Most Popular Super Bowl Foods, Ranked

Let's be honest — for some people, the Super Bowl is more about the party than it is the game. What other day gives you the perfect excuse to stuff your face from morning until night with deliciously greasy fare, washing it all down with beer, beer, and more beer? The answer is no other days.

But whether or not you're a football fanatic or just there for the commercials, we can all agree that some foods have their place at the game day table, and some just don't. (Case in point — do not come to my house with your pea-laden guacamole, please, on Super Bowl Sunday or any other day of the year, for that matter.) 

As there is a winner and a loser for the championship game, there are winners and losers when it comes to those party snacks. Here's how the most popular Super Bowl foods rank, from worst to best.

Sorry Pinterest, we just can't do it. Sure, it's cute and it totally proves how crafty you are, but can you imagine how that thing is going to look 15 minutes into your party? It's going to start falling into itself the second someone grabs a pizza roll from the bottom of the pile, the ketchup is going to be mixed with the guacamole, and it's going to turn into one huge #fail. We promise you that your guests will love the pigs in blankets just as much if you serve them sans stadium.

Most of us consider Super Bowl parties to be a free-for-all for gluttony. Salty, greasy, fried, and cheesy options are everywhere, and we're here for it. Hear us out, though: fruit is also a superstar at a party buffet. Unlike sad veggie platters, fruit gives us that moral high ground of eating healthy while still actually enjoying the food.

Who doesn't love strawberries, grapes, or cubes of melon? Whether your guests want healthy options or a palate cleanser between nachos and Buffalo wings, fruit does the trick. When it comes to serving, piling a few kinds of fruit on a platter is easiest, fruit kebabs keep the kids from eating every strawberry while leaving the cantaloupe untouched, while a fruit salad requires bowls and forks. You decide.

Listen, when we're shoving that [insert football-shaped item here] into our mouths, we do not care even a little bit what shape it is. You're going to spend a whole bunch of time putting chive "laces" onto your deviled egg "footballs," and we're just not going to appreciate it because we've already had three beers. Sorry.

That pre-assembled week-old veggie plate with the limp broccoli, the brown celery, the unripe tomatoes? Just don't. While we commend you for attempting to give your guests a "healthy" option, nobody wants carrots that have developed a whitish exterior or tomatoes that are starting to wrinkle. Maybe just hit up Whole Foods and grab some hummus and seeded crackers instead.

Deviled eggs, while classic, can be a divisive party snack; people either love 'em or hate 'em. We love them, not just because they taste great, but because they're high in protein, relatively low in calories (at least compared to some other foods we love to eat on Super Bowl Sunday), and are easy to make.

The trick is getting creative so your deviled eggs tempt the naysayers. Try incorporating unique ingredients like olives, bacon, cheese, or fancy garnishes, and watch that tray of deviled eggs disappear faster than Travis Kelce running a pass route.

Yes, Super Bowl parties are known for tons of food, but that party spread isn't complete unless you have a little something sweet. If there are kids present, getting them sugared up so you can send them out to the backyard to run it off will make it easier to focus on the game.

Cupcakes are a top choice for a buffet because you don't need a plate. They're also conveniently sized and can be customized to your theme or team. Plus, no matter which recipe you decide to make, decorating cupcakes is super fun. Remember that sprinkles make everything pretty if you aren't handy with a piping bag.

So, here's the thing about brownies: When they're delicious, they're amazing. When they're not-so-great, they're a dry, crumbly mess. Even if you have the best fudgy chocolate chip pecan pie brownie recipe that's always a hit at home, making these for a party might be a bit of a challenge. Why? Simply because people either love that middle piece or they love the corners, and there's a good chance that when you're serving a crowd, someone's already gotten to your favorite piece first.

Also, there's a good chance that you're particular about what kind of brownie you like. Prefer something that's chewy, fudgy, or cakey? Frosting, chocolate ganache, or plain? (And don't even get us started on whether or not there should be nuts.) They're surprisingly polarizing, and we'd argue that while they're great when you can make your perfect gooey brownies at home, they're not perfect for feeding a crowd.

