This Super Bowl, Switch Up the Game Plan With These Satisfying Vegan Snacks

America’s second-largest food holiday could use a little less meat and cheese

By Drew Higgins

February 3, 2017

"Pulled Pork" Sandwich

“Pulled pork” sandwich | Photo by Vegetarian Dude

When you think of the Super Bowl, you think of roaring stadiums, flashy halftime acts, pitchers of beer, and . . . vegan food, right?

More like pizza and chicken wings. The USDA reports that the Super Bowl is the second-largest food consumption day in the United States after Thanksgiving. Dominoes sells over 11 million pizza slices on game day, and the National Chicken Council estimates that Americans will eat 1.33 billion chicken wings this Super Bowl, February 5—enough to circle the earth nearly three times.

Of course, it’s no surprise that Americans eat a lot of beef, chicken, and cheese. On average, we consume 13 percent of our daily calories in meat, and 14 percent in dairy and eggs. That’s higher than the global averages of 9 and 8 percent, respectively.

But this animal-based diet exacts a huge environmental toll: Livestock production accounts for 14.5 percent of human-caused global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, and consumes about a third of our planet’s land mass.

So buck the meaty, cheesy establishment this Sunday and lower your impact by swapping out at least one of your usual go-tos (perhaps the chicken wings?) for an animal-free dish. Here are six tasty vegan recipes that play off the usual game-day fare and are quick and simple to make. 

Beer-Soaked Fries

Beer’s carbon dioxide expands under heat, making it a magical ingredient for whipping up light and crispy crusts. It also adds a hoppy bitterness to these baked fries from Edible Perspective.

Most beer does not contain animal products. If you’re wondering about a brand, check out Barnivore, a handy directory of vegan booze.

Beer-Soaked Fries Beer-soaked fries | Photo by Edible Perspective

20-Minute Four-Bean Chili 

Beans are rich in protein, antioxidants, and nutrients like iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and folate. Get all that goodness in this fast and savory chili from Daily Garnish.

Twenty-Minute Four-Bean Chili 20-minute four-bean chili | Photo by Daily Garnish

"Pulled Pork" Sandwich

Vegetarian Dude uses oyster mushrooms in this recipe, ideal because you can shred them into strips like pulled pork. Mushrooms also contain umami, the satiating sixth taste that suggests a meaty flavor without the actual meat.

"Pulled Pork" Sandwich "Pulled pork" sandwich | Photo by Vegetarian Dude

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Feed that game-day BBQ craving with Fettle Vegan’s smoky, roasted cauliflower bites. All you’ll need is cauliflower, barbecue sauce, flour, spices, and non-dairy milk. 

BBQ cauliflower bites | Photo by Fettle Vegan

No-Bake Cookie Dough

This Goodness Is Gorgeous cookie dough lets you eat spoonful after spoonful with fewer calories and no raw egg. The secret ingredient? Chickpeas. 

 

No-bake cookie dough | Photo by Goodness Is Gorgeous

Chocolate-Covered Football Strawberries

White chocolate—used for the laces on these adorable football strawberries from Ciao Mama—contains dairy. But you can make vegan white chocolate with recipes like this one, or for a store-bought option, try Duncan Hines' white frosting, which PETA lists as vegan. 

Chocolate Covered Football Strawberries  Chocolate-covered football strawberries | Photo by Ciao Mama

What You Can Do

Pledge to Go Meatless Once a Week: Reducing our dependence on meat is one way to make a large dent in greenhouse emissions like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Reduce your personal footprint on the planet and take the pledge to skip meat one day a week.

Take the pledge to skip meat one day a week!