It’s a special time of year here in the South. No, I’m not talking about fall. I’m talking about a time when families are divided, when salt is reapplied to old wounds, when smack talk is not only admitted by family matriarchs but often encouraged and utilized.

The time of year I’m referencing is, of course, football season. But fervently supporting your team isn’t just a Southern thing. It’s universal. And you know what else is universal? Wanting to eat something delicious while you cheer on your team.

That’s why we’ve compiled this helpful article chock-full of some of our best game day recipes! Each one of these meals is available on your Cooking Light Diet plan. And you can easily schedule any of them into your weekly menus! Just use the Search tool when logged into your Cooking Light Diet subscription to find whichever recipe you’d like to prepare.

Enjoy the game, enjoy the food, and enjoy winning every mealtime with the Cooking Light Diet on your team.

Our Best Game Day Recipes 

Basic Chili

Despite the name, this recipe is anything but basic. It comes together incredibly easily, freezes and reheats fantastically, and tastes incredible. Just do yourself a favor and don’t forget the queso fresco.

BBQ Chicken Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella and Pickled Jalapeños

Pizza is traditional game day fare, so why not skip the delivery this go-round and have a homemade version instead? This pizza is absolutely loaded with toppings but still less than 300 calories per slice.

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Don’t let your spicy-averse fellow fans miss out on these tasty tacos. This recipe does pack a little heat, but it’s not overly spicy. Plus, you’re cutting way down on the salt and fat you’d get when ordering Buffalo chicken tacos from a restaurant.

Cheesy Chicken Bagel Pizzas

We cannot say enough great things about these adult-sized bagel bites. They’re superfast, they’re easily made ahead, and they taste amazing.

Loaded Chorizo Nachos

Nachos are a universal game-day staple, so this recipe is sure to be a hit no matter who you’re watching your team with. You should make this recipe if you want super-simple cleanup, too—just toss the foil in the trash when you’re done, and that’s it!

Loaded Steakhouse Baked Potatoes

It’s hard to believe you can get a loaded potato containing steak, mushrooms, cheese, and fried onions on a diet plan, but you can! And for less than 450 calories per serving, because we love you. And your team.

Portobello Mushroom French Dip Sandwiches

Forgive us if we’ve featured this recipe before, but it’s too versatile not to keep bringing to your attention. What’s not to love? All the flavor of a traditional French dip with drastically less sodium and saturated fat.

Sheet Pan Beef and Black Bean Nachos

Yet another perennial favorite of ours, we couldn’t not showcase one more nacho recipe. This protein-packed party-on-a-tray is equal parts cheesy and filling.

Slow Cooker Sausage Jambalaya

Talk about easy! Just turn on the slow cooker the morning your team plays, toss the everything but the shrimp in, and then throw the shrimp in six hours later. And that’s it. You’re now ready to eat a divine jambalaya recipe your teammates will rave over.

Sticky Asian Chicken Wings

Did you really think we’d give you game day recipes and not include wings? Not a chance!

Cheddar Cheeseburgers with Caramelized Shallots

Cheeseburgers are synonymous with game-day grub, so we wanted to give you the absolute best recipe we had for you to enjoy when your team gets a win.

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Cakes with Avocado Salsa

Yep, we even thought of your vegetarian teammates when compiling this list! These crispy cakes come together quickly and taste so good you’ll want to make them every time a game’s on.

Turkey and Swiss Sloppy Joes

You’re going to want some extra paper towels handy when you serve up these mouthwatering sandwiches.

Zucchini Pesto with Crudites

What’s a game-day spread without dip?! This is a great option for those nervous fans too finicky and superstitious to sit down and eat a proper meal while their team is playing.

Crunchy-Chewy Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These cookies are great when your team wins, and even better when they don’t. Because at only 105 calories per cookie, you won’t feel so bad if you eat 3…or 4…or 5.

Rich Chocolate Mousse

Dip, but make it dessert! This mousse makes a great complement to fresh fruit from your local farmers market.

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