Party Time!!! In case you’ve missed it, Super Bowl Sunday is February 1st. I’m not a big football fan, but when you live in the upper Midwest, any party seems like a good idea in early February.

As fun as partying can be, that Super Bowl fare can really wreak havoc on the waistline, but with a little advanced planning and creativity you can relax and enjoy the day. Are you the host? Take charge. Are you the guest? Every host welcomes some extra nibbles.

So, just what ARE you planning on setting out for the big game? Remember, the Internet is your friend. When searching for good recipes, make your mantra “high fiber, low fat.”. Hunt down recipes that call for a minimum of processed foods. Using canned beans? Rinse them thoroughly. Making a dip? Offer lots of raw veggies for dipping. Put all those chips down at the far end of the table.

Speaking of chips, don’t be fooled by label claims. Read the nutritional labeling. How many chips make up a serving, 7? 10? 16? How much fat per serving? 3 grams? 7 grams? Some of those “healthy” chips contain more fat than the regular ones. Lay’s offers baked chips, but it’s even easy to overdose on those. And how about veggie chips and blue corn chips? Read the labels and then YOU decide. Pita chips usually have much less fat than regular chips, and come in low-sodium varieties. If you can limit yourself to a serving, or if you have planned for those extra calories, go for it.

And then there’s the liquid stuff. Did you know that when you drink too much alcohol, it causes an abnormal burn off of blood sugar, making you hungrier than normal for the next 36 hours? Arghhh!

Here’s a great game plan…since the game starts late in the day, the party usually starts mid-to-late afternoon. Eat breakfast. Eat a nice lunch. Fill up on good fruits and veggies. Have some good protein to start the day. YOU are in control. Plan to make the party fare your evening meal. So what’s for dinner?

Turkey chili! Make it a day ahead so all those spices blend with the turkey and no one will no the difference.

Build-your-own tacos or fajitas. There are high-fiber, low carb, soft tacos or wraps available at most grocery stores. Be a label reader. Offer grilled chicken and grilled lean beef, fat free refried beans, lettuce, fresh tomatoes, onions. Choose a low fat sour cream. No one will know. Purchase low fat shredded cheeses.

Salsa. Most prepared salsas are fat free. Yes!

Build-your-own sandwiches. Offer an assortment of good deli meats (turkey, chicken, ham), but again, read the labels! Impress your guests with great bread. Have some “thin stuff,” too. Fresh, crisp lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and several condiment choices like a few varieties of mustard, ketchup and low fat mayo, plus some fat free Italian dressing can make a sandwich taste just like the local deli. Someone in the crowd will appreciate all those veggies and will build themselves a salad.

Pickles, raw veggies, low fat dips, hummus.

Sweet Stuff? At our house, the guests are usually my husband’s buddies, and they really aren’t big into sweets, so guess who eats it? You make the call. If serving up a dessert-type item, make something you don’t really like, or make a fruit platter. That’s always popular.

Now, relax and enjoy the game!