Are You Ready for Some Football?

One of the biggest sports weekends of the year is almost here -- Super Bowl LII will be played February 4th at 5:30 pm in Minneapolis between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles! Around the office, as we have followed our teams and recapped games, we are a mixed bag as we start predicting the winner, but we all agree that we can't wait to get together with friends and family for a day filled with food, drinks, and fun.

Whether you've hosted an annual Super Bowl party for years or are gathering everyone at your home for the first time, (great housewarming idea if you've moved!) we want to offer a few ideas about how to throw your most festive football gathering.

This week, we are sharing our Top 5 Tips if you're watching the game at your house (no need to travel to Minnesota!), plus we are sharing a couple crowd-pleasing recipes, and a few party decor ideas as well.

So, if you're getting things in order to have all your loved ones over next Sunday, here are a few things we recommend (and even better if you can get a head start on your prep):

1. If you haven't already, send invites! An e-vite is super easy and free to send, and they look really nice when your guests open the emails. If you've already sent your invites, follow up with a casual text, email, or phone call next week to make sure everyone has your party on their calendars. Plus, you want to know how many people to prepare food for.

2. Prepare ahead as much as possible. Rearrange furniture, clean your house, put up decorations, and buy your groceries before Super Bowl weekend. Use game day Sunday to prepare food as needed and be ready to greet your guests as they arrive. You want to be able to enjoy the festivities with them, right?

3. Let guests bring something if they offer. A lot of people really do enjoy preparing a dip or fun appetizer for parties, so if they are willing to help, let them! That should give your "spread" of food a nice variety, and it will take some of the stress off you as the host.

4. Plan some activities for kids. Many kids will not sit and watch the entire game. They will get bored or tired, so it is a nice idea to have some games, coloring books, a craft, or another available room where they can go watch a movie if they want.

5. Play a few games with the adults too! Honestly, not everyone will be into the game, so try a game like Commercial Bingo that everyone can participate in. You could even have a few small prizes available for the winners!

Next, we have asked around and found a couple recipes that we just might have to "test" before game day!! Super Bowl parties are synonymous with great food, so here are a couple ideas to take your food game to the next level!

Buffalo Chicken Dip -- This one is a classic, and there's a reason for that! This delicious dip goes fast everywhere we take it! Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or crispy bread.

Brownies -- the perfect pick-me-up before the second half of the game. These are filled with caramel and you can add pecans if you choose to take them up a notch! Full disclosure: If you don't have time to mess with baking from scratch, Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies from the box are outstanding, especially mixed with about 1/2 cup of Nutella -- no one will no know the difference. 😄

Chile Con Queso -- You've got to use your crock pot on game day! This dip is so easy & feeds a crowd. We like it prepared with either ground beef or sausage!

You can't go wrong with these. Throw together some sliders, chicken wings, and any form of pizza for a delicious Super Bowl feast. Your guests will leave very happy...and full.

 If you want to go all out, put up a few decorations to really show off your house! Stop in at Target, Walmart, or Dollar General to check out everything they have to offer, and we also found a ton of easy DIY projects on Pinterest.

What are you cooking up for the biggest weekend in sports? Share with us!