Super Bowl Sunday: Food Ideas, Safety Tips

Whether you watch it for the commercials, the half-time show or as intended — to see the game — for many people the Super Bowl is one of the big party events of the New Year.

As you go about preparing your party plans, we here at Patch want to share some safety tips and recipe ideas to make your day fun.

The Super Bowl is set for Feb. 3 and will include lots of snacks, beverages and other sweet treats.

The DuPage County Health Department has tips to make sure you follow the “food safety playbook.”

While one popular way to celebrate football games is to hold a buffet, that type of food service, where foods may be out for long periods, leaves the door open for bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses, according to the DuPage County Health Department. 

The health department says for safe food handling:  “Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.”

Below is the Health Department’s game plan on how to host a championship get-together:

Illegal use of hands

Avoid penalties for "illegal use of hands." Unclean hands are one of the biggest culprits for spreading bacteria, and finger foods at parties are especially vulnerable. Cooks and guests should wash their hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food. Also, be sure to clean eating surfaces often, and wash serving platters before replenishing them with fresh food.

Offsides

Think of your party fare as two different teams—uncooked versus ready-to-eat foods. Prevent "encroachment" at all costs and keep each team in its own zone. The juices from raw meat can contain harmful bacteria that cross-contaminate other food. Use one cutting board for raw meat and poultry and another one for cutting veggies or foods that will not be cooked. If you use only one cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water after preparing each food item. 

Offensive holding

Call a "time out" and use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked. Remember that internal temperature, not meat color, indicates doneness. Steaks should be cooked to 145°F, ground beef should be cooked to a minimum of 155°F, and all poultry should be cooked to 165°F. "Holding" may be one of the most likely offenses you encounter if your party lasts late into the night. Never hold foods for more than two hours at room temperature. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly to block offensive bacteria from multiplying. The same rules apply for cold foods. If cold food has been sitting out for more than two hours, do not eat it. When in doubt, throw it out of the game—and keep your guests safe.

Source: DuPage County Health Department

What will you serve up on Super Bowl Sunday? 

Looking for a bunch of quick and easy recipes in one place? The Food Network offers 50 Super Bowl Snacks recipes in this article, which features everything from a standard guacamole to a Korean slider. 

The game wouldn’t be complete without some sweets and brownies are always sure to please. In addition to offering a variety of appetizer recipes, here are 50 recipe ideas for brownies.

And, if you want to get your menu down prior to the game, The Food Network also offers a make ahead menu you can try.  

Check out these blogs from locals with some food ideas:

• Tom “Pig Daddy” Koprowski shares his recipes on how to use pork in almost anything, including his most recent blog on Gumbo.
• Lynn Dugan shares her healthy recipes that are perfect for families on the go, including some healthy appetizers.
• Blogger Colleen Walsh Fong shares a chocolate cake recipe.

What are your favorite Super Bowl recipes? Share them in comments. Or, start your own food blog!