9 Tricks For Throwing A Delicious Super Bowl Party Without Breaking The Bank

    Throw a delicious Super Bowl party without breaking the bank.

    Hannah Loewentheil
    by Hannah Loewentheil

    BuzzFeed Staff

    BuzzFeed

    Everyone loves a good Super Bowl party. Everyone also loves not spending a ton of money on entertaining. So I tried a handful of creative, surprising, and most importantly, tasty hacks for throwing an epic game day celebration without breaking the bank. Here's what you should try this Sunday.

    BuzzFeed

    On its own, frozen food can taste unimpressive, but you can easily transform it into something amazing. Try hacking your Super Bowl menu with the help of cheap and easy snacks from the frozen aisle.

    1. Tater Tot Nachos

    THE IDEA: Nachos are a classic game day food, but everyone would likely agree that tater tots > tortilla chips. So why not use fried potato puffs as the base of your nachos this Super Bowl Sunday? Start with a bag of frozen tater tots and load them up with any of your favorite toppings (you can get more inspiration from this recipe).

    THE PROCESS: Anyone knows you don't need to be a great cook to make awesome nachos. Just cook the tater tots according to package directions, then load them with anything like cooked ground beef, diced tomatoes, olives, Monterey Jack cheese, and avocado. Pop the loaded tater tots back in the oven for about five minutes until the cheese is melted, and voilà.

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE RESULTS: Unlike traditional nachos, these are not a finger food. Since tater tots aren't as sturdy as tortilla chips, you'll need a fork to eat this creation. That being said, this was a fun, creative, and really delicious way to spice up your average nachos. I'd suggest undercooking the tater tots just slightly so they don't get too soggy when you cook them for the second time under all the toppings. Get the recipe.

    2. Cheesy Meatball Bombs

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE IDEA: When it comes to party apps, a roll of biscuit dough can go a long way. This recipe calls for meatballs made from scratch, but you can save lots of time and money on ingredients by opting for store-bought frozen meatballs instead. Grab a bag of Italian meatballs, biscuit dough, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese, and you've got a four-ingredient crowd-pleaser.

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE PROCESS: While you bake the frozen meatballs according to package directions, lay out the biscuit dough. Roll the dough into 4-inch circles and place one meatball at the center of each piece of dough. Top each meatball with marinara sauce, and really whatever type of cheese you have on hand (I used mozzarella and some shredded Parmesan). Then, fold up each piece of dough around the meatball and pinch the ends to create a pocket. Drizzle them with some olive oil and bake them in the oven until golden-brown.

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE RESULTS: For a four-ingredient appetizer, these tasted impressive. Be picky about the type of frozen meatballs you choose. You'll want to go for the biggest meatballs you can find, otherwise the dough sort of overwhelms the filling. Don't go too crazy with marinara sauce and cheese —put just enough to cover the meatballs — because these are a bit messy to make and the sauce gets all over the place when you roll up the dough. A little cheese goes a long way here. Get the recipe.

    3. Mac 'n' Cheese Breadsticks

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE IDEA: I first saw this recipe in a Tasty video and I remember thinking it was pure genius. All you need are a few basic ingredients to make these cheesy breadsticks: Frozen mac 'n' cheese, refrigerated pizza dough, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE PROCESS: I'll be honest, the video makes it look way too easy to slice frozen mac 'n' cheese. When I first tried to slice the block of frozen mac, it was hopeless. So I let it sit out on the counter for about seven minutes until I could get a knife through the block. Use a very sharp knife to cut the mac 'n' cheese square into about six slices. Then, slice the pizza dough vertically into strips. Holding each mac 'n' cheese slice, wrap it in the dough until it's completely covered. Sprinkle the breadsticks with olive oil, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning and bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes.

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE RESULTS: If your guests don't go crazy for these genius mac 'n' cheese creations, they probably shouldn't be invited to your Super Bowl party in the first place 😉. They're slightly crispy on the outside, but when you sink your teeth into them they're doughy, cheesy, and completely addictive. If you're a cheese fiend like me, you could even melt more of your favorite cheese on the breadsticks along with the Parmesan. I wouldn't mind some melted mozzarella or cheddar on these babies. You could also serve these with a side of marinara sauce or pesto for dipping. Get the recipe.

    BuzzFeed

    Make two party dips from the same base ingredients

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE IDEA: It's basically the golden rule of football that no game day should exist without party dips. Store-bought dips can be a total rip off, and TBH they don't hold a candle to the homemade stuff. To save cash on your Super Bowl menu, try making more than one dip with the same basic ingredients: cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and mozzarella cheese. Then, use a few add-ins to make two totally different dips.

    4. Spinach Artichoke Dip

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE PROCESS: In addition to the base ingredients of cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and mozzarella cheese, this classic dip calls for chopped marinated artichoke hearts and spinach. Making it is as easy as mixing everything together into a bowl and baking it in the oven until warm, gooey and melty.

    THE RESULTS: I mean...what could possibly be bad about spinach artichoke dip? This recipe will be on permanent rotation in my game day recipe line-up. Not to mention, it's basically foolproof. Get the recipe.

