Football-Themed Big Game Party Plan + Loaded Nachos Recipe

This post has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GameDayGlory #CollectiveBias

Create the ultimate big game party plan with TOSTITOS® CHIPS and TOSTITOS® Medium Chunky Salsa, a Pepsi™ beverage bar and football-themed gift bags packed with Skittles® and SNICKERS® FUN SIZE®. 

If you’re hosting a big bash to celebrate the final football game of the season, make your snack spread equally as big. Unless your favorite team happens to be one of the two facing off, it’s entirely likely that your guests will be more into the seven layer dip than they will the first running play.

We have the ultimate big game party plan for you that includes my very, very favorite game day indulgence: loaded nachos packed with chicken, avocado, corn, black beans, tomato and several types of cheese.

 

Decorations

If you’re the crafty type, making decorations for your big game party can be one of the most fun parts of the party. Me? I’m more of a plan-the-menu-three-times-and-make-some-last-minute-changes-because-we-probably-still-don’t-have-enough-food type of party planner. For my big game party, I like to make the food and drinks as much a part of the decor as anything. I line my table with a green table, top it with my homemade football field table runner and create football themed food and beverage to make the table festive and fun.

Beverages

If you have the space, get a few small containers and fill them with ice to keep your drinks cool. I like to place them throughout the room so that guests don’t always have to get up for a refill, but if you are short on space, pick a location central to where your guests will be hanging out to display the beverage choices.  Keep plenty of ice on hand to keep those drinks nice and cold.

For a football watch party, you want to make your drinks look the part, too. Using white duck tape and an X-Acto knife, measure thin strips of tape to function as football laces. Using clear pint glasses or mason jars, create football laces on your glasses. Fill them with ice and top with Pepsi™ for a festive twist on a simple soda bar. I usually have creative ideas, but my execution often errs on the side of “I might tell people an eight year old helped me with this.” Luckily, I was able to convince a certain tolerant — and as it turns out, crafty — guy that his life would be all that much better if he helped me turn my mason jars into footballs (and I”m pretty sure he made them according to league regulations or something, but even that is above my own pay grade).

Menu

The truth is, this is where I spend the majority of my time, energy and budget. When it comes to football watch parties, you can never have too many snacks, too much cheese, or too many chips and salsa. In fact, on the day of the big game, I’m pretty sure calories don’t even count.

Football – er- Cheese Ball

Even if you’re not a cook, this is a great way to get into the game day spirit. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 16 ounces (or two 8-ounce bars) of cream cheese, 8 ounces of cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix until all of the ingredients are combined and create a football shape. Press bacon bits over football and make laces with red pepper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or up until you’re ready to serve.

Layered Football Field Dip

Listen, anyone can make a bowl of guacamole look like an end zone, but not anyone can draw an actual strategy board on a plate of layered taco dip.

The only thing you need to tackle a taco dip touchdown is the working knowledge of how to vertically attack a 4-3 front from a 12 personnel grouping.

Yeah, I don’t know what I just said either, but what you need to know is: guacamole, this is an actual strategy play.

If you don’t already have a favorite layered dip recipe, I like to keep mine simple: refried beans, sour cream, cheese, taco seasoning, guacamole. You could also add tomatoes, lettuce, olives…sky is the limit. Don’t feel bound to seven layers though. Your football field, your business.

Football “Cheese & Sausage” Bites

These little bad boys aren’t without effort, but they’re really good and easy to make. Purchase your favorite oval cracker and use the side of a can or a cookie cutter to slice cheddar cheese and summer sausage into oval, football-esque shapes. Using a sealed sandwich bag with the corner cut off, use ranch dressing to pipe laces onto the football. These don’t travel well, so make them when you’re hosting the party, not when you’re bringing something to a potluck.

Gift Bags

Even though it might seem childish to give our party favors, there’s no one who doesn’t like to take a a gift bag home, especially if said gift bag contains a sweet treat. And if your party is centered around a football game, then you can get super creative.

What You Need: 

• Brown paper gift bags
• White duck tape
• Tissue paper
• SNICKERS® Minis 40oz
• Skittles® XL 41 oz.
• Pepsi™ 12 oz. 12 pack

To begin, measure out 1/2-inch pieces of duck tape against a cutting board (so it’s easy to peel the even pieces and affix them to your bags). Measure to the center of the bags and secure tape to bag in a straight line. The length you’ll need will depend on the size of your bag.

Cut three or four smaller sized strips and space them about 1/4 inch apart down the vertical center line.

Stuff bags with green or white tissue paper and place a handful of SNICKERS® Minis, a baggie full of Skittles® and a can or two of Pepsi™, plus any other fun football goodies, like a favorite team sticker or magnet.

The Recipe

Nachos are my very favorite thing to indulge in when I’m throwing calorie-counting to the wind and watching an exciting game. You can make these with chicken, pork, beef or even vegetarian refried beans if you have a non meat-eater in the mix. It’s easy to throw this big pan of deliciousness together and then pop it in the oven right before serving: you just place your chips in a favorite baking dish, top them with all of your favorite ingredients, and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until your cheese is gooey an melty.

Perfection.