Hosting a Super Bowl party can be nerve-wracking, especially if you don’t normally have people over. But you don’t have to worry about fumbling as much as the underdog team’s QB if you just follow a few common sense rules and guidelines.
If you’re throwing a big game day bash on February 11, don’t commit any of these party fouls. Our seasoned advice will ensure that your guests are well-fed, able to focus on the game (or the commercials!), and happy — at least as long as their team is winning.
1. Serving Lame Food
No one wants to eat kale chips at a Super Bowl party. They’re going to be hungry for bar food, hot sauce, and junk that’s bad for you, so indulge them with cheesy slow cooker dips and Buffalo-flavored everything.
That doesn’t mean you have to plan anything complicated, though. Just use common sense and order pizza from the beloved local place instead of Papa Johns, and buy a quality jarred salsa instead of Pace (we recommend Mateo’s, which won our cheap jarred salsa taste test).
2. Not Allowing Guests To Bring Anything
Chances are, your guests are planning to bring a dish — or, at the very least, a six-pack to share. Let them! You don’t have to do every single thing, and you can even plan ahead of time with your guests if you’re into organizing. Tell your friends and family what food you’re going to have, and let them fill in the rest.
3. Only Offering Alcoholic Beverages
Even if you think you know that your guests are all big drinkers, you shouldn’t assume. Someone might be going alcohol-free for any number of reasons, so it’s always courteous to offer plenty of non-alcoholic drinks as well — and something more interesting than tap water. Plus, keeping everyone hydrated is important.
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4. Not Taking Out the Trash
No one wants to eat or drink in a house that smells like trash. Take it out before your guests get there, so that all those smelly kitchen scraps and raw chicken trays don’t start stinking the place up by halftime. And if you do it before the party starts, you hopefully won’t have to empty it again until after the game’s over.
Related: Rude Awakenings: Etiquette Rules No One Follows Anymore
5. Spending Too Much Time in the Kitchen
Super Bowl Sunday is not the day to try out that complicated new recipe you’ve been meaning to cook. We guarantee that your guests will not notice the difference if you sous vide those wings for 10 hours or if you buy them frozen. Go for the easy recipes (or takeout) and enjoy watching the game with your guests so you don’t end up exhausted before the game’s even over.
Related: 40 Cheap and Easy One-Pot Meals
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6. Changing the Channel
Don’t mess with the TV unless you have to, even during the commercials! Lots of people are way more into the ads than the actual game, anyway. And definitely don’t turn it off during halftime. Any of these things will result in getting promptly yelled at.
7. Running Out of Booze
Chances are, people will plan to drink a lot at your Super Bowl party. Just like with non-alcoholic drinks, get a variety of options, including beer, inexpensive wine, and some bottles of liquor with appropriate mixers. It’s also fun to have a big batch of premade punch so you (and everyone else) don’t have to spend time mixing drinks.
8. Not Having Enough Seating
This is the time to bring those kitchen chairs into the living room, and bring those old folding chairs your grandpa gave you in from the garage. The seating doesn’t need to be comfortable, it just needs to be within clear sight of the TV.
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9. Putting All the Food Out at Once
The Super Bowl is a marathon, not a sprint. If you put all the food you have out before the game even starts, it will be gone by kickoff. Have snacks and drinks out when people arrive, then bring out appetizers and dips when the game starts, and more substantial foods at halftime.
10. Not Getting Ubers for People Who Need It
If there are people drinking at your Super Bowl party, make sure they get home safely. Help friends get Ubers, plan designated drivers ahead of time, or even offer your couch if you have to. No matter what, don’t let anyone drive home that shouldn’t.
