Bryan Snyder, Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Director, who is responsible for keeping the year-round nutrition strategies for the team’s players on track, also knows the pitfalls for the fans. “I advise people trying to eat healthier and to follow a sustainable meal plan.”

Snyder describes a sustainable meal plan as one that allows some flexibility to have a meal here and there that might have a higher calorie intake. “I often see people go from eating a poor diet and choosing unhealthy snacks, in combination with not exercising, to all of a sudden deciding to work out every day and eat perfectly every meal. The issue that can arise from that behavior is that it isn’t a sustainable plan, and it doesn’t allow any room for those Super Bowl snacks.”

Snyder’s recommendation is to find a nice middle ground. Allow yourself to sneak in some of those not-so -healthy calories on Super Bowl Sunday, but also give yourself some healthier options that you can have in order to keep a guilt-free conscience.

Snyder’s Super Bowl snack of choice? Pistachios. “Pistachios are loaded with antioxidants and fiber, which will help you feel full, prevent you from over-eating during the big game, and give you an immune system boost as well.”

Other healthy options are pita chips with hummus, vegetables with vegetable dip, bison or turkey burger sliders, popcorn, baked sweet potato fries, or a cup of turkey chili. For those who can’t imagine Game Day without wings, Snyder suggests baking the wings instead of deep-frying to avoid some of the unwanted and unnecessary fats.

“Often we want to eat healthier, but we simply don’t know what to eat,” says Snyder. “All of these options are healthy swaps for satisfying Game Day enjoyment.”

Also, Snyder recommends having a backup plan if you’re going over to someone else’s house to watch the game, as this can be one of the biggest pitfalls to straying from a diet. “Don’t give yourself an excuse to eat poorly. Take along some portable healthy snacks – such as healthy bars, trail mix or pistachios – to be sure you have options so you won’t indulge in hours of unhealthy snacking.”

While it is certainly understandable , and sometimes difficult to eat healthy during the big game, it is something that can be done with the right planning and preparation, according to Snyder.

“One other common misconception about healthy snacking is that you have to sacrifice great taste,” warns Snyder. “Follow this game plan, and I guarantee that you won’t.”