Guy Fieri's Super Bowl Food Advice Makes Hosting Way Easier

If you want to create the best Super Bowl spread, who better to listen to than the king of Flavortown? Guy Fieri is known for his eccentric twists on classic foods and his multiple restaurants, where American comfort food is the focus. Fieri knows what should be served at a Super Bowl party (he's even been in a Super Bowl commercial!). Snacks, dips, sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, and burgers are all fair game, but according to Fieri, you don't have to do all the work. Instead, consider setting up a food station where guests can assemble their own plates.

In an interview with Food & Wine Magazine, Fieri stated, "Let people build it. Let them do their own assembly. You're not the short-order cook. Let them get involved. And, I think people love the selection. People love variety." This idea also supports picky eaters or those with dietary restrictions, allowing them to choose only what they want. A Super Bowl party isn't formal like a holiday dinner, so guests can get up when they like to grab food, rather than sitting around a table and eating together.

Even though some of us just go to a Super Bowl party for the snacks, the screen is the focus; food and serving a meal shouldn't distract from this. Another one of Fieri's Super Bowl menu tips is not to prepare something that requires a lot of cook time and requires the host to stay in the kitchen. Embracing Fieri's DIY assembly format also helps keep the host out of the kitchen and engaged in the atmosphere.

For your Super Bowl menu, choose a handful of snacks and appetizers that can be eaten easily with one hand, and without the need to sit down at a table with a fork and knife. These should be foods that are easy to plop onto a plate or napkin and return to the game. Think chips and dip, fruit and veggie trays, french fries, and pretzels — all of the classics that don't take a lot of effort from the host. For more involved sides, say guacamole and potato skins, Fieri's game-winning strategy is to ask guests to bring something to help the host cut down on prep time.

To follow Fieri's advice when it comes to the main meal, consider foods that are easy to customize and aren't elaborate recipes. A few ideas include sandwiches, sliders, burgers, tacos, burritos, hot dogs, and nachos. For sandwiches and burgers, the whole spread of breads, buns, condiments, vegetables, cheese, and meat can be laid out, deconstructed. The only thing the host would need to cook would be the burger patties.

Burritos, tacos, and nachos follow a similar layout. Think of how Chipotle does it – tortillas or chips are the base, and then guests can select a meat, bean, or vegetable filling. Then they can add all the toppings they want: cheese, guacamole, salsa, jalapeño, and any other extras.