Super Bowl Sunday is coming up fast! Whether your favorite team is playing or you’re just in it for the commercials – you can’t deny the anticipation. It’s a great time for friends and family to get together, make memories, and enjoy some delicious food.
If you’re hosting the fun this year, you’re probably thinking about what kind of entrees and snacks to serve. It doesn’t matter if you’re cooking up dishes at home or ordering out – the costs can rack up pretty quickly.
Thankfully, we’ve put together some simple ideas for entertaining a crowd during the Super Bowl – while still staying on budget.
Party Decor and Supplies
Estimated budget: $10
If you really want to stay on theme, head to your local Dollar Store for decorations. You may be able to find some football-inspired serving platters, bowls, cups, signs, and disposable tablecloths to spruce up the party. You can also search around your home for items and decor pieces that bring out your favorite team’s colors. As the name implies, a Dollar Store definitely won’t break the bank as long as you limit yourself to a budget.
BYOB Drinks
Estimated budget: $10
A great way to cut out one of the biggest party expenses is to let your guests bring their own alcohol. Everyone has different drink preferences anyway, and many people will be happy with choosing their own drinks. However, you may want to supply some soda or juice just in case some of your guests won’t be drinking alcohol.
Make sure to save some counter space for a drink station and supply the cups, ice, and mixers. You’ll also want to clear out space in the fridge or cooler for all of the refreshments.
Super Bowl Appetizers
Estimated budget: $25
You can’t go wrong with bowls of chips, dips, and other snacks throughout the party. Plus, they usually won’t break the bank either. For a real bargain, look for items that are on sale, or buy bulk, family-sized bags when you can.
If you really want to go above and beyond, you can make your own Superbowl appetizers. Here are a couple of common crowd-pleasers.
French Onion Dip: Here’s a simple recipe using sour cream, cream cheese, mayo, onion, butter, and seasoning! The best part – it comes together in about 35 minutes.
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings: A great way to combine veggies with the much-loved flavors of buffalo sauce. This recipe is simple, with basic ingredients, and comes together in about 35 minutes.
Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges: Potatoes are cheap, easy to prepare, and you can guarantee they’ll be a hit with your guests. This recipe uses garlic and parmesan to create the crispiest potatoes. It takes about an hour to prepare, but for most of this time, the potatoes will be in the oven cooking – giving you time to work on other preparations!
Main Course for Super Bowl Party
Estimated Budget: $55
Hopefully, by now, your guests are already somewhat full after munching on your snacks and appetizers. If you do decide to prepare a main course meal for your Superbowl party, know that you don’t have to break the bank.
Here are some delicious, relatively-inexpensive meal ideas that will wow the crowd but also protect your wallet.
Homemade Chili: A great entree dish because it’s filling, tasty, can be served a number of ways, and you can put in many different ingredients. Use beans, minced meat, veggies, and tomato sauce for a traditional-style chili. Or you can opt to go the vegetarian route. Top with cheese, cilantro, or tortilla. You should easily be able to find the ingredients to create a spectacular chili dish for multiple people at around $30 to $40.
Grill Out: Whether rain or shine, everyone loves some delicious grilled burgers, hotdogs, or skewers. It’s also fast, simple to prepare, and a great way to create some fun memories. Serve your meat with hamburger or hotdog buns. You can even include a simple side salad using greens of leftover veggies. Again, this type of meal won’t break the bank. Depending on how much food you’re getting, the total cost is likely to come in at $55 or less.
Order Out: If you do decide to order out, don’t be afraid to call around different restaurants or eateries and ask about any Super Bowl specials. Many places may be willing to offer you a discount if you’re ordering a large amount of food. It may not be the cheapest option, but it will allow you to save time to catch up on their important tasks.
Dessert
Estimated budget: $10
You’ve been hosting all day, keep it simple! Plus, your guests are likely full of all the delicious food you’ve been serving. Here are some simple, inexpensive ideas for dessert.
Ice Cream: Now is the perfect time to buy that giant tub of ice cream you pass in the grocery store each week! Grab a simple flavor like vanilla or chocolate, and maybe even some chocolate syrup, sprinkles, cherries, and whipped cream if you really want to get fancy!
Boxed Brownies: Nothing smells better than chocolatey brownies baking in the oven. They can be made from simple ingredients you probably already have in your fridge, and they don’t take long to mix up.
Enjoying a party without breaking the bank
Hosting a Superbowl party can be a great experience. But in order to minimize stress, it helps to have a plan. Head to the store as early as you can to avoid long lines and fewer selections. And don’t be afraid to ask your family and friends for help and even appoint a co-host to help in planning and gathering supplies. If you are really in a pinch for cash, you can ask your guests to pitch in about $5 to $10 dollars each to plan the party.
Most importantly, enjoy the game, the commercials, and your time with friends and family!
