FootballThe excitement of the game deserves excitement on the table. Instead of the same old snacks, serve exciting specialty food variations. Photo by Jason Anthony.
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January 2006
Updated January 2007

Marketplace / Entertainment Guide

Super Bowl Snacks

“Gourmet Gridiron”: Variations On Classic Super Bowl Foods

 

It’s surprising but, after Thanksgiving, Super Bowl® Sunday is the second largest “eating holiday” in the U.S.  As Americans hover around the T.V. set, pizza, guacamole, and yes, crudités, are foods of choice. More carrot sticks are eaten than any other day of the year.*

Also see our Super Bowl Recipes.

According to NPD Group’s National Eating Trends service, Veggies unexpectedly beat such game-watching staples as pizza, sandwiches, pretzels, and chips on Super Bowl Sunday. Carrots are 80% more likely to be eaten on Super Bowl Sunday than on any other Sunday, and the day is the biggest day of the year for avocado consumption, with Americans eating almost 44 million pounds during game day last year. The service tracks food consumed by 2,000 U.S. households.

Start Snacking!

Prices and product availability are verified at publication but are subject to change.

   
Pizza

We’re not suggesting that you make your own pizza, but you can add gourmet garnishes to the pies that arrive from your favorite pizzeria. Order a basic tomato pizza, and then add flourishes:

  • Fresh chopped basil and rosemary
  • Goat cheese, feta or gorgonzola
  • Shrimp, scallops or clams
  • Strips of grilled chicken
  • Niçoise olives (or mixed pitted olives) and capers
  • Roasted grilled vegetables, artichoke
    hearts

Let guests help themselves to toppings and “build their own” fantasy slices. Or, get the terrific frozen pizzas from Pizza Romana.

Pizza
   

Pizza Romana: Deluxe Frozen Pizzas

If you want to bake your own, the best frozen pizzas are made by Pizza Romana. They’re imported from Italy, where they take their frozen pizza seriously, in Basil Pesto With Mozzarella And Tomato, Black Truffle, Margherita, Porcini Mushroom and Fontina, and Roasted Garlic Pesto With Gorgonzola And Walnut. Read our full review of Pizza Romana deluxe frozen pizzas.

DivinePasta.com

Pizza Romana Deluxe Frozen Pizza

 

 

Guacamole ~ Ready-Made

We’ve tasted a lot of prepared guacamoles. Yucatan has no fillers: it’s 95% avocado (the equivalent of 5 in each one-pound container) and 5% seasoning—and the seasonings are impeccable! It’s organic and kosher, too. Read our full review of Yucatan Guacamole. Available at retailers nationwide.

Avocado.com

Yucatan Guacamole

 

 

 

Guacamole ~ Mix

If your guacamole lacks the excitement of the guac you enjoy at restaurants, Frontera Foods, makers of our favorite tortilla chips, is also at the ready with the recipe to your own guacamole. All you do is find ripe avocados and their recipe of fresh tomatillos, tomatoes, chiles, onions, cilantro, and garlic makes your guacamole taste the same as Rick Bayless’s.

  • 8-Ounce Jar
    $3.99

FronteraKitchens.com

Guacamole Mix

 

   

Salsa Bar

Game-watchers go through chips and dip on automatic pilot—but they’ll stop and take notice when you provide a noteworthy experience. Guests love our annual “salsa bar”: 4 to 6 different salsas with place cards that introduce them—e.g., Peach-Mango, Spicy Chipotle, Green Olive, Roasted Corn & Bean. Salsas are extremely low in calories and go with the crudités too, so dieting guests will be in heaven. Serve different chips: red and blue corn instead of the same old white corn. You can get all the salsas and chips from Frontera Kitchens—they are among the best out there.  Try their Salpica® line of salsas—they’re so good, we eat them straight from the jar.

FronteraKitchens.com

Salsa and Chips

 

   

Potato Chips

Don’t buy just any chips: for the same calories, enjoy a great gourmet chip. We love the entire Kettle™ Brand line—whether standard flavors like Lightly Salted and Sea Salt and Vinegar, or the always-beguiling fancy flavors, a long list including Honey Dijon, Spicy Thai, Roasted Red Pepper, and Yogurt & Green Onion. 

KettleFoods.com

Kettle Chips

   

Pistachio Nuts

Pistachios are a favorite, and those who made New Year's resolutions to eat only healthy foods will be happy to learn that they’re considered a healthy snack for dieters. We love these California-grown pistachios, which are available shelled or unshelled, in plain and delicious favors like Chile-Lemon, Chile Hickory, Crushed Garlic, Hickory-Smoked, Hot Onion Garlic, Lemon Zing, and Red Hot Habañero. Read our full review of Santa Barbara Pistachios.

SantaBarbaraPistachios.com

Pistachio Nuts

   

Kabobs

While many people prefer delivery foods and heroes that don’t deter them from the game, some hosts like to serve something hot. One of the easiest things to serve are kabobs— skewers—of your favorite meat, fish or seafood.  You can serve them all, and let guests pick their favorites among chicken, beef, pork, shrimp and scallop kabobs. Olive and mango salsas can serve as a dipping sauces.

Photo courtesy of the National Pork Board.

Kabobs

   

Stadium Cake

Making this Stadium Bundt Cake for Super Bowl Sunday will turn you into a legend! Decorating takes a bit of time, but the cake pops out of a Bundt mold with ease. Read our review of the gourmet Bundt cake mixes, too. Both at Nordicware.com.

Nordicware.com

Football Stadium Bundt Cake

   

Cheesecake

Ready for dessert? How about a fabulous cheesecake or chocolate cake sculpted to look like a football helmet of your favorite team (or a simple pigskin, for that matter? Elegant Cheesecakes will create one for you for about $200. Everything you see in the photo, except the votive candles and the tray, is edible cake and decoration.

ElegantCheesecakes.com

Football helmet cheesecake

   

Brownies

Dancing Deer makes some of the best mail-order brownies (we particularly love the Caramel Pecan Brownies). The brownies are fudgy and rich without being cloying. Certified kosher by Star-D.

  • 8 Caramel or Chocolate Chunk Brownies
    $16.95
  • Brownie Sampler
    $34.50

DancingDeer.com

Brownies

   

Fabulous Fruit

Edible Arrangements hand-sculpts fruit to look like a flower basket. Made to order, they deliver from over 350 locations nationwide. Check on the website and order one of these for your Super Bowl® party. Order a big one—they’ll be a huge hit. The chocolate-covered strawberries are great, too! There’s a special Super Bowl® container shaped like a football...but we won’t go there.

  • Fruit Arrangements
    $55.00+

EdibleArrangements.com

Fruit Basket
   

 

 

© Copyright 2005- 2024 Lifestyle Direct, Inc.  All rights reserved.  Images are the copyright of their individual owners.



© Copyright 2005-2024 Lifestyle Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. All images are copyrighted to their respective owners.