The Super Bowl is right around the corner, and we are already prepping our Super Bowl menus for the big day. In addition to providing classic football party foods, we also wanted to get you ready for your Super Bowl party as much as possible.
Here are 10 Super Bowl party tips and recipes that will help you prepare for—and truly enjoy—the big game.
10 Super Bowl Party Tips and Recipes
1. Split up the food. Try to spread the food out throughout your house. Instead of just loading it all on the dining room table, put some on the kitchen counter, kitchen table, living room table or coffee table and end tables in the main TV room. Make it easy for people to snack on things as they pass instead of requiring them to load up with an entire plateful of food at a time. People are more likely to spread out their eating when there are multiple locations from which to choose.
2. Multiple garbage cans. There’s nothing like an overflowing garbage can at a crowded party. Instead of keeping a single can in the kitchen, add more garbage cans throughout the populated areas of your house so that guests will always have a place to dispose of their trash. Incorporate recycling bins or bags as well to keep your party earth-friendly. The more trash and recycling receptacles you have out at your Super Bowl party, the less likely guests will “forget” to throw away their empty beer cans and plastic utensils.
3. Stagger the menu. You should have the first round of those “warm-up” appetizers ready as guests arrive. Just the small things, such as a veggie tray and perhaps shrimp cocktail. Once everyone is settled in and has a drink in hand, then you can start bringing out the next round of appetizers. Walk around the party with a tray of something warm—mozzarella sticks, pizza puffs, bagel pizzas, those sort of dishes. Once those are gone, and everyone has had a bite, relax and wait. Refill drinks, mingle and catch a few of the anticipated commercials. Then, as the second quarter starts, bring out another round of appetizers. With each new quarter, bring out another round of food, making sure to incorporate some kind of “heavy” food round, like a stew or pulled pork sandwiches, around the second or third quarter. For food ideas, browse our menu items.
4. Fourth quarter desserts. If you are following the new-food-each-quarter trick, then make the fourth quarter all about the sweets. Easy foods to serve for dessert at a Super Bowl party are cookies and brownies, mini cheesecakes and personal pies. Don’t forget that you’ll need the proper utensils and dessert plates, as most people will have thrown away their forks and knives with their empty appetizer and food plates.
5. Slow cookers are your best bet. If you’re planning on serving a main dish, utilize your slow cooker—and, depending on how many people will be there, perhaps your neighbors’ slow cookers as well. This way you can start cooking your stew or chili on low heat early enough in the morning so that all of your chopping, mixing and cleaning is done well in advance of guests’ arrivals. Here are some great slow cooker recipes, including chili, vegetarian chili and traditional beef stew. Remember that you can cook brisket or pulled pork in your slow cooker in advance as well.
6. Football-themed recipes. In all honesty, dessert is the easiest course in which to incorporate football-themed decorations. From piping a helmet onto a sugar cookie to cutting out your brownies in the shape of a football, desserts are your best bet if you want to make your Super Bowl party an all-out football event. To help inspire some football-themed desserts and recipes, check out this all-football Super Bowl Pinterest board. There is a little bit of everything, from simple recipes to outrageous décor, and many of the pins are football desserts, just like this one below.
7. Put your beverages in two separate areas. If you were at a party and had to wait in line to refill your drink, it would not be the end of the world. However, it would also not be your favorite part of the evening, especially when there is something on TV that you do not want to miss. Try to stagger the locations of the drinks, such as beer in the garage fridge or out on the back porch in a cooler with the wines and mixed drinks on a table somewhere away from other potential line-creating hubs such as tables of food. You can even try to put the non-alcoholic drinks in a separate location as well, in case you have children at the Super Bowl party and you want to make sure they have constant access to juice boxes, bottles of water and soda without needing to wait at the bar for a refill.
8. TV dinner trays and extra tables. For the most part, your guests’ afternoon will revolve around the television. This is not necessarily a problem, but sometimes there are not enough convenient surface areas for all of your guests to have a place to rest their drinks or plates of food. If there are seating spots on the couch or on your extra chairs that don’t have a nearby end table, consider setting up a TV dinner tray nearby. It does not have to be large, and you should not have to go out and buy new ones because chances are your neighbors or friends will have a few you can borrow.
9. Pillows on the floor. If you have a large guest list, you will most likely need extra seating. If you do not have enough extra kitchen or dining room chairs, that is ok. Throw big, puffy pillows on the floor to encourage people to sit there and watch the game. They can be thrown against the floor near the couch so that the sitters have a back rest, or utilized as cushions to make the floor more comfortable. Not many people are opposed to sitting on the floor, especially if it means they can be closer to the TV, or to a table where they can keep their drink and food plate.
10. Coasters and place mats. Did you recently purchase a new coffee table or end table, or are they nice tables you would like to see stay in good shape? Instead of keeping a pile of coasters and placemats on the corner or in a drawer under the table, have them out and placed in the spaces you think people are likely to use. If there is a coaster on the table right where your guest wants to put his drink, he is going to use it. It is a nice way of reminding your guests to be respectful of your things without having to constantly remind them verbally.
Interested in some additional recipe ideas? Our sweet potato salad recipe was recently featured on You & Me This Morning.
We also run a Pinterest board for food tips and tricks with over 15,000 followers! Learn some great kitchen tricks for your Super Bowl party right here, and discover your next favorite drink recipe on our boards as well. You can also browse 18 of our favorite winter and holiday-themed drinks.
A Super Bowl party is a great reason to host a Winter Beer Tasting Party, and we can show you how.
And finally, for those serving food at home during the big game, discover the correct portion sizes so you can plan your menu accordingly.
