No more weekends without football, y'all! So let's prepare for eighteen (regular season) Sundays of screaming at the TV, jumping up to hug each other, losing our minds at the refs, and all the other glorious humanity and community that football facilitates. We will need snacks, of course, and since groceries cost a bazillion dollars these days, here are some ideas to feed a crowd on a budget.
These ideas reflect some of my favorite social food memories: simple, easy to prep, but also fun.
A popcorn bar: Pop a ton of fresh popcorn, then serve in a huge bowl alongside a variety of toppings (cheese, salts, spice mixes, melted butter, chocolate chips, caramel sauce, cayenne, whatever). I like to set out plain brown lunch bags as the containers. Guests can fill a bag with popcorn, add their preferred toppings, and then give everything a good shake. P.S. We love this little gadget for popping corn easily and without chemicals or oil.
Tater tots with various dips and sauces: We did this once for a big party, and it was a massive crowd hit.
A cereal and milk bar: Another surprise hit! Set out bowls of a few kinds of cereal, making sure you include a variety of textures and a few nostalgic brands (generic is fine, especially when you decant it into serving bowls), along with pitchers of cold milk. Nobody on earth won't love it.
Mashed potatoes martinis: Whip up a huge pot of mashed potatoes, serve in martini glasses (or whatever you have), and then offer various toppings you’d traditionally do for baked potatoes (cheese, sour cream, bacon, chives). It’s amazing as it sounds.
Jambalaya: A classic, cannot fail, always budget-friendly, always delicious option for a crowd. Rice is the universal stretcher.
Sausage and dips: Sausage is still pretty affordable if you buy it in bulk. Broil, chop into bite-size pieces, and serve with a variety of mustards, dips, ketchups, or sauces. Add some bowls of pretzels to round out the menu.
And for dessert: Ice cream and cookies, of course. Budget-friendly bulk options abound, and everybody loves ice cream.
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