What to Eat on Game Day
Daina Falk, the creator of hungryfan.com and the author of The Hungry Fan’s Game Day Cookbook: 165 Recipes for Eating, Drinking & Watching Sports, joins the Clever Cookstr to talk about healthier takes on game days eats.
Daina Falk was born into a sports-loving family. Her father was a sports agent, and she was surrounded by pro athletes growing up. After college, Daina decided that she wanted to get healthier and lose weight, but didn’t want to let go of the joy of sharing snacks during game day. She found her passion in making game day food healthier, and her cookbook balances classic indulgences with inherently healthier and vegetable-heavy foods.
For Daina, “healthy” means food that’s nutritionally dense for the amount of calories it contains—so, say, using greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Daina also often uses baby spinach in lieu of lettuce in recipes like nachos, for more antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and equally low calories.
Game day food, of course, includes some criteria that can’t be compromised: saltiness is key, a crunch factor is necessary, and fun finger foods are important. Daina considers her type of cuisine perfect for “fangating”: whether you’re tailgating in the parking lot, watching sports at home, or even watching a game at a park or stadium.
And don’t forget beverages! From mango caipirinhas to beer snowcones, there’s something for everyone.
Listen to our interview with Daina Falk in the top right hand player, or on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify (simply search the mobile app!). Don’t forget to sign up for the forthcoming Clever Cookstr newsletter, full of tips and tricks from the kitchens of the world’s best chefs.
Bonus Recipe: Tachos
Makes 1 large plate
You’ve heard of nachos. You’ve heard of tater tots. Combining them creates sheer taste bud amazingness in the form of what I call “Tachos.” The key to this recipe is that the tater tots must be served really crispy and hot. This dish is goopy, so you really want your tots to hold up to the cheesy yumminess like tortilla chips would.
6 ounces dried chorizo, diced
1⁄2 cup Negra Modelo, or another dark beer
16 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 serrano pepper, seeds and veins removed, minced
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
3 cups tater tots
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1⁄4 cup Homemade Salsa
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
Freshly ground black pepper, optional
- 1. Cook the chorizo over medium in a large saucepan for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp and the fat has rendered. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain, and discard the rendered fat.
- 2. Heat the beer in the same saucepan over high for about 5 minutes to reduce it a bit. Reduce the heat to low, and add the cheese, stirring often as it melts into the beer. Once fully melted, add the fresh and canned chiles, 1 tablespoon of the green onions, and half the chorizo. Bring to a simmer for 7 to 10 minutes.
- 3. Transfer your lidded pan into your Hungry Fan 3-in-1 Fangating™ Bag, and let it cook and marinate in its own goodness for 1 hour. Alternatively, continue to simmer on your stovetop for 1 hour.
- 4. Meanwhile, bake the tater tots in a preheated oven according to package directions, making sure to cook them to their crispiest.
- 5. Remove the cheese sauce from the Fangating™ Bag, and stir very well, in case it has gotten a bit clumpy.
- 6. Place the tater tots on a large tray, and drizzle the cheese sauce on top. Dollop with the yogurt and salsa. Top with the remaining chorizo and green onions and the cilantro. Feel free to sprinkle with some freshly ground black pepper, too, and then serve immediately.
Recipe reprinted with permission from The Hungry Fan’s Game Day Cookbook: 165 Recipes for Eating, Drinking & Watching Sports, by Daina Falk (Oxmoor House, 2016).