Pledge Allegiance to Patriotic Recipes

It’s time to celebrate the most internationally anticipated sporting event of the summer with friends and family. Let’s cheer on our favorite competitors and Team USA in a patriotic manner!

Patriotic Snacks

Start off your get-together with these easy-to-make veggie torches! They’re packed with vitamin C, antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory benefits. All you need are sliced red, orange and yellow bell peppers to pair with your favorite veggie dip. We recommend our go-to roasted red pepper hummus.

Next up, try this blueberry, strawberry and jicama salsa that goes with just about everything. This recipe makes for a great appetizer or a refreshing topping on grilled chicken or fish, and is full of vitamins, fiber and potassium!

For the main course, create these grilled blackberry, strawberry, basil and brie crisps. This is a healthy twist on a classic party favorite. Blackberries and strawberries are excellent sources of vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids. Let’s not forget that brie is packed with protein and basil has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties!

Finish your games with these refreshing healthy patriotic yogurt bites. The only ingredients you need are strawberries, blueberries and plain Greek yogurt. This snack is packed with protein, vitamins and fiber, and they’re patriotic. Win-win!

Activities

Now that you have the menu prepared, think of how you’ll kick off your party with an Opening Ceremony. Before you start the games, make sure everyone participates in the ceremony. Divide your guests into three teams evenly by red, white and blue shirts. You can even create a glowing tea light torch for your athletes to pass around!

First up, we have a bean bag bowl toss to get into the competitive spirit! All you need is five plastic bowls, some bean bags and paper. Just label each bowl with the amount of points they are worth. This simple game is great for adults and kids; make sure to keep track of everyone’s points!

Next, try this hula hoop relay. It’s a great way to get every team member involved! Team members hold hands while standing in a line. The goal is to be the first team to get the hula hoop from one end of the line to the other without letting go.

Then of course there’s the classic water balloon towel toss! This summer game only requires beach towels and water balloons. Start out with two people from each team holding onto separate ends of the towels, then switch players each round. The goal is to keep the water balloon from touching the ground by using the snapping motion of the towel as you move your arms up and down. Every time a balloon drops, switch to new team members until everyone has participated.

Don’t forget to tally up all the team points to determine the winning group. What kinds of snacks and activities will you be sharing at your get-together? Share in the comments below!