Quick Super Bowl Snack Ideas
Updated by Lindsay Mattison
One of our favorite annual events is the Super Bowl, and snack-lovers know that it’s not always the game that takes centerstage. Instead, we love the Super Bowl because of the food! There are so many great Super Bowl snack ideas, and this type of sporty, anything-goes party lends itself to variety. We’ve been to parties where the host cooked up all the food themselves, and others where everyone brought their signature dish. Regardless, you end up with a house full of outstanding appetizers, dips, and hand-held bites.
The number one most popular Super Bowl food is chicken wings, followed shortly by dips like seven-layer dip, guacamole, and spinach-artichoke dip. But that doesn’t mean your party has to be dominated by the old standbys! There are tons of great Super Bowl snack ideas that don’t involve cooking, from chips and hot dogs to healthier options like fresh fruit or vegetables served with hummus.
Get started planning for this year’s gridiron battle with our comprehensive guide.
How to put together a “touchdown!” variety of Super Bowl snacks
You’ll need to know your audience when planning Super Bowl snack ideas. You wouldn’t want to make all the dips with meat or dairy-based ingredients if you're serving a lot of vegetarians or vegans! Grab a SnackSack Vegan subscription box before the big game to get ready. Some of our favorite vegan-friendly snacks are popcorn (made without butter), sweet potato chips, trail mix, fruit platters, and bean dips.
Then, there are allergens to consider. If you have gluten-free guests, for example, it’s important to make dishes without added flour, and you’ll want to include the right crackers for dip platters. Look for almond-flour crackers, chickpea chips, or regular potato chips instead of wheat crackers, pretzel crisps, or baguette slices. A SnackSack Gluten-Free subscription box is a great resource for ideas on gluten-free snacks.
Finally, consider the spread. You don’t want it to be all chips and dips! Plan for roughly three appetizers, one or two entree-style dishes, and a few dessert options.
Halftime treats for the big show
Halftime is an opportunity for your guests to get up, take a bathroom break, and mix about the party. You’ll definitely want to make sure you still have food at halftime (hungry guests are restless guests!) and it’s also a good time to bring out more entree-style Super Bowl dishes. Keep in mind that halftime is about 30 minutes long, so you’ll want to plan ahead and have these Super Bowl snack ideas ready by the time the first half's game clock expires.
Look to a gorgeous charcuterie board for a low-key halftime snack that can be made ahead. It’s a great protein-rich spread to help your guests feel full, and it can be customized for most allergen requirements. If you’re OK with leaving the game to do some cooking, chicken wings are the most popular choice, but we also love grilling up burgers, hot dogs, or brats for a sportier option. Surprise your guests with booze-filled versions of each of these items with a Booze Dogs Grill Bo x!
If you served the main meal before the big game, halftime might be a great time to bring out the dessert display. Cookies and brownies are always a hit, or you can go gourmet with baked goods like macarons, cakes, cupcakes, or chia pudding.
Healthy snack ideas for your Super Bowl party
Most Super Bowl snack ideas are rich in fats and carbohydrates because these are the types of food people like to nibble on while watching the game (especially if drinking is involved). That said, there’s nothing that says you can’t sneak in a few delicious snacks that also happen to be healthy!
The easiest option is fresh fruit and peanut butter dip or vegetable sticks with creamy hummus, but don’t be afraid to think outside the box. For example, you can cater to low-carb and keto guests by serving stuffed pepper boats instead of nachos, or make meat-and-cheese roll-ups in lieu of the traditional tortilla party pinwheels. Making these minor modifications can cut out a ton of carbohydrates, therefore reducing the calories in each Super Bowl snack.
More filling main dishes like chili are a good option here, too. Chili is packed full of beans and can be made with lean turkey instead of ground beef, improving its nutritional content. You can also make other traditional dishes healthier, too. Instead of making chicken wings, try tossing air-fried or roasted cauliflower in your favorite hot sauce . You can even make “skinny” pigs-in-a-blanket by making them yourself with low-fat hot dogs or chicken sausage bites.
Don’t forget to have fun!
No matter which Super Bowl snack ideas you choose, don’t forget to build in plenty of time to mingle with your guests and watch the game (plus the commercials). Proper planning allows you to throw a great party and still have fun yourself!
