But no more!
Now I serve up a game day spread party-bar style. It’s easy to set up in advance and just refill throughout the day – and frees me up to watch the game, visit our game-day backyard bonfire and (gasp!) actually visit with my friends.
For me, the key to a crowd-pleasing Super Bowl party menu is to serve up a main dish that works great alone but also offers a few variations. To make game day serving easy, I pull platters, crock-pots, serving tongs and spoons together a few days beforehand so I’m not searching through cabinets and drawers as guests arrive. I also rely heavily on disposable cups and dishes to make game day as fun and stress-free as possible.
If you’re looking for a few manageable menu ideas for your Superbowl crowd this year, here are three party bar setups that have worked great for me.
Menu 1: Chili Bar with Hot Dogs and Frito Pie Fixins
This is a great menu for big parties because you can make chili a day or two in advance, or have your own chili cook-off potluck and invite guests to show-off their favorite recipe!
Set up your Chili party bar with:
- A Crock-pot or two of chili
- A platter of hot dogs (save room and serve them up already in the bun)
- A big bowl of Fritos
- A bowl each of chopped onions and shredded cheese
- And don’t forget the ketchup, mustard and relish
Menu 2: Fajita Bar with and Nacho Fixins
This is another easy make-ahead menu. You can cook up the fajita meat the day before or morning of the game, and reheat and serve in Crock-pots for the party.
Set up your Fajita party bar with:
- A Crock-pot or two of Beef and Chicken Fajita meat in bite-sized pieces
- A Crock-pot of queso (melted nacho cheese)
- A covered dish with tortillas – our microwaveable tortilla warmer works great for this
- A big bowl of tortilla chips
- Bowls of shredded cheese and toppers like guacamole, sour cream, salsa and sliced jalapenos
- Go authentic by adding some grilled onions and green peppers and a dish of pico de gallo
Menu 3: Monster Sandwich Bar
Instead of serving platters of ready-made sandwiches, this menu offers a variety of hot and cold meats and the usual toppers. Add an assortment of breads and sandwich rolls and everyone is happy!
Set up your Monster Sandwich party bar with:
- A Crock-pot of pre-made meatballs in marinara
- A platter of popular cold-cuts like ham, turkey and roast beef
- A platter of cheeses like American, Swiss and provolone
- A basket or platter with assorted sandwich rolls, buns or sliced breads
- A veggie platter with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions
- And don’t forget the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard or other favorite spreads and relishes