Cooking Tip: How To Make a Gameday Snack Stadium
Super Bowl Sunday is this Sunday, and our beloved Eagles (It's a "Philly Thing") are going to the Super Bowl! We couldn't be more excited! What better way to celebrate the Super Bowl than to score a touchdown with your guests with this easy peasy "snack stadium"; game day food at its most creative!
I have always had a weakness for themed celebrations, and game day is no exception, especially when our hometown NFL team is in the Super Bowl. Our family loves the decorations, the fun food, etc., of themed parties, so when I learned about "snack stadiums" five years ago (the last time the Eagles were in the Super Bowl), we were all on board to create a "snack stadium."
I was amazed on the internet at the lengths football fans went to build elaborate snack stadiums. Creating a "snack stadium" does not need to be complicated or expensive, as most containers can be found in your home (plastic containers, aluminum take-out trays, empty soda boxes, magazine holders, etc.). I purposely recycle those containers just for my snack stadium. The idea is to surround the field with stadium-like seating (containers) where you will host a variety of snacks.
Here’s how we did it:
Assemble your stadium
Every stadium centers around the obvious, the playing field, so start with that. I used a green plastic tablecloth I purchased at our local party store for the background. For the actual football field, we used a rectangular foil tray saved from a previous party and sectioned off two end zones with cardboard and aluminum foil. (This will eventually house the guacamole and dip playing field).
Then place the foil tray on a lazy Susan for easy access from all angles. (*This step is not necessary, We used what we had at home).
For the goal posts, we used flexible straws and tape, which can be anchored with olives, grapes, cheese, or whatever your heart desires (make sure to slice off the bottom so it doesn’t roll over).
Arrange the stands. Plan what snacks you want in your snack stadium, as it might dictate the types of containers you use. Recycle and upcycle! We covered magazine holders with white craft paper, take-out containers we saved, plastic cracker tray inserts, etc. Pinterest has many ideas for the stands (cut-up soda boxes, plastic containers, ice cube trays from your refrigerator...use whatever you have!) Once again, it should be easy and stress-free. Plus, if you have your children helping you, it makes for the perfect teaching moment about our environment and recycling.
In the first picture, we used dip containers (from our local restaurant supply store) for tasting at Cherchies® food shows. The other pictures I got from Pinterest show different containers you could use.
Our children had a lot of fun decorating everything, including our salt and pepper shakers that they turned into referees, covering them in white craft paper with Sharpie stripes. Once you have your plan in place, the fun begins, filling your stadium!
Here are some of our favorite stand ideas from those creative internet people…and you know who you are!
Filling your Snack Stadium
This is the best part! Most Gameday celebrations are about the food, and we went further with some fun, creative ideas. The guacamole was in the middle, flanked by two different salsas in the end zones.
On opposite sides, the magazine box “stands” and dip containers by the end zones were filled with our favorite snacks, fruits, and veggies, with dips and candies on the “sidelines.”
The last touch was a stadium monitor. We propped our iPad on some styrofoam inserts from something we had purchased. I have to say, this was my contribution, and I was very proud of myself:) We streamed the game on the iPad for the ultimate “snack stadium.”
And, if you are looking for tasty game-day recipes featuring Cherchies® Specialty Foods, check out these recipes.
So, score a touchdown with your guests this Super Bowl Sunday with your creativity and create your own “snack stadium” using household items. Comment below and send us your photos. Thank you for stopping by!
GO EAGLES!!