    5. Jalapeño Popper Dip

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE PROCESS: This dip calls for sliced jalapeños and breadcrumbs in addition to the base. Now, typically jalapeño popper dip calls for sharp cheddar or spicy Monterey Jack cheese, but I used mozzarella because I was trying to save some cash and already had it on hand from the spinach artichoke dip. The recipe says to make this dip in the microwave, but you can also bake it in the oven. Just mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl, transfer it to a baking dish, and bake for about 15 minutes. Then, add the breadcrumbs and broil the dip for about three minutes until golden.

    THE RESULTS: While using a sharper cheese would have probably made this dip a little better, the mozzarella cheese was totally fine. In the end, all that matters is that the dip is cheesy, and the jalapeño peppers give it a real kick. If you do end up using a more mild cheese, amp up the amount of jalapeño peppers you mix in for extra flavor. Get the recipe.

    BuzzFeed

    Start with rotisserie chicken to make crowd-pleasing apps

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE IDEA: IMHO, rotisserie chicken is a total godsend. When I don't know what to make for dinner, I pick one up and use it to make anything from soup to stir-fry. The best part: A single rotisserie chicken can easily feed a few people and it will only set you back about $5.

    6. Baked Chicken Taquitos

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE PROCESS: This app calls for just three ingredients: flour tortillas, rotisserie chicken, and cheddar cheese. The recipe suggests you use Mexican shredded Crock Pot chicken, but you can forego making it from scratch and opt for plain rotisserie chicken instead. Just place some shredded chicken and your favorite kind of cheese in tortillas, roll them up, secure them with toothpicks, drizzle them with oil, and bake them in the oven.

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE RESULTS: It's important to use flour tortillas rather than corn tortillas for this recipe. I usually prefer corn tortillas, but they easily fall apart when rolled up and baked in the oven. Flour tortillas are stretchier and will definitely work better here.

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    I also added some buffalo sauce to these taquitos because 1). I'm a condiment addict and 2). I think the Super Bowl is an excuse to overdose on buffalo chicken, but you could really make these with any condiment of dipping sauce like honey mustard or even guacamole. The beauty of these taquitos is that you can really get as creative as you want with them. Toss in some crumbled bacon and blue cheese or sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella —the options are endless. Get the recipe.

    7. Buffalo Chicken Sliders

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE PROCESS: If you don't have sliders at your Super Bowl party, you need to reevaluate your game day menu. Everyone loves sliders because they're easy to share and you can eat a bunch without feeling bad about it. These buffalo chicken sliders start with rotisserie chicken tossed in a mixture of butter and hot sauce. Spoon the chicken mixture onto mini Hawaiian rolls with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Drizzle the top of the sliders with a mixture of melted butter and Italian seasoning, then pop them into the oven.

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE RESULTS: If you like buffalo chicken dip, you'll be obsessed with these sliders. Thanks to rotisserie chicken, there's almost no cooking required besides for turning on the oven and letting these babies bake until warm and melted. They're so simple, yet insanely satisfying. I served them with some ranch dressing and extra buffalo sauce for dipping, and everyone gobbled them up. When I make these again, I'll add chopped celery and a sprinkle of blue cheese for a little extra flavor. Get the recipe.

    BuzzFeed

    Make drool-worthy chicken wings with just three-ingredients

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE IDEA: My fiancé, who happens to be having a love affair with chicken wings, has a theory about Super Bowl Sunday. After many years of experience, he swears that the quality of chicken wings plummets on the Super Bowl because restaurants are dishing them out in such huge quantities. How can you ensure that your wings are absolutely delicious? Make them yourself, of course. And thanks to these three-ingredient recipes, you can do so without spending a ton of money.

    8. Hot Buffalo Chicken Wings

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE PROCESS: Pat the chicken dry and season them with salt and pepper. Then, the wings are grilled from start to finish (aka never fried). They take about 10-15 minutes to make. In the last few minutes of grilling, brush the wings with a bit of homemade buffalo sauce (hot sauce + melted butter), but save most of the sauce to toss the wings with after they're removed from the stove.

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE RESULTS: Until I tried this recipe, I'd never made chicken wings before, and boyyyy was I proud of myself. These wings came out insanely crispy, despite the fact they're not fried. Instead of a grill pan, I made them in a cast iron skillet, and that worked perfectly fine. As the recipe suggests, you'll want to keep a watchful eye on the wings, flipping them every so often and turning down the heat occasionally to make sure they aren't getting too charred or burnt. Get the recipe.

    9. Korean Fried Chicken Wings

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE PROCESS: The idea of frying food at home always intimidates me. It seems messy and difficult — something best left for ordering at restaurants and bars. But this recipe, labeled "quick" and "easy", and calling for just three ingredients seemed like a perfect place to start. All you need are chicken wings, sugar, and soy sauce (plus salt and pepper for seasoning and vegetable oil for frying).

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    According to the instructions, you heat up two cups of vegetable oil in a dutch oven or a deep pot. You fry the chicken in two steps: First, so it's just lightly browned and next, in batches, so it's dark brown and crispy. Once the chicken is perfectly fried, it's tossed in a sweet-and-tangy mixture of sugar and soy sauce.

    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    THE RESULTS: I still can't believe how easy it is to make restaurant-style, Korean fried chicken at home. The exterior is super crispy while the inside is very moist. The two-ingredient sauce thickens in a saucepan to create a syrupy glaze, and it's the perfect combination of slightly sweet and deliciously savory. I would suggest serving these wings right away at peak crispiness, because even an hour or so in the fridge and they start to slightly lose their texture. 10/10 would make these again. Get the recipe.