0
Votes

How to throw a cheap Super Bowl party

By Lauren Hendrick

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Whether you care about which team leaves the Sun Life Stadium proud, The Who and Rihanna’s halftime performances or the collection of pricey commercials, it’s a given that we can all stand unified on one aspect of Super Bowl festivities: the grub.

Throwing a party on a student budget, however, can be tricky.

Cherika Boyd, a senior from Kansas City, Kan., said she planned to throw a watch party with her roommate and expected 15 of her friends to attend. They’re planning on making hot wings, Rotel queso dip and brownies without breaking the bank. She said they’ll use items they already have and try to stay under $20.

Pat Thompson, a senior from Shawnee, said he and his roommates are hosting a pot luck watch party on Sunday to keep costs down. He anticipates each of his four roommates will spend under $20 each, and maybe even make money back on their keg.

Whether it’s $20, $50 or $100, you can throw a successful watch party on your budget if you take your options into consideration.

The Decisions: Is it cheaper to buy premade snacks or make your own?

The Goal: Spend $50 or less hosting a party for 15 people

The Place: Hy-Vee, 3504 Clinton Parkway

The Checklist:

Veggie Tray — For the health nuts on the couch

Queso — Because a party without queso dip just isn’t a party

Guacamole — Too many requests to ignore

Chips and Salsa — Gameday staple

Hot Wings — Football and wings just seem to go together

The Decisions: Is it cheaper to buy premade snacks or make your own?

The Deciding Factors: Hy-Vee offers an array of premade snacks, including smoked wings, large sub sandwiches, veggie trays, cakes, cookies — you name it. Considering the costs of the premade items verses the costs of making them will determine how much time will be spent in the kitchen instead of watching the game.

Hy-Vee premade items available:

Smoked ribs $10/slab

Smoked wings $3.99/lb (6-8 wings per lb.)

Mini shrimp tray $5.99/lb.

2-foot sub sandwich $13-$20 (feeds 8-10 people)

Veggie tray $19.99

Guacamole dip $4.59

Since wings, a veggie tray and guacamole are must-haves, it’s wise to think about how much it would cost to make these items before buying them from the deli.

Wings

2 lb. Chicken wings value pack $6.64 (about 16 wings)

Frank’s Hot Sauce $2.27

Total with tax: $9.61

v. 2 lbs. wings at the deli for $3.99/lb. for approximately $9

Verdict: For the amount of work it takes to cut the wing from the drum and bake them, a dollar extra for the premade wings might be worth it, but they might not taste as good.

Veggie Tray

Baby carrots $1.68

Broccoli $1.18

Celery $.98

Cauliflower $2

Veggie dip $2.50

Plastic serving platter $5

Total with tax: $14.39, and $8.99 without the plastic serving platter

v. Premade veggie tray for $19.99

Verdict: Definitely make the veggie tray. It’s nearly half the price. You get twice as many veggies and you can buy more of a variety, like tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers.

Guacamole

2 Avocados $2

Guacamole dip mix $.98

Total with tax: $3.21

v. Premade guacamole for $4.59

Verdict: Make it. It’s fresher and cheaper.

Queso

Always make the queso. It’s easy. It’s affordable, and it caters to a large group of people well. Hy-Vee is offering a steal this week. If you buy a two pound brick of Velveeta cheese for $4.49 and two cans of Rotel for $.88 each you can ask for a $6 coupon for a 1.5 quart slow cooker valued at $9.99. The slow cooker is $3.99 with the coupon. Serve up with your own variations, a few bags of chips and you’re set.

Queso essentials for less than $16

Kraft Velvetta cheese $4.49

Two cans Rotel tomatoes $.88 each

2 bags of Hy-Vee Tostado Bites $1.17 each

Ground beef $1.49

Kitchen Selectives slow cooker $3.99 (with coupon)

Total with tax: $15.17

Can all of these things be made for under $50? You bet. Here’s how it breaks down:

16 homemade wings: $9.61

Homemade veggie tray: $8.99

Homemade guacamole: $3.21

Queso essentials with slower cooker coupon: $15.17

Salsa: $6.46

Total: $43.44

With $6.56 to spare, why not throw something else into the mix? Add breaded raviolis with mariaera for $3.60 and have a little money left.

Goal accomplished.

— Edited by Kirsten Hudson

Comments

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Advertisement