Are You Ready For Some Football...and Some Calories and Sodium? (INFOGRAPHIC)

Articles
September 28, 2015

Football season is one of America's favorite times of the year. It's fall, friends and family gather, hometown spirit is lifted, and the food and drinks are part of the fun but can also be loaded with calories and sodium

It's Monday night! Americans love football season, and it's amazing how a sport can bring so many people together - friends, families, neighbors...football inspires hometown pride, enthusiasm, and it's a great topic of conversation. 

Then there's the food! Traditional sports fan, ball field, food is typically unhealthy, but it's part of the fun. The Lempert Report created an infographic just to give you an idea of what these popular sporting event foods can mean when it comes to calories and sodium. Keep in mind, this is not an exact science, but will give you a little perspective for the season. 

Looking at four entrees, four appetizers, and two beverages, The Lempert Report calculated the worst and best case scenarios for calories and sodium, consuming one of each category on one game day. TLR also considered what that meant for daily calorie allowance percentages for both men and women and how much one could exceed the RDA for sodium. 

Keep in mind, this is only for one game a week! If you're a college football fan or keeping up with multiple teams, this could be a more slippery slope for your diet. And also, football season spills over into a string of holidays that revolve around parties and food. 

Supermarkets can help shoppers by encouraging healthier alternatives to traditional foods, suggest diversification, and create seasonal displays to promote more nutritious but still festive choices.