded out our last game day spread nicely along with some of our other gluten-free, dairy-free faves, like spinach artichoke dip with sliced veggies, bean dip with tortilla chips, guacamole, hummus, and meatballs. I may or may not have eaten half the nuts while waiting for the game to start…

 

What’s your favorite no-fuss game day snack?

This post was originally sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. Ditch the chips and grab some Game Changing Flavors this football season! 

Let the Games Begin

At every family event growing up, my mom made spinach dip. It got to the point where it was expected of her- if it wasn’t there, something felt wrong.

When I officially moved out on my own, one of the first things I did was ask for my mom’s recipes- you know, all 4 that she ever made. Spinach dip was first on the list.

I knew the spinach dip used a packet of dried soup mix, but I felt utterly cheated the first time I went shopping for the ingredients and turned the Knorr vegetable soup packet over.

knorr soup mix

Right there, staring me in the face, was my mom’s spinach dip recipe. I should have known.

10 oz frozen spinach

16 oz sour cream

1 cup mayo

1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix

8 oz chopped water chestnuts

Of course I made the dip anyway. Even if it’s not some prized secret family recipe, it still brings back memories of defrosting spinach with my mom late at night before family gatherings so the dip could sit overnight and do it’s magical flavor enhancing thing.

vegetable soup mix

I do have to admit I never have the forethought to make the dip ahead of time, so it’s never quite as good. Or maybe it’s just not as good because Mom didn’t make it.

Perhaps it’s the unending substitutions & variations I make: mayo, vegenaise, sour cream, Greek yogurt…pretty much anything that’s creamy goes. And measuring is obsolete, though I always use 2 packs of frozen spinach because that’s the best part of the dip.

spinach dip

Yesterday the spinach dip was the star of the snack show as the husband’s family joined us for the first college game day of the season.

wvu fan

Can you tell what team we route for? (Don’t ask. I learned a long time ago it’s easier to just join them in their fan-hood.)

With spinach dip, there’s something for everyone: carrots, tortilla chips, celery, and pita chips.

dip tray

Game day in the SoS house is literally a day- morning through night, it’s all about football. I can only handle so much, so for me it’s an excuse to enjoy adult beverages in the middle of the day without anyone blinking an eye.

hefeweizen

(My all time favorite, despite it’s slightly inappropriate name- Flying Dog In-Heat Wheat Hefeweizen.)

veggie dip tray

The snacks held us over til the end of the game and it was time to grill. Thank goodness we were victorious or who knows what the husband would have done to our dinner. 😉

grill master

Hamburgers for the crowd, stuffed peppers to keep me happy. Stuffed peppers are probably my favorite veggie-grilling go-to.

grilled peppers

Some how we managed to get through the day without anyone touching my apple crisp. You bet I’m being selfish with this one. 😉

Are you a football fan?