Here's another game day favorite that's better in theory than in practice, and the problem here is one that's very similar to the issues we have with nachos. Yes, everyone loves poutine. How can you not? Fries, cheese curds, and gravy ... sometimes the best things are also the simplest, and poutine is a national favorite for a reason. And loaded fries? They're versatile, a great way to use up leftovers, and the sky's the limit as far as what you're going to put on them. Bacon cheeseburger loaded fries? Yes, please!

But just like nachos, if you put out a tray of these perfectly prepared, perfectly deep-fried goodness sticks and load them up for guests to snack on, they're going to get soggy really quickly. Gravy and cheese are great, but they're not great for dishes that are going to keep snacking fans happy over the course of four whole quarters. You could serve them at halftime, sure, but we're all about minimizing planning and maximizing just how much the host gets to relax, too.

At a glance, it might seem like putting out a tray of crispy fried onion rings is a great way to win some serious fans at any Super Bowl party, and in most cases, we'd agree that onion rings are always a win. We're invited over to someone's house and they're serving fresh, homemade onion rings, and we're a friend for life. There is a massive caveat here, though, and that's the fact that in practice, it's not a great party food.

Why? Onion rings are better fresh, and by the time they've been sitting around for a while, they're just not the same. You want everyone to be able to watch the game together, right? It's not fair to have someone in the kitchen putting out regular servings of rings, and that's the only way they're going to be fresh, crispy, delicious, and not sad, soggy snacks that are absolutely going to get left behind on the plates. If you're having a small enough gathering and are planning on serving this alongside a halftime meal, then sure, go for it. For snacks, though? Hard pass.

We know. We KNOW. Nachos are delicious. There's no question about it. But nachos are not delicious when they've been sitting for longer than approximately 90 seconds. There is a very small window in which your nacho eating time is optimal, and a party where they're going to sit out for hours is not it. You will have soggy chips, congealed cheese, and a sea of sad faces.

Another timing problem — queso has a short life once it's off the heat, and unless you're pouring it down your throat the instant it comes out, you're not living your best life. The only way queso moves up on the list is if you're keeping it warm and snuggly in a Crock-Pot right there on the table, but fair warning — extension cords, copious amounts of beer, and molten cheese might not be the best combination.

Just like nachos and queso, guacamole is normally an exceedingly tasty snack. But there are a couple problems with the classic avocado dip: 1. People think they need to healthify it with peas or edamame, or, perhaps worst of all, broccoli. So definitely don't do that, and if a guest brings such an abomination to your party, "accidentally" trip and throw it on the floor. 2. It turns brown after it sits out a while and Super Bowl Sunday is a long day, i.e., not optimal guac conditions. (Though if we had to choose, we'd eat oxidized guacamole for the rest of our lives before we ever allowed broccomole into our mouths.)

We love finding ways to add some healthy snacks to the Super Bowl buffet table. At the same time, spinach and artichoke dip might not top a dietician's list (let's be honest, it probably wouldn't make the top 50) of healthiest options. Still, nobody can argue that it has more going for it than queso.

But wait: you've noticed that we've criticized some other snacks because they're best eaten immediately and, to many minds, spinach artichoke dip is meant to be served hot and melty. Never fear — did you know this dip can be served cold? A healthy(ish) dip that's delicious, nutritious, and fresh on the table is a win, no matter which team you're rooting for.

Cheese and crackers are a must-have at any party. Simple to prepare and loved by everyone (who eats cheese, anyway!), we'd find it strange to see a Super Bowl spread that didn't include it. Bonus: kids who are picky eaters might happily eat cheese and crackers, so their parents will be glad they get something other than chips and cupcakes.

It doesn't matter whether you arrange fancy imported cheeses with baguette slices, water crackers, artisan ciabatta, breadsticks, or fan out a sleeve of Ritz crackers with a block of cheddar. The fans want cheese in any form and will line up to get it.

We all know what happens when we eat chili — don't pretend like it doesn't happen to you. Sure, it tastes great, but the after-effects keep this menu item at a firm number 20.

Preparing these tiny little burgers is a painstaking process. Yes, they are super cute, and yes, they will look "totes adorbs" on Instagram, but regular ol' burgers get the job done a lot faster and a lot easier.

