You don’t need an excuse to get together with your family and friends and host a party. But if you love football, it‘s the perfect time to do just that. After all, a football party is not just enjoying a good game, it’s also the perfect time to enjoy better company and of course, great food!
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #HomeGatingHacks #CollectiveBias
Here are 5 quick tips for throwing a fun yet, stress-free football party. Plus, I’m sharing with you my super quick 5 minute homemade salsa recipe that’s awesome to have for your next game day party!
1. It’s okay to let your guests bring something to the party.
Try not to take on the whole party by yourself and cause unnecessary stress. It’s okay to ask your friends to bring along something like an appetizer, dessert, or even their favorite beverage.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
No matter what size your party is going to be, make it a team effort and don’t be afraid to enlist help from friends or family members.
For instance, you can have someone pick up the party décor, drinks or simple appetizers or have one or two people decorate the designated party area while you and someone else take care of the other party details.
3. Keep your party spread simple and cozy.
Give your football party a cozy, welcoming feel with simple decorations. Use items you already have, such as a basket to hold disposable utensils, and solid color or plaid blanket as a tablecloth. This will give your party the feel of an outdoor tailgate!
4. Set up a game day party snack and drinks station.
Putting together your own game time snack station is as easy as pulling together a few football-themed decors that are readily available at any craft store, and have simple, easy to serve snacks like our favorite 5-minute homemade salsa and tortilla chips, peanut butter-filled pretzels, and cut up veggies with ranch dip.
Of course, what’s a game day party without Coca-Cola? They’re always refreshing and go well with any game day party food and snacks. Add the colorful Coca-Cola half-liter bottles to your party spread too, and you’ll have a festive, fun snack station that will wow your guests!
We always get party snacks and drinks from our local Food Lion. Not only do they have great prices on everything food and grocery items, I can also save more money by using my Food Lion MVP card! If you’re a frequent shopper at Food Lion and you’re not signed up for the Food Lion MVP Card yet, you’re missing out on great rewards and savings!
Here’s how it all works:
- Sign up: Get signed up for the MVP Card here.
- Activate: Activate your personalized monthly offers by visiting your Shop & Earn offer page through the Food Lion Mobile App or on foodlion.com. Offers begin tracking as soon as you visit (so visit early!).
- Shop: Start shopping and scan your MVP Card with each purchase. Track your progress towards your rewards by visiting the Shop & Earn offer page. You have until the end of the current month to earn your rewards. Earned rewards are added to your MVP Wallet.
- Redeem: Earned rewards are automatically redeemed on your next purchase by simply scanning your MVP Card. You’ll have until the end of the following month to redeem your earned rewards. Check your MVP Wallet for your rewards balance.
And my last tip is…
5. Make it festive with decorations.
There are a bazillion ideas online on how to make your party fun and festive with decorations. Use your favorite team to inspire the color scheme or go with a simple football green, brown and white. If you’re on a budget, or if you simply don’t have the time to get party decorations, get creative! At the last football party I hosted at home with a few friends, I just cut out football-shaped pieces from a leftover kraft paper I had, then used white markers to draw vertical and horizontal lines on top of them to resemble a football. You can even use brown paper bags you had lying around if you don’t have kraft paper.
So, let’s talk for a minute about my own homemade salsa recipe.
Since I wanted a mild salsa with just a little bit of kick to it, I used a can of the Food Lion Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles. Friends, if you’re looking for a flavorful, mild salsa to serve on your next party or get together, this recipe is an excellent choice. I love this salsa because not only it is easy to make, it also requires simple ingredients. The combination of diced tomatoes with green chiles, garlic, and lime juice make for a classic, delicious salsa!
This salsa goes great with tortilla chips, as an accompaniment to any Mexican food like tacos and burritos as well as grilled meats like chicken, steaks, fish fillets and and even tastes wonderful as a topping for scrambled eggs the next morning (that is if we have leftovers, because they usually get devoured quickly)!
Print
5 Minute Homemade Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can Food Lion diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped white onion
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 jalapeno, seeds + stem removed
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients into a high-powered blender or food processor and pulse until evenly blended.
- Taste the salsa and based on personal preference, adjust as necessary.
- Transfer into a storage container with a lid and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend.
- Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!
