Even the most ardent football fans are wise to the true highlight of Super Bowl Sunday. This year’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers might actually go down to the wire, a few of the dozens of multimillion-dollar commercials might actually make you chuckle, and the halftime show might not be a total disappointment. But deep down, we all know that the best thing about the Super Bowl is the food.
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It’s the one day each year I find myself surrounded by an outlandish spread of chips, dips, chicken wings, chili and several of my closest friends. For the past 15 years, I’ve hosted a Super Bowl party (including a socially distant, pregame, outdoor food swap in 2021), and I always enjoy starting the day by waking up early to prepare a big pot of chili.
Whether you’re hosting or attending a gathering this year, here are a few things to consider:
Make it a potluck. Assign specific dishes or food groups (see below), and invite non-cooks to bring chips, drinks, ice or a favorite condiment. We’ve handpicked our best recipes for wings, dips, nachos and chili to inspire you and your guests. But sometimes the most memorable dishes are the unexpected ones, like the time my friend showed up with moose meatballs made from a moose her dad hunted in North Dakota with a bow and arrow. You never know what might turn up!
What makes Super Bowl parties so expensive — and where you can save
Lean into make-ahead options. As with most parties, much of the fun of hosting comes from being able to interact with your guests. During the Super Bowl, you’re also going to want to be free to enjoy the game. Choosing recipes that can be made entirely, or at least mostly, ahead of time, will “allow you to focus on all of the essentials — eating, drinking, and spending time with friends — all while watching a good game,” Eddie Jackson, former NFL cornerback, chef and Food Network host, says in his book, “Game-Day Eats.” “The key is to make food that allows you to spend your time with your guests, not slaving over the stove.”
Get the recipe: The Office Chili
Be sure to have enough plates, bowls and utensils for everyone attending. Run the dishwasher earlier in the day. Remember that mugs can double as bowls for chili and sturdy tortilla chips make excellent spoons, if/when you run out. This is also the time to use up all that takeout plasticware that you stashed away the past four years.
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Super Bowl LVIII
It’s official: The Chiefs beat the 49ers in overtime, capping a big night that included appearances from stars such as Reba McEntire, Usher and Taylor Swift, plus a Beyoncé announcement. Get the highlights from the Super Bowl and the details in our newsletter.
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Encourage guests to bring to-go containers (or give away your takeout tubs). Leftovers are a wonderful thing, but less so when the host has nowhere to put them all. I don’t know about you, but my Tupperware cabinet is basically a bear trap. Spreading the bounty will expedite cleanup, too.
Choose recipes that are easy to scale up or down depending on the size of your gathering. Think dips, sandwiches, wings and chili. Keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures may be affected when you adjust the yield on a recipe, so adjust accordingly.
Get the recipe: Sheet-Pan Italian Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches
Store-bought is fine. You should absolutely supplement homemade recipes with store-bought shortcuts. Consult our taste tests of the best store-bought salsas and hummus brands and grab a premade and/or frozen treat or two that can easily be warmed up in the oven. The Super Bowl typically lasts for 3½ to 4 hours, so having sufficient sustenance is key.
Consider your serving surfaces. Piling all the food and drinks onto a coffee table in front of the TV is a recipe for spills and pet pandemonium. Clear off a kitchen counter and/or create space around the dinner table for a buffet line where people can set out their dishes and refuel during the game.
Variety is key on the beverage front. Lagers, crisp pilsners, radlers and seltzers will cut through the heavy foods. It might be a good day for session IPAs rather than boozy doubles and or imperial stouts. Tap into some of the great new nonalcoholic beers on the market. Or make a batch cocktail. For the home mixologists, give our drink generator a shake and serve up classic or creative drinks, with or without booze. Depending on your latitude, you may be able to skip buying ice and keep beverages cool on a back patio or balcony.
Add to the entertainment. Offer up Super Bowl squares, silly prop bets or another game to give everyone a rooting interest. For the recreational gamblers, there have never been more ways to wager on the game. (How long will Reba McEntire’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” last?) Stay tuned for a special Super Bowl (Taylor’s Version) bingo card from The Post later this week, and check out Super Bowl squares strategy tips from The Post’s Neil Greenberg.
For more inspiration, check out collections of our best recipes for:
FAQs
Play Some Games. Keep the competition alive with adult party games, like team and city trivia or football bingo. If your guests are more into the ads than the game, this Super Bowl commercial bingo will be sure to bring on some fun. Bake some football-shaped cookies to hand out as prizes.
