The Game-Day Entertaining Essentials You Need for Your Super Bowl Party

Even if you aren't a huge sports fan, when you're hosting a gathering as important as the Super Bowl, you want the party to be as on point as possible. And for game day, snacks are absolutely essential and something pretty much everyone can get behind. Watching football on TV is the perfect excuse to make or order in an epic snack spread. Here, we've gathered some of the entertaining essentials for serving and enjoying those snacks, like the Pull-Apart Sliders pictured here, that will make your game day more efficient and more fun.

"For a get-together of any size, I always start with the audience in mind," Brenna Gilbert, founder and CEO of Feste, says. "Are there fan favorite foods that tie into the sports team? Wings for the Buffalo Bills, Philly cheesesteaks for the Steelers. I love a good theme." She recommends mixing homemade snacks with store-bought ones for a delicious spread that doesn't require hours in the kitchen before guests arrive. Taking prepared foods out of their containers and plating them on nice trays or wood cutting boards lends a more polished look. "It makes a huge difference," Gilbert says.

PJ Calapa, owner and executive chef of Scampi in New York City, serves large format cocktails and dishes so that his guests can serve themselves while enjoying the game. When his team, the Dallas Cowboys, played the New Orleans Saints, he made a big pot of gumbo and rice. "Game day is a big day in the Calapa household," he says. He favors disposable plates and flatware make for easy cleanup when the party's over. Though we're generally more team reusable dishes, we appreciate lightening the load as washing dishes is not our favorite post-game activity—just choose something eco-friendly to lighten your environmental impact. Luckily, there are plenty of great options that don't skimp on style.

Here, all of the must-haves you need for a flawless game-day party.

Who says pigs in a blanket can't be fancy? This marble cake stand is perfect for showcasing everything from homemade cakes to frozen snack foods you warmed up in the oven. 

Shop Now: Food52 Marble Cake Stand, $69, food52.com. 

A cutting board on one side and a serving platter on the other, this versatile piece is sure to be a staple in your kitchen for both everyday and on game day. Made of black walnut wood, it has a juice trench on the cutting board side and a completely flat surface on the other, which makes a great base for a cheese and charcuterie board.

Shop Now: Our Place Walnut Cutting Board, $95, fromourplace.com. 

Cut back on cleanup by using these disposable paper napkins. The 80-pack has two designs that are on theme: a football and a football field.

Shop Now: Hammont Football Theme Napkins, $11.99, amazon.com. 

Protect your tables and countertops in style with this copper-plated, retro-inspired trivet designed by Martha.

Shop Now: Martha Stewart Collection Copper Eat Trivet, $8.99, macys.com. 

No one likes warm beer, so keep drinks nice and cold with these freezable glasses. Pop them in the freezer for an hour before the game starts, and they'll keep beer cold for up to two hours. Plus, they have a double-wall design that works like a built-in koozie, so hands won't get cold holding them.

Shop Now: Rabbit Freezable Beer Glasses, $39.95, williams-sonoma.com. 

The ideal vessel for chips, bread, or even sliced vegetables and dip, this hand-woven rattan bowl has handles for easy transport and the ceramic dip bowl is microwave- and dishwasher-safe. 

Shop Now: Williams Sonoma Light Woven Chip and Dip Bowl, $69.95, williams-sonoma.com. 

This colorful platter is perfect for cheese, but also for livening up monotone fried foods (which, let's be honest, aren't the prettiest). It's made of pieces of natural agate and measures 9.5 inches across.

Shop Now: Anthropologie Composite Agate Cheese Board, $54.60, anthropologie.com. 

Serve nuts, dried fruit, chocolate-covered almonds, and more in these elegant gold bowls. They were designed by Martha for Macy's and are great to have on hand when hosting game day and for other gatherings throughout the year.

Shop Now: Martha Stewart Collection Gold-Tone Connected Nut Bowls, $33.99, macys.com.

Keep your drinks cool in this generously sized drink tub that's big enough to hold around 24 beers. It can be customized with your name or a short phrase, which is a nice touch. 

Shop Now: Let's Make Memories Personalized Beverage Tub, $49.99, amazon.com. 

Enjoy favorite fried foods even after halftime with this top-rated air fryer. It has a 5.8-quart capacity—that's big enough for a five-pound chicken—and is great for reheating fries, wings, and more in just a few minutes.

Shop Now: COSORI Air Fryer Max XL, $99.98, amazon.com.