Thursday, January 31, 2008
Big-screen TV? Check. Friends? Check. Seats? Check. Food and drink? That may be a problem.
Buying refreshments for a Super Bowl XLII party may be a struggle for University students. After buying books for class and paying rent for an apartment, food for 15 friends will likely involve budgeting. Fortunately, Super Bowl munchies can cost less than $25 with some smart shopping.
THE BARE ESSENTIALS
John Stockemer, Wichita senior, said that the necessities of any Super Bowl watch party were tortilla chips, salsa, pretzels or Chex mix and beverages.
“You also need a halftime food,” Stockemer said. “Pizzas, wings, or little smokies work best.”
Checkers, 2300 Louisiana St., sells bags of off-brand tortilla chips for 99 cents. HyVee, 3504 Clinton Parkway, has a better deal on jars of salsa and queso, which cost $2.50 each. Stockemer said three jars would suffice for 15 people. HyVee also has the better price on Chex mix, three bags for $4, and frozen pizzas, five for $5.55. Other than water, the cheapest drink is Kool-aid. Both stores sell four packets of Kool-aid for $1. Altogether, the refreshments cost $23.05, and after taxes the price is still less than $25.
FOR LESS THAN $45
Those who have a little bit more cash to spend on refreshments have more options. Many would opt to upgrade the beverage choice. Checkers offers lower prices on soda and beer. Twelve-packs of soda cost $2.49 each. Two would suffice. Or, if guests don’t mind Shasta brand soda, Checkers offers 24 cans for $4.28. Prices on 30-can packs of beer range from $11.80 to $16.30, depending on preference. And if consumers make the switch to beer, Stockemer recommends switching the Chex mix with pretzels. At Checkers, a one-pound bag of pretzels costs $2.24.
“Pretzels seem to go better with beer than chips or popcorn,” Stockemer said.
WHERE’S THE BEEF?
Some would have problems with the absence of meat.
“You have to have meat at the Super Bowl. It’s a requirement, said Dan Hoyt, Kansas alumnus. “Meat goes along with the Super Bowl beer and truck commercials.”
Hoyt suggests frying some hamburgers or bratwursts. Checker’s sells ground beef as low as $1.68 per pound. HyVee sells packages of five bratwursts for $3.69. Hoyt also recommended adding some ground beef to the queso dip.
Hoyt’s requirements apparently don’t match that of many revelers. Marcie McCauslin, manager of perishables at HyVee, said customers opted for other foods.
“Meat usually isn’t as popular as appetizers or finger foods for Super Bowl parties,” McCauslin said.
A TEAM EFFORT
Asking guests to help buy refreshments can take much of the burden off the host and allow for a bigger variety of snacks and beverages.
“You can get people to chip in if needed. Even make it B.Y.O.B if you need,” Stockemer said.
Another solution would be to ask each guest to bring a snack that he or she could share with everyone.
NO RUSH
Stores will have plenty of snack supplies for even the last-minute buyers. McCauslin said that her store would be ready for the procrastinators.
“We kind of plan in advance,” McCauslin said. “Friday, Saturday and Sunday are our busiest days before the Super Bowl.”
—Edited by Nick Mangiaracina
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