How to host a winning Super Bowl party? ›
Play Some Games. Keep the competition alive with adult party games, like team and city trivia or football bingo. If your guests are more into the ads than the game, this Super Bowl commercial bingo will be sure to bring on some fun. Bake some football-shaped cookies to hand out as prizes.
What is the number one food eaten at Super Bowl parties? ›
1 In 7 Americans Order Take Out
"But what are people ordering for their Super Bowl watch parties?" is a question you may ask yourself because you're looking to create a game day menu. The three most popular Super Bowl dishes people order are pizza, chicken wings, and chips with dips.
What is the most popular food item to serve during the Super Bowl? ›
#1- Wings. According to the National Chicken Council, 1.45 billion chicken wings are expected to be consumed for Super Bowl Sunday. They're an easy, shareable food item that comes in many different options, such as garlic parmesan, lemon pepper, cajun, and many many more.
What are the rules to host a Super Bowl? ›
The NFL's general requirements to host the Super Bowl include interest from the local football team, stadium quality, hotel inventory, a media center, corporate and community support, and approval from three-quarters of the league's owners.
How do you throw a success party? ›
Throwing a Party? The 10 Things You Need to Plan for Success
- 1.Great Theme. Everything, from your decor to your activities, begins with a theme. ...
- A Budget. Early in your planning, consider your budget. ...
- A Venue. ...
- The Entertainment. ...
- Food. ...
- An Appropriate Music Playlist. ...
- The Right Guest List. ...
- Festive Decor.
What time should a Super Bowl party start? ›
Starting the festivities too early is not only a good way to run out of food before halftime, it's also just begging your guests to drink too much too fast. Foxsports.com suggests kicking off the celebration about 90 minutes before kick-off.
How do you make the Super Bowl fun? ›
Super Bowl Ideas for Kids
- Super Bowl Bingo. A Bingo Card and some fun, simple prizes are a great way to keep older kids interested in the game – even if football isn't usually their thing. ...
- The Puppy Bowl. ...
- Face Painting. ...
- Paper Football Origami. ...
- A Football Themed Craft Station. ...
- Mascot Dress Up. ...
- Snack Duty.
What is the average number of people at a Super Bowl party? ›
AND WHAT ABOUT THOSE SUPER BOWL PARTIES? 41: Days in advance, on average, Super Bowl plans are made. 20 million: Number of Americans attending a Super Bowl party. 17: Average number of people attending each party.
What is the most popular Super Bowl snack? ›
Tortilla chips took the top spot for the No. 1 must-have snack during a game day party, followed by cola, cheese dips and salsas.
Keep the friendly competition going with a few party games, like football team and city trivia, or football bingo. Popular card games like Cards Against Humanity, Exploding Kittens and Anomia are always a hit no matter the occasion, so it's always a safe bet to have one or two of these laying around.
What to expect at a Super Bowl party? ›
Get your game day grub on.
You can't go wrong with pizza and beer, but other stadium favorites include hot dogs and hamburgers, nachos, pretzels, chips and dip, and Buffalo wings. Handheld desserts like brownies, football-themed cookies, and cupcakes can be easily enjoyed in front of the TV.
What do I wear to a Super Bowl party? ›
Non-NFL fans — aka those just coming for the company, snacks, and halftime show — have it the easy; with no strings attached (save for a friendly wager or two), you can wear pretty much anything and everything as your Super Bowl party outfit — loungewear, denim, funky prints, or a dress. It's all fair game.
What is the most consumed food on Super Bowl? ›
Don't Be Chicken
Chicken wings are the food of choice. According to the National Chicken Council — yes, there is a National Chicken Council — Americans consume more than 100 million pounds of chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday alone. For those playing along at home, that's more than 1.25 BILLION individual wings.
What is classic Super Bowl food? ›
Classic Super Bowl food generally includes chicken wings, guacamole, nut mixes, pizza, sliders, cheese plates and other classics (see links to some of these below).
Who is performing at the Super Bowl 2024? ›
Usher and H.E.R. perform during Apple Music halftime show of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 11, 2024. Then the crowd went wild when Lil Jon appeared on stage singing a snippet of his "Turn Down for What" before Usher began to perform one of his biggest hits, "Yeah!" filling the stadium speakers.
What do you make for winning the Super Bowl? ›
The latest collective bargaining agreement between the NFL Players Association and the NFL dictates that each member of the winning team will receive $164,000, a $7,000 bump over last year's total. Winners of the 2025 Super Bowl will receive $171,000.
What time should you start a Super Bowl party? ›
Starting the festivities too early is not only a good way to run out of food before halftime, it's also just begging your guests to drink too much too fast. Foxsports.com suggests kicking off the celebration about 90 minutes before kick-off.