There's a lot to be said for pulled pork — it's super easy (thank you, Crock-Pot), and one batch feeds a ton of people. But for all it's delightful drippy barbecue sauciness, it can be a bit messy. Maybe this is a good weekend to take a page from Grandma and cover those couches in plastic?

Even though this dip runs a slight chance of pulling a queso and congealing, we cut it a lot of slack because it's made from Buffalo chicken and cheese, which is like Buffalo wings but better because no bones — plus cheese.

Layered dip just might be the greatest party dip ever invented. It's the food you eat when you need a break from the other food. You can mindlessly dip chip after chip and, miraculously, when you're done dipping you're ready to get back on that horse and take down some hot dogs and cocktail meatballs. It's basically seven layers of magic.

Yes, the classic seven layer dip had a respectable showing, but we want to see your seven layers and raise you all the way into taco dip. The two have a lot in common, but adding meat — whether that's ground beef, pork, or even chicken — takes this to the next level. One of the things that we love about this is that you can definitely piece something together from all your favorite taco recipes: Take your lean yet juicy taco meat, add layers of a spicy cream cheese, drizzle on a copycat Taco Bell lava sauce, and add olives, peppers, even lettuce. You'll never make the same thing twice!

We love this, too, because there are plenty of ways to make a delicious cold version that's going to stay perfect throughout the entire game. With a mix of textures that includes the silky cream cheese, the firm ground beef, the bite of the olives, and the spice? The biggest problem might be how fast it disappears.

If you've never made air fryer candied bacon then seriously, what are you doing with your life? Meat and candy might rarely seem like they would go together, but candied bacon is the perfect mix of sweet, brown sugary goodness and smoky bacon flavor. Everything's better with bacon, the saying goes, and it's true — so, why aren't we ranking this higher in terms of a Super Bowl snack that everyone's going to love?

Logistics. Yes, it'll be a hit, but even though this is a treat you can — and should — make in advance, it's going to take a long time, multiple runs through your air fryer, and quite a bit of effort to make enough candied bacon to keep everyone happy, especially if you're having a decently large gathering. This might be a better option for saving to hand out during the start of the second half, for example, or maybe as a sweet treat to wrap up the end of the game.

We know you can buy Chex Mix at the grocery store. We also know it comes in tons of flavors, but we don't care – homemade Chex Mix tastes better. We think customizing our snacks is just plain cool, and switching up the nuts, changing pretzel shapes, or finding new add-ins is almost as fun as eating the stuff.

And nobody can argue that Puppy Chow, with its chocolate-peanut butter coating and enough powdered sugar to spike a horse's blood sugar, isn't a genius invention. Or maybe someone could argue that, but we wouldn't listen. Does making Chex Mix yourself involve work and a long grocery list? Sure, but considering how much tastier it is and that you end up with enough mix to snack on for months, it's totally worth it.

There's really no question about it — hot dogs are required at football parties. You've already got the grill fired up from your hours-long slider-making endeavor anyway, so it's no extra effort. Plus, wieners are the best vehicle for that ill-advised chili.

Everyone, and we mean everyone, loves chips. Some of us pretend we don't, but most would park themselves in front of a chip bowl and never move if it didn't bring judgy glares from everyone else who wanted a turn. And if there's onion dip nearby, forget it. Those hosts who spent hours making the perfect spread for the party might get annoyed when the humble bowl of chips becomes empty every hour or so. But what can we say? Maybe buy a few more bags, and don't forget the dip.

Pretzels are a solid win, whether you're serving them alone or you're putting out some French onion dip or have some queso on the warmer. You're not going to go wrong with hard pretzels, especially considering they're one of the least messy, most convenient, and easiest-to-eat snacks you're probably going to find on your Super Bowl buffet table. Add in the fact that these hunks of salty goodness are pretty perfect for snacking on alongside your favorite beer, and it's perfection.

