However, these events and loads of food and game day fun can put a strain on your piggy bank if you aren’t careful.

I’m here to help with that!

First, you have to be wise about your planning on your football party menu ideas.

We all know that parties can be hectic, so planning ahead can save your sanity and you can ask for help!

You need to resist the temptation to go overboard! Just because you’re having your friends over, doesn’t mean that it needs to be a big shin-dig and you need to pull out all the stops. Going overboard also means going over budget!

Next, keep your budget in check by making a football menu and what supplies you’ll need and your game day menu ideas.

This will help you to determine what items you can ask others to bring and what can be made the day before.

You’ll be able to pull your football menu and some game day fun together in no time with these great tips!

So are you ready for some football menu team talk? Let’s get this huddle started!

1. Share A Little Of The Football Menu “Hosting Load”

There’s no reason why your party guests have to come to the party empty handed!

Suggest everyone bring their favorite dip or finger food, so there is more food on hand to enjoy. Ask them what they’ll be bringing and add it to your football menu. Then no dish will be repeated too.

Check out Pinterest for Football Party Menu Ideas! There are tons of great recipes out there.

Here is a super easy and delicious dip to enjoy that can be made the day before: Peanut Butter Cheeseball. Not only is a crowd favorite but it only has 5 ingredients, and there’s no “cooking” required! Woohoo!

2. Serve Easy Recipes With Few Ingredients

You don’t have to get over involved when deciding on the foods for your football menu.

Keep it simple for your game day menu ideas – finger foods will do – so that your budget can stay low too.

Instead of ordering wings from the restaurant to cater your party…make them at home! Restaurant wings are 50 cents each at the cheapest…but only cost pennies to make at home.

Here’s How To Make Great Wings In 2 Easy Steps:

Start with fresh (not frozen) chicken wings.
(1) Broil for about 5 mins on each side to make the skin crispy;
(2) Crock Pot them on high for 30 minutes to finish cooking and simmer in your favorite BBQ or buffalo sauce!

That’s easy enough for anyone to do quickly! Add some blue cheese and celery and your mouth and your wallet will both enjoy them! Now that’s game day fun!

3. Go Home-Made, Not Pre-Made

Pre-made salads, sandwich platters and appetizer platters are easy to add to your football menu, but they are also waaaay more expensive than making them at home. Mark up is at least 100% so, make party trays at home.

Did you know that homemade potato salad is the same price as a bag of chips (and healthier)?

One 5 lb bag of potatoes will make 20 large servings of potato salad which is only 25 cents per serving, but chips with dip are 50 cents per serving!

On an average there is a markup of 15% at the stores! You can save that difference on your football party menu ideas just by making items yourself, even cookies!

4. Cater To The Size Of The Group

Add game day menu ideas that cost less by the serving. How about adding a Taco Bar, Burger Bar or a Potato Bar to your football menu?

You can make the burgers or bake the potatoes then just serve all the separate ingredients (cheese, veggies, etc) for the sides.

This can also be something easy to ask everyone to bring along… bring your favorite Burger Topping!

Or you could make a ton of Chili (think two giant crock pots) and serve over nachos. Yummy!

5. Easy, Frugal Decorations Can Be Just As FAB.

Have you checked out Pinterest? There are scads of frugal decorating ideas for game day fun that will save your wallet and your time.

Decorate using the colors of the teams, NOT the high priced logo’ed merchandise!

Twisting two one-dollar rolls of crepe paper in the teams colors will add a ton of festive feel without much cost at all!

Add cookie decorating to your football menu. Just add some food coloring to the icing in your teams colors.

Don’t forget my “Mommy of the Year Tip” to stock up on Glow Sticks and use them for games as soon as night falls! We suggest getting all these decorating items for a buck at the Dollar Store!

6. Keep The Entertainment Light

The highlight of the day is the game, so any before or after fun should be simple and not expensive.

Plus, the game is a “game” party, dust off those board games and give them a whirl with the kids who aren’t watching the game.

Or put out a football or Frisbee in the backyard (if you have any hula hoops, there are loads of great outdoor games you can do with them).

And then of course you can add S’mores to your football menu for dessert! Now that’s fun!

Or try this pin the football for a field goal game!

This bean bag toss game would be great for the little kiddos!

You just have to be wise about your planning from the start about your football menu.

Asking for help can save your sanity during a hectic party.

Especially with all the football party menu ideas out there, if you don’t overboard, you’ll be saving your saving your budget too.

Get creative and have fun with it… your guests will love your football menu party food and game day fun and so will your wallet!

~GO TEAM GO!!

Your Turn: How do you save money on your football menu? Share with us below!

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