Nearly 124 million people watched the Super Bowl in 2024. While this number was a high watermark, even in its “less” successful seasons, the Super Bowl clocks in as one of the single biggest single-day sporting events world-wide. Whether you’re tuning in to root for a team (or against one) or you’re just there for the camaraderie and the commercials, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re planning an array of super special snacks as part of the experience.
Whether your viewing party is a family-only affair or you’re gathering with a larger group of friends, finding allergy-friendly football-ready fare can feel more rare than a successful two-point conversion. It’s why we’ve curated a list of options that sound like they have touchdown potential.
7-Layers of Allergen-Friendly Dip
Grab your nachos and dig in. This recipe from Allergic Living puts 7-layers of dip with a kick on the menu. This 7-layer dip recipe uses coconut or rice milk, potato starch, and other allergy-friendly subs to create a veggie-loaded treat to the table. Included in the ingredient list are links to the page’s recipes for crockpot shredded chicken, taco spice mix, and guacamole. You can jump all in and make those components also, or you can find store-bought alternatives that work for your family.
Sliders on a Stick
Small bites and handhelds are ideal game day food. You want to be able to jump out of your seat and yell at the screen without waving a fork in the air. Sliders are perfect for this, and yet for families nixing wheat, sliders aren’t usually on the menu.
Pick up some fun (and sturdy) toothpick-sized skewers and get creative. Make your favorite ground meat or plant-based burger in a bite-sized version. Layer on your favorite toppings – (dairy-free) cheese, lettuce, pickles, tomato, whatever your heart desires. Stick a skewer through it to hold all the bits together without the bun for a grab-and-go bite.
Wheat-Free Pretzel Bites
In some regions of the US, pretzel nuggets are a quintessential football fare. Regardless of whether that region happens to be the one you’re in (any Eagles fans here?), these bites are something to consider, especially now that you’ve got this recipe from Gathered Nutrition for an easy, wheat-free version. As written, this recipe is not dairy-free. If that’s an allergy concern for you, experiment ahead of time to find adaptations that do work for you.
You can start with a dairy-free Greek-style yogurt alternative and substitute coconut oil or your favorite non-dairy butter substitute to replace the melted-butter or ghee. If you’re avoiding eggs, swap out your favorite safe milk (non-dairy works here!) for the egg wash. The goal here is to coat the pretzel with a protein that will brown nicely as it bakes.
Beer Cheese? Say Yes!
If you’re going to make pretzels, you’re going to want to try this recipe for Vegan Beer Cheese, too. Make It Dairy Free does a great job at addressing substitution options in the recipes FAQ section. As written, however, the recipe is already dairy-free, wheat-free, and nut-free, making it a good choice for an allergy-friendly table.
Do note that this recipe is not cooked so the alcohol is not going to burn off. If you want a version that doesn’t contain alcohol, substitute a non-alcoholic beer for the 2/3 cups required by the recipe. (Also, go ahead and dip those yummy sliders on a stick that we talked about before into this creamy dip too. You won’t regret it.)
Dairy-Free, Nut-Free Nachos
Vegan recipes can be helpful to those with milk and egg allergies, however, those dishes often substitute in nut cheeses and other products as a plant-based substitute. Not this recipe, though. This set of vegan loaded-nachos pulls off layers of goodness without resorting to a cashew or other nut. Veganricha’s recipe uses non-dairy milk, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast and a whole lot of other yummy stuff to make a creamy, flavor-packed, nut-free, vegan cheese sauce.
Still Hungry?
Believe it or not, there’s loads of allergy-friendly options out there. As an example, we previously collected a list of Touchdown Dance Worthy Dips for you in this article here: Allergy Friendly Dips.
