You know how much I love hosting parties. I adore all the little details that go into them, I always go the extra mile, and I always spend way too much time making sure every aspect is just right. But you know what? When the Super Bowl comes around, I just want to enjoy it and forget about all the fuss. So today, I’m sharing a few hacks, tips, and shortcuts that ensure you will spend your time at the party instead of serving it!
I always host a fabulous Super Bowl picnic for friends and family. It’s the party of the year, and I normally spend weeks figuring out menus, themes, and everything in between, which takes up quite a bit of time while leaving me exhausted. So this time, I decided to go a different way. Since this weekend was the playoffs, I had a head-to-head battle of the buffets to determine who would come out on top and become my official Super Bowl party theme next month. Read on to see who won, plus get some cool party hacks!
Before we get into the contenders, let’s talk general party prep. When it comes to planning and setup, I have a secret weapon. Can you guess what it is? I use home decor items for my parties, instead of party items. I know, a little crazy, but home decor items are so much more versatile! See the burger tray a few photos down? It’s actually from home decor. Genius, I know! My other favorite tip when it comes to party prep is to use foods that require no prep work at all. It works like a charm! This is particularly awesome when it comes to buffets, because you only need to open the package and serve.
Now, let’s get to our battle of the best buffet! In one corner, we have my personal favorite: the burger bar. I adore (veggie) burgers, and this one totally wins my vote. Just because we are a vegetarian household doesn’t mean we can’t grill some of the best burgers around, am I right? Of course I am!
I love a good burger as much as anyone – it’s always going to be veggie (of course), but that doesn’t take away any of the fun! I love to pile mine high with toppings, and sometimes even throw in a little faux bacon. Burgers are great if you have a grill handy. They aren’t super messy, and they can be an entire meal themselves. They are great tailgate food, and you can keep them warm by storing them in the grill on a cold day.
I also included a fruit, veggie, and cheese tray with strawberry cream cheese to go along with the burgers, and it was a big hit with the kids.
In the other corner, packing loads of fresh veggies and international flair is the taco bar. This one is my husband’s favorite, and since he is the big football fan in the family I can see how this might have a slight edge over my own vote. But I’m the one making them, so we’ll see!
For the most part, burgers and tacos tend to share similar toppings. They both use cheese, veggies, and a variety of other easy fixins, so any leftovers I might have had with one I just used on the other one. That’s right, I used leftovers in my party spread. And guess what? It was genius! I included all kinds of salsas, toppings, and dips, and yes-I made a football field guacamole platter. Because why not?
For dessert, I featured a yogurt station with berries and popcorn so that guests could make parfaits.
I served individual-sized cans of sparkling juice for my beverages, and I love that I didn’t have to worry about spills on my presentation table or my nice glass pitchers being knocked off.
Here’s another tip for you: The $1 section at big box stores is my best friend. I got this adorable metal bucket and popper basket there!
The tacos were amazing, and I loved seeing how each guest made theirs differently.
Overall, I would say that the competition was neck and neck! I love each one in its own way, so I just might end up using a combination of BOTH at my big Super Bowl party! What does your Super Bowl look like?
