These food ideas can help a Super Bowl party host create a win on game day
Game day eats to win over the Super Bowl party
Every Super Bowl party has foods that make the game just taste better.
SEFFNER, Fla. - As you're gearing up for the big game on Sunday, there are plenty of reasons to watch this last game of the NFL season, whether it's for the players, the commercials or simply for the party that surrounds all that football action.
And nothing helps a party get going better than a big spread of fun foods.
The Pregame:
The host needs to play the role of the coach, getting the team ready with starters, backups and special teams.
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Setting the stage is as simple as a festive tablecloth and some simple decorations can liven up the mood.
The setup can be as simple as some store-bought items to show off your food selections.
"We'll start off with some of these really cool platters we have," Aaron Carricato, the owner of the Beef O'Brady's in Seffner, said. "We bought these online, so you could have one of these touchdown wing platters at home. Getting ready for your football display, or of course, yours at home, can be absolutely simple. We bought this tablecloth, this awesome touchdown platter, a few of the other platters, along with each of these picks, all from (online)."
The Starters:
For starters, they can be as simple as a vegetable platter or sandwich platter. Local grocery stores feature carrots, celery and other options along with selections of dressings to top off the veggies.
"We have our sideline sandwiches," Carricato said. "Over here, you'll see we have an assortment of different sandwiches. We have some ham, we have some turkey. Once again, easy things you can do at home. Take these little picks that you can buy online or down at the local grocery store."
The veggies and the sandwiches make for great finger foods to get guests going before the game begins, and they settle in looking for real food.
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The Backups:
This is football after all, and wings can be synonymous with the big game, and this is a great opportunity to produce platters of wings with different sauces to please your different players.
"You could have one of these touchdown wing platters at home," Carricato said. "What we've done here with this wing platter is we've done some traditional wings here, some traditional wings here, we have some boneless wings on the side."
If wings don't really do it for the home team, then Carricato recommends getting back to basics.
"Burgers, of course, is something you can do in your backyard or, once again, order them from Beef 'O' Brady's," Carricato said. "Make them look really cool with a little pick that goes in it, and then we put the condiments right here to make this a build-your-own burger bar. Once again, something you can very easily do at home and makes people feel like they're right there at the game or at the stadium doing so."
Special Teams:
Like every good coach, having some trick plays on special teams is a great way to wow your guests.
Carricato recommends keeping some simple tips in mind for whatever your entry in this category.
"As you guys know, people eat with their eyes," Carricato said. So creating a good-looking platter is as important as a great tasting one. Of course, nachos are a fan favorite for everybody, and it's absolutely simple. You're going to throw some chips down, and then you can choose what you want to put on top. We went with chili cheese on ours, but if you want to add some extra proteins, very simple, you go ahead, and you add chicken, you can add steak, you can add ground beef on top of those."
"The key after that is to go ahead and add some color to it. Put your cheese, your tomatoes, your jalapeños right on top, and it looks like a beautiful display," Carricato said.
Everything together makes for a great game day presentation fit for any kitchen or backyard game party location.
"A game day party is as simple as it sounds. You'll be ready to go for the big game!" Carricato said.
What's next:
Beef O'Brady's in Seffner can be found at 812 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Their menu and online ordering can be found here.
The Source: This story was written based on in-person interviews at Beef O'Brady's in Seffner.