Hosting a game day party is a lot of fun. Hanging out with your friends while cheering on your favorite teams allows you to bond and build camaraderie. While the game is about the game and ensuring your team wins, spending time is about more than that. And what’s a game day without food and drinks? If you’re trying to think of 15 different snacks and dips to make, make it easier on yourself with these helpful hints so you can enjoy your time with your buddies and not spend all your time prepping food in the kitchen.
Beverages
Your old standbys probably include soda, some bottled water, and drinks of a more adult nature. A cooler filled with beer and soda is easy enough, but if you want to level up your game day spread, consider adding a cocktail or two. If you’re not a mixologist, don’t worry, there are companies who can create you and your friends’ custom drinks, and if you’re in the big city, even offer cocktail delivery in NYC and Los Angeles. This is especially helpful if you forgot to pick something up.
Prizes
Make the game day more interesting with a few small prizes. You can have everyone pool a few bucks each and then use it to purchase some prizes. Give a door prize for the game day super fan. Whoever is dressed in the most team garb gets a prize. And have a prize for whoever correctly guesses the winner in advance of the game. If you’re doing something like Fantasy Football or guessing the brackets for March Madness, you can give a prize for that day’s winner as well.
Invite People You Can Be Yourself With
Games can get intense. When you’re on the edge of your seat hoping your guy will win, and then he doesn’t, it can be disappointing. Don’t ruin the fun by overreacting, but make sure you have friends with you who can share in your disappointment and that you can be genuine with. Inviting new guests to your close friends’ game day party probably isn’t the best idea especially if your team is playing that day.
Get Pre-Made Items
Keep it simple if you must. You might love to host, but you’re not that into making trays of vegetables and meats and cheeses. It’s okay if you don’t prep everything yourself. Save time and energy on game day and get some of your snacks premade. This will keep you with your guests more than making food all day. You can pick up some delicious hot dogs, a frozen lasagna, jarred salsa, and even ranch dip for your chips. People love to gather around food, but unless being a chef is your thing, you can certainly simplify your game day menu with plenty of pre-made items.
Snack Variety
Chips are fine. They are just fine. But they aren’t special, and they shouldn’t be the only kind of snack you provide. Offer a variety of snacks so that everyone has something they can enjoy. Some of your friends might be on special diets and while you might think that’s weird, be a good host and select something they can enjoy as well. Ordering wings might be delicious for you, but make sure you also pick up some bean dip or cheese and crackers for your vegetarian friends to enjoy. Offering a variety of foods is not only enjoyable for all the guests but it also accommodates individual tastes and needs.
Simple Casserole
Snacks are great, but sometimes you want food with a little more substance. Create a simple casserole using things you probably already have in your fridge and cabinet. The best casseroles include meat, cheese, and something starchy like potatoes, rice, or pasta. You can prep these a day or two in advance and cook them fresh on the day of the game.
Invite People in Advance
If you’re not the weekly host of game day, make sure you invite everyone in advance. Give them enough time to say whether they can come or not. Let your friends know if it’s a guys-only affair or if the ladies can come too. You can also indicate if it’s family-friendly and everyone knows to keep it PG, or if you’d prefer adults only.
