Life of the Party or Party-Pooper?
Let’s face it—Super Bowl Sunday is more about the snacks than it is about the game. With that much pressure, you need to bring your A-game to really wow guests, which is why we’ve ranked our star players and which ones need to be traded.
1. Veggie Platters
Any other day of the week we’d advocate for veggies and dip. Slathering ranch onto vitamin-rich options like cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli is all well and good, but it’s a pretty lackluster Super Bowl food. This weekend isn’t about health, it’s about eating your body weight in chicken wings and then passing out before halftime.
2. Trail Mix
Trail mix deserves a spot on the bench. While we love assorted nuts and dried fruit, a bowlful of either has no place at the Super Bowl. (Though, we appreciate the homemade kinds loaded with candy and popcorn.)
3. Anything Over-the-Top
Not even the Super Bowl is safe from monstrous creations. Items like the “snack stadium” are way too over-the-top for such an event—filled with sandwiches, chips, cookies, and veggies (among other things), it’s better to leave the Pinterest crafts at home.
4. Loaded Potato Skins
It’s not that loaded potato skins taste bad, it’s that they go bad pretty quickly. While they’re usually enjoyed as a hearty app, they’re often lost in the sauce on game day, meaning all those halved potatoes covered in shredded cheese and onion just congeal over the day. That sour cream doesn’t help either.
5. Cocktail Weenies
Mini weenies are a simple crowd-favorite, but they’re nowhere close to the main attractions. Sure, you can wrap them in bacon. You can coat them in BBQ sauce or serve them with mustard. But odds are they’ll sit forgotten and wrinkled as we reach for another pizza slice.
6. Mozzarella Sticks
Ah, the classic mozza stick—another beloved starter we happily burn our mouths on. On game day, however, they’re often overlooked for heartier fare. Those once crispy golden brown sticks turn cold and unappealing pretty fast…and not even the marinara revives them.
7. Anything Boxed
We’ve all indulged in boxed nuggets, but this is the Super Bowl! Boxed, freezer-burnt meat has no place here. It also has no flavor, no matter how much those “all-white meat” varieties claim otherwise.
8. Soft Pretzels
Soft pretzels are hit or miss, and on an already nerve-wracking day, we don’t need the added stress. When done right, they’re perfect pastries topped with a pinch of salt. They go great with spinach dip, honey mustard, or even a cheese-and-beer dip for the truly adventurous. When done wrong, however, they’re soggy little balls of dough that taste of nothing.
9. Cupcakes
To be fair, it depends on the cupcake. Are they delicious homemade cupcakes shaped like footballs? Do they have a mouthwatering jam filling? Or are they a plastic tray of store-bought cupcakes that taste slightly worse than straight sugar? It matters, people.
10. Chip Bowls
There’s nothing inherently wrong with chips, but they’re not really the life of the party either. We love the array of flavors and heaven knows we appreciate a good dip, but a forever-emptied bowl of BBQ chips doesn’t hit the spot on its own.
Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash
Now it’s time to get into the good stuff—the 10 best Super Bowl foods arguably more important than the game itself.
1. Chicken Wings
Chicken wings are number one. How could they not be? We have BBQ, garlic parmesan, lemon pepper, honey mustard, dry rub, saucy varieties—the list goes and we’re excited about all of them! (Though, if we had to pick, Buffalo wings take the cake.) They’re the perfect finger food, easily tricking us into eating at least 40 of them.
2. Pizza
A very close second is everyone’s favorite pie, pizza. You really can’t go wrong with dough, marinara sauce, cheese, and an assortment of meats. This is also the only place it’s acceptable to put vegetables.
3. Nachos
Game day’s nothing without nachos, the supreme appetizer of tortilla chips buried under cheese, olives, green onion, and sour cream. The best thing about them is how many options there are—anything from BBQ and loaded nachos to Philly cheesesteak and Buffalo nachos await, and they’re all excellent choices.
4. Sliders
Super Bowl Sunday isn’t for health, it’s the place for 20 little sandwiches. That’s the real stuff. Sliders get the job done; you can pick from dozens of options like pull-apart cheeseburger sliders or chicken parm sliders, all of which bring the meat and cheese in a handy size. Don’t be afraid to go bold with BLT sliders or bacon and bourbon either!
5. Deviled Eggs
If we’re going to pop a dozen apps in our mouth, we can’t ignore the classic deviled egg. Mayo, mustard, and paprika in a halved boiled egg? Yes, we’ll take the whole platter. Don’t limit yourself either—you can always deep fry them, throw in some dill pickles, or even add a splash of hot sauce to truly make the recipe your own.
6. Pigs in a Blanket
Look at them in there. Cocktail sausages wrapped in dough and sprinkled with a pinch of salt. Some of them even come with cheese or get covered in everything bagel seasoning. However they arrive, it’s a spot we always beeline towards (and yes, they’re better than plain ol’ weenies).
Ann Larie Valentine on Wikimedia
7. Jalapeño Poppers
Alright, we’ll admit that jalapeño poppers aren’t for everyone. But for those unafraid of a little heat, they’re the ultimate game day app. Fresh chives, assorted cheeses, and panko crumbs are often found in the original recipes, but some come wrapped in bacon too. In any case, you’re left with a golden brown filling that makes mouths water.
8. Seven-Layer Dip
Game day requires so much more than your everyday guac or salsa. It requires a big boy seven-layer dip that includes both—along with cream cheese, green onions, beans, jalapeños, and cheese. With so many flavors in one tray, there’s a little something for everyone.
9. Meatballs
For some reason, meatballs are more polarizing than you’d think. While not everyone vouches for their presence at the table, we’re big advocates! From grape jelly sauce to classic options like Swedish or teriyaki, these fellas bring the flavor every time.
Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash
10. Chili
Look, it’s February, the sun’s gone, and we’re all a little dreary. But you know what makes it better? Chili. Chili makes it better. It’s everything you love all in one pot: ground beef, sausage, sour cream, tomatoes, garlic, the list goes on. Think of chili like pizza—you can’t really mess it up.
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