Here’s hoping you can use these ideas to host your amazing football party this season! While you’re at it, try making my homemade salsa and let me know how it turns.For all your party food and snacks, stop by your nearest Food Lion and don’t forget to grab some Coca-Cola for everyone too!
What do you think about these tips for throwing a football party? Would you try to make my homemade salsa? Tell me in the comments!
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A former school teacher, Jocelyn Brown created Hip Mama’s Place in 2007. Her motto for this blog is: get inspired, create and share! Jocelyn loves sharing about food and recipes, crafts, DIY projects and her random travels with her family. She also loves all things social media, but her latest obsession is Instagram.
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I could eat salsa with everything if I could get away with it. I love the kick of fresh spices and those tomatoes… Yummy.
Looks awesome and super delicious! I’m only against super sugary fizzy drinks in this amount. Fresh lemonade, ice tea or ice coffee as alternative would be much better.
This is very timely! I am throwing a Mexican themed party next weekend and these homemade salsa would be a wonderful addition.
Love the football party ideas. Will consider this next time. Thank you for sharing your salsa recipe and the tips.
There was a Food lion where I grew up and my mom liked the store because they offered really great deals. Thanks for this simple homemade salsa recipe. Yum!
I am loving all the tips you have shared here. It is definitely very ok to ask for help when we need it. Allowing people bring stuff to the party is smart too.
You’re so right about not having afraid to ask for help. You’re not going to be expected to do every last thing on your own as that’s a lot to take on x
I like the idea of making your own salsa instead of buying one! I never watch football but I could try the recipe for a movie night
Salsa is one of those appetizer items everyone should have on their table when they are having company or just because. We are huge salsa fans and add different toppings to it. Like avocado, yummy.
Yum! I will definitely try that salsa recipe. I think the drink station is a huge in making life easier and can also be a great icebreaker when throwing a party.
Salsa is always a must at parties! It looks so good!
An ice cold Coca Cola is still my favorite soft drink!! It’s not just delicious, but nostalgic for me, too. And I’m printing out your salsa recipe to try because I love that it’s “homemade” but you don’t have to chop up a lot of tomatoes. That’s SO messy and time-consuming.
This salsa sounds good. Not only is it great for football parties but they make a great appetizer for the holiday gatherings also.
I love salsa so much! This looks like the perfect tailgating recipe for a fresh snack!
I am all for people bringing things to the party. I used to try to do it all myself, but not anymore. I love a quick salsa like this. I will have to make some soon.
That looks really good. I’m a big fan of salsa, but I rarely make it because it takes so much time. I WILL be making this one, though. It’s so easy!
I have never made my own salsa before. This recipe looks so delicious and easy to make.I will have to pick up the ingredients and make some this weekend.
I absolutely LOVE salsa and can literally eat it with everything. I will definitely have to try this.
I love salsa so I’ll definitely be trying this out. Thanks for the tips on hosting a party too!
This looks so yummy! I’d love to try making salsa myself sometime 🙂
I love these tips! They are so helpful and good to remember for having people over, for any occasion! I am a salsa freak. Like, I can polish off an entire container in 2 days or less if I allow myself! This recipe sounds awesome, though. I will definitely be trying it for a fresher, homemade taste!
Some easy recipes to make at home for during a match or munching on for getting some work done. Interesting array of options you have suggested here.
I have never tried making my own salsa but this is something that I really want to do. Thanks for this, I will try this at home.
Oh wow! This one is a winner! I would love to try making this. My husband would love this for sure.
Great tips! We’ve never hosted a party like this so I’d need all the tips I could get. That salsa looks yummy.
I love making my own salsa, and since I am trying to cut off the processed foods, I always choose fresh tomatoes over tinned ones. I like dipping pieces of vegetables in salsa. 🙂
This looks so good and easy to make! I have never tried this before. I’ve got to give this a try ?
I love salsa so much! I’ve been eyeing for an easy recipe for a long while already. I love it most specially for parties.
Great tips for throwing a football party and that salsa sounds amazing! I think I should make this for my husband’s birthday this weekend!
Looks so good! And so easy to make! Definitely keeping this in mind!
I never have to think about this because my husband and I hate football! hahaha! Sure we will go to other people’s houses for a game just to be social and what not, but hosting football parties, NOPE! ha!
Salsa is delicious! I’ve got to give this a shot 🙂
Oh my gosh, I love chips and salsa. They are my favorite go-to snack. That dip you have looks amazing too!