I have been to my share of Super Bowl parties, all varying in number of people and types of food provided, and I have found that the success of the night is dependent on finding delicious yet easily prepared meals and snacks. The key is to have food that is portable, snackable, and food that can be individually prepared. So if you’re the one planning the party this year, here are a few pointers about the perfect foods for the perfect night.
First off, you will want to set up the food on a table or surface close to the big screen, minimizing the distance between food and the game. No guest will want to meander through half of your house to find a meal for fear of missing the big touchdown. This also means you’ll want more portable dishware – if there was ever a time for paper plates, this is it! You don’t want to use anything breakable. For drinks, the perfect thing to do is fill a big cooler with ice and all sorts of favorite drinks, everything from water bottles to Gatorade and the beer of choice. Then, set the cooler either at the end of the food table or perhaps right up near the television. That way, a beer is never too far away for a guest to grab.
Providing a main meal to serve is up to you; since a Super Bowl party is very casual, you can serve all appetizers and finger food if you wish. However, if you’re still looking for a main meal, a great idea is to keep some warm food in a Crock Pot. Chili and barbeque are two great meals that can simmer in the Crock Pot for the entirety of the game, allowing your guests to come up and delve from the food any time they wish. You can keep the condiments like cheese or buns in smaller bowls around the Crock Pot. Of course, the great American tradition of grilling up some burgers, buffalo wings or hot dogs is always acceptable, as long as it is not too cold outside to fire up the grill!
The must-have item of any Super Bowl party is the finger food. Snacks that are ready and available are the best, allowing your guests to munch as they please. You can fill bowls with a variety of potato chips, Chex Mix, pretzels, popcorn, tortilla chips and salsa, and many more options. Healthy additions like a veggie platter full of carrots, cucumber, celery, and ranch dip is a wonderful option if you’re concerned about the greasy food filling your house. Another great addition is the more elaborate process of cooking up some dips. Perhaps you make one dip for each half of the game. Personally, I have had great success with a warm spinach dip, cheese dips, corn dips, and onion dip. There are many wonderful websites and cookbooks for you to look up new dishes to try.
You can really excel and get creative in this process, and make it as fun of a night as possible! Is your crowd cheering for the same team? If so, you could color coordinate your paper plates or make a punch that is your team color. The more into the preparation and decoration you put in, the more festive of a night you can have. Your guests may even forget about the game with all of the grand food and company around them.
Kent Allen has been running FoodClassics.com for nearly a decade and has a nice selection recipes to meet your appetizer and finger food needs.
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