You don't need to stop there, either, because who doesn't love soft pretzels and soft pretzel bites? We definitely love these for a Super Bowl party, because they're surprisingly easy. Easy? Absolutely: You don't have to make pretzels from scratch if you have canned biscuits! Let your dough soak in baking soda before cutting and baking it, and you have a brilliant soft pretzel recipe that's easy to make, that everyone will love, and that will taste just as good in the fourth quarter as it did in the first.

Why are cocktail meatballs so dang good? Is it the toothpick? Is it the sauce? All we know is that they're quite possibly the world's most poppable food.

You might not know this, but you actually have separate compartments in your stomach for pigs in blankets and hot dogs, so obviously you'll want to eat both. But if you are forced to choose, just remember that the best pigs in blankets usually involve cheese and/or a bacon wrap situation.

What's the difference between a stromboli and a calzone, you ask? They're both a set of ingredients wrapped in dough, and you might think of a calzone as a pizza-like pocket with dipping sauce on the side, while a stromboli can be a little more versatile in terms of the ingredients and has everything sealed inside one neat little package. They're similar enough that for the sake of our ranking we're going to put them together, because they're both going to get a similar reaction when you bring them out at halftime. That reaction? It'll be downright delight.

Make individual strombolis or calzones for your Super Bowl party and they're sure to be a win. Not only are they tasty and filling, but they're easy to eat whether you're cheering your team on to victory, cursing the refs, or commiserating with fellow fans. They're great for the host, too, as they can be made well in advance and with a variety of fillings, which means it's easy to make sure there's something for everyone's tastes.

When it comes to classic Super Bowl foods, garlic knots are one of the most popular. And it makes sense, right? There's just something magical about the combination of cheese, butter, and garlic, and when you add some of the same dipping sauce that we know you already have on hand for your pizza? They're the delicious, dippable snack that absolutely no one is going to skip, and even if the game isn't going our way, we can at least enjoy the snacks, right?

They're a win from start to finish as they're easy to make — especially with a shortcut garlic knots recipe that uses canned biscuits — and they're easy to pile on a plate and snack on throughout the game. They're going to keep well, they'll be just as tasty in the second half as they were in the first, and if you run out, you can definitely whip up another batch of these guaranteed crowd-pleasers in about 20 minutes.

Here's another idea we're grouping together for the sake of our ranking, because whether you're putting out a plate of pepperoni rolls, pizza rolls, or pizza roll-ups, you can count on the same things: guests will love them, and there's not going to be any leftovers. They're easy, versatile, great for picking up on your way past the buffet table, and they're just as good at room temperature as they are when they're piping hot.

Ever wonder how much pizza gets eaten during the Super Bowl? In 2022, that sailed past 12.5 million pizzas, and that's why we love these mini versions of it. Pepperoni rolls and pizza rolls make it easy to get your pizza fix all throughout the big game, with the convenience of bite-sized servings that make it one of our ultimate game day snacks.

Cheesy, spicy appetizers are high on our list, and jalapeño poppers are a classic party food. The spiciness of these little bites may vary with each pepper, but that's part of the fun. Besides, the cream cheese filling helps to mitigate the bite of the extra hot ones (and so does beer). You can buy jalapeño poppers premade or craft your own with all manner of mix-ins — the sky's the limit. However your little poppers debut, they'll be gobbled up in no time.

Pizza is the near-perfect Super Bowl food. Allow us to expand:

1. Nobody expects you to make your own pizza, so delivery is totally acceptable and that means you don't have to do a thing.
2. It's cheese...
3. And bread. Combined.

The only way pizza could be a more perfect game day food is if it was potato skins or chicken wings.

We won't pretend potato skins aren't a lot of work. Scrub the potatoes, bake the potatoes, scoop out the potatoes, bake the potato shells — it's an endless amount of potato tending.

But man, is the end result worth it! The crisp outer shell. The cheese. The bacon. The sour cream. So. Worth. It.

Do not even think about having a Super Bowl party without wings. Please. We will even forgive you your pea guacamole gaffe if you've got a gigantic pile of wings happening. But forget the Buffalo sauce here — you've already got that covered in dip form.

Use this opportunity to branch out into other preparations. From bacon-wrapped to Asian flavors, there's a whole new wing world out there, and this is the day to try them all.