Tailgating food tends to be heavy on the grilled meats -- hamburgers, hot dogs and barbecued chicken. Side dishes can be an afterthought, consisting mostly of salty snacks like chips and pretzels. But your football fan friends will appreciate it if you offer some vegetable side dishes to round out your pregame meal and add some nutritional balance to the tailgate party spread. Your side dish choices should be portable and able to be held at room temperature for a long time.
Coleslaw
Coleslaw doesn't have to mean a dish dressed in heavy mayonnaise, which you want to avoid not only for health reasons but for food safety concerns as well. Start with sliced cabbage and add shredded carrots, jicama, radish or bell peppers. Dress with vinegar and oil plus salt and pepper, with a bit of optional Dijon mustard or cayenne for extra flavor. Cabbage is a low-calorie vegetable high in vitamin C, fiber, calcium and potassium.
Pasta Salad
Plain pasta makes an excellent base for a healthy salad loaded with vegetables and dressed with a light vinegar and oil treatment. Try adding olives, roasted red pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes, diced red onion and/or artichoke hearts. Toss in fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, scallions or tarragon, too.
Potato Salad
Potatoes make for a healthy side dish base -- they're a good source of B vitamins, vitamin C and fiber. For a healthier salad, don't peel the potatoes. Once again, a vinegar and oil dressing can stand in for the more traditional mayonnaise. You can also dress your potato salad with low-fat yogurt for a creamier finish. Add chopped parsley or dill, celery, chopped pickles, chopped red onion and even hard-boiled eggs for a nutrition and flavor boost.
Layered Bean Dip
Bring a Southwestern style layered bean dip in a casserole dish to the tailgate along with tortilla chips to serve with. The beans provide fiber and protein. Layer with cheese, sour cream, guacamole or avocado chunks, tomatoes or salsa fresca, chopped or shredded romaine lettuce, scallions or chopped onions, olives and sliced jalapenos.
Bean Salad
Bean salads are another nutritious option, offering high levels of protein and fiber. Dress your beans with barbecue sauce, vinegar, scallions and fresh tomatoes. Or combine with corn, chopped red peppers and scallions and dress with oil and vinegar for a Mexican-style twist. Three-bean salad is a Midwestern picnic classic and so quite appropriate for tailgating. Combine green beans with Lima beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, chickpeas or white beans and add celery, red onion, parsley and red bell pepper. Dress with oil and cider vinegar.
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