How to Plan THE Football Party of the Year

The big game is almost here! Whether you’re looking forward to the game itself, the halftime show, or the epic commercials, hosting a game day party can be fun! Here are a few ideas to get your game day party started.

The Basics

1. Make sure you have access to the game. This may seem obvious but the last thing you want to do is to host a game day party with no actual game day! If you’ve cut cable, don’t worry! To catch the game, you can buy an antenna or subscribe to Hulu + Live TV.
2. Choose what type of party you’re having.
3. Create a guest list. Now that you’ve chosen what type of party to have, invite your esteemed guests. Choose from a variety of e-cards or send a text message accompanied by a funny football meme.

The Grub

1. DIY. Choose your favorites such as burgers, wings, jalapeno poppers, chips, and dips. Next, choose one football-themed snack that will stand out and make your event memorable. Whip up something sweet like chocolate-dipped strawberries, cake pops, or Reese’s footballs.
2. Order in. You can avoid grocery shopping and washing dishes by ordering in your favorite game day foods. And, enjoy the added benefit of supporting local businesses. Win-win.
3. Calorie controlled. Thankfully there are plenty of great lower-calorie snacks and even great options for ordering in. If you’re eating in, choose things like low-calorie popcorn, baked chips, and yogurt-based dips. If you’re ordering in, Mountain Mikes & Pizza Hut offer personal-sized pizzas. BurgerIM makes gourmet 3 oz burgers and even has fun options like lamb burgers, plant-based patties, and lettuce wraps. Jimmy John’s offers Little John sandwiches that are as low as 240 calories and come at an affordable price.

The Beverages

1. Single-serve bottles. Bottled water and soda are always great options. In the spirit of the Pepsi halftime show, here are some Pepsi products to consider – Pure Leaf tea, bubly sparking water, Starbucks ready-to-drink coffee, Naked Juice, and Gatorade.
2. Grown-ups. You likely already have your favorites in mind (and in your fridge too) but if you’re looking for something fun and memorable, look no further! Gatorade margaritas. I know what you’re thinking. Why did I not think of that before?! Instead of drinking alcohol all day then rehydrating with Gatorade the next day, why not just combine the two drinks into one? *Disclaimer: This is not intended to be medical advice. Please drink responsibly.
3. Under 21’s. Virgin Gatorade margaritas. Blue Gatorade with a salted rim is still pretty great. Salt is technically an electrolyte, right?

The Atmosphere

1. Decorations. Pick up some football party themed balloons and tableware from your local party store or pick up some colored napkins to match your favorite football team. If you’ve chosen some football-shaped food, use these as the focal point of your decoration.
2. Incorporate some games to liven things up.
   • Rate commercials. For some of us, commercials are the most entertaining part. Use these hilarious free printable signs to rate commercials as you watch them. For virtual parties, you can send your votes in the chat.
   • Play football outside. Set up a game or casually throw a ball around to get a little fresh air.
   • Word fumble. Here’s how it works. First, choose a football-related word such as “quarterback” that guests can’t say during the party. Next, choose a consequential action that must be done if someone says that word. For example, every time someone says “quarterback,” that person has to do something like take a big swig of their drink or do 5 push-ups. The possibilities are endless and can be enjoyed at virtual parties too!

Final Thoughts

Thanks for checking out our page! When you’re ready to plan Valentine’s Day, we’ve got you covered with a Valentine’s Day Family Feud game and a Valentine’s Day charcuterie board recipe.