Recipe Mutiny: Get the Party Started with Vegan and Allergy-Safe Tailgating Snacks

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Get the Party Started with Vegan and Allergy-Safe Tailgating Snacks

Tailgating takes all kinds, so don’t neglect allergy-safe and vegan tailgating snacks when planning your football party!

One pleasure of tailgating that nobody can deny is the junk food. You don’t have to be a football fan to enjoy a good tailgating party when the grub is tasty. And let’s face it, now that weather’s changing, you have the perfect excuse to indulge in some extra hearty fare.

However, you don’t have to go totally overboard. You can enjoy lots of indulgent snacks minus some of the fat-laden and unhealthy ingredients commonly found in football grub, without compromising on taste. Also, if you are catering to vegans or those with food allergies at your tailgating bash, these delectable, fun snacks are ones that everyone can enjoy.

Chow Down on Vegan Corn Dogs

Field Roast Mini Corn Dogs, $7.99 at Vegan Essentials

Field Roast

Finger foods are a staple of every sports-related gathering and they don’t get any easier to prepare than Field Roast Miniature Corn Dogs. Pop them in the microwave briefly or put them in the oven for 20 minutes, and they’re ready to serve. They’re made of delectable Field Roast frankfurters in a traditional sweet cornbread batter. If you don’t tell party guests that these corn dogs are vegan, they’ll never suspect a thing. (Pro-tip: whip up a vegan honey mustard dipping sauce by mixing a spicy brown mustard with Bee Free Honee Vegan Honey (made from apples)—but don’t use Dijon mustard, which is usually processed with animal ingredients.Buy Now

Create a Varied Vegan Cheese Tray

Miyoko’s Vegan Cheeses, $9.99 at Miyoko’s

Miyoko’s

A cheese plate is easy to prepare, and it’s always satisfying to dig a cracker into a delicious block of something creamy. Miyoko Schinner, who is known as the Queen of Vegan Cheese, creates a delicious array of vegan cheeses that are widely available throughout the U.S. Set up a vegan cheese tray with Miyoko’s cheese wheels, including flavors like Double Cream Chive, Garlic Herb, Sundried Tomato Garlic, Winter Truffle, and Fresh Loire Valley. In addition to being lactose- and dairy-free, Miyoko’s cheeses are free of hormones, pesticides, GMO ingredients, and cholesterol. It’s easy to find crackers to go with your cheese tray because vegan versions are widely available in most stores. (Ritz Crackers are even vegan!)Buy Now

Artisan Vegan Cheese by Miyoko Schinner, $17.66 on Amazon

Learn firsthand about vegan cheese from the master herself!

Buy Now

Savor Allergy-Safe Sweets

No Whey! Pea Not Cups, 3 packs for $9.95 on Amazon

No Whey!

Balance the salty and savory snacks with the sweet goodness of No Whey! Chocolates. Their Pea Not Cups look great on a serving tray. Or you may want to pass around one of their boxes of signature truffles or sea salt caramels. All No Whey! Foods treats are vegan and free of such common allergens as dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, and gluten. They also never include artificial flavors or colors.Buy Now

Enjoy Life Protein Bites, 6 bags for $46.19 on Amazon

Enjoy Life

Finger foods are so fun to eat while engrossed in something else (like the biggest football game of the year)! Guests at a tailgating party are sure to enjoy grabbing Enjoy Life Protein Bites in flavors like Cinnamon Spice, Dark Raspberry, Dipped Banana, and Cranberry Orange. Enjoy Life makes all its products free from gluten and 14 common allergens (sulfites, lupin, mustard, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, casein, soy, egg, sesame, and dairy). Many of their products are also vegan.Buy Now

Consider Taco Bell for Your Fast Food Fix

Taco Bell

If you want to bring some fast food munchies to the party, Taco Bell is probably your safest bet for finding vegan fast food that’s tasty and easy to eat while cheering on your favorite team. After all, Taco Bell is the only American Vegetarian Association-certified quick service restaurant. Some of Taco Bell’s AVA-certified vegan items include the black beans and seasoned rice. You can substitute beans and hold the meat and cheese in many types of tacos and burritos.

When in Doubt, DIY

Finally, if you want to prepare some snacks from scratch, don’t be afraid to experiment with some vegan recipes for your get-together, like:

Black-Eyed Pea Vegan Burgers
Jackfruit Sliders
Veggie Chili (which is also vegan as long as you skip the cheese and sour cream garnishes)
Pineapple and Cucumber Guacamole (with allergy-friendly tortilla chips, of course)
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Just keep in mind that vegans don’t consume any animal products, not even honey—and as in the case of Dijon mustard, animal products can sometimes hide in unexpected places.

Chowhound

When it comes to preparing dishes for people with food allergies, it’s always best to have too much information than too little. The most common food allergens are fish, shellfish, grains with gluten, peanuts, eggs, and dairy.

While not all vegan, these easy gluten-free Super Bowl recipes may come in handy for your group too! And be sure to stock up on vegan mayo if you’re serving sandwiches, sliders, or burgers.