14 Budget-Friendly Super Bowl Party Snacks That'll Score Big (Even If Your Team Doesn't)

Are you ready for some wings, poppers, chips, dips, and plenty of processed cheese? Over 63 million Americans are planning to host a Super Bowl watch party for this year's matchup between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. If you're a football fan in the Pacific Northwest, you may already be on the losing end of this battle when it comes to game-day eats. According to recent analysis by The Action Network, Seattle is the most expensive U.S. city to host a Super Bowl bash, with food and drink costs adding up to $18.30 per guest.

Wherever your loyalty lies this Super Bowl Sunday, grocery prices are on the rise. But that doesn't necessarily mean you have to make cuts to your impressive spread. Our tasty strategy: Call DIY snacks up to the starting lineup. The following homemade recipes rely on minimal ingredients, pantry staples, and a few viral hacks to keep your buffet — and budget — on the winning side of the scoreboard.

Super Bowl Sunday is the perfect occasion to celebrate with totchos, a trendy "12th Man" take on nachos with Pacific Northwest roots. Totchos begin with a base layer of crispy-baked tater tots instead of regular old tortilla chips.

Seattleites are known to get creative with their toppings. Pubs serve up versions with everything from soft fried eggs and gravy to truffle oil and bacon jam. To keep things simple and budget-friendly, stick with traditional nacho fixings like shredded cheddar, ground beef, diced tomatoes, and maybe a can of black beans or black olives.

Recipe: Totchos

Pickle poppers transform an everyday pantry staple into a formidable Super Bowl starter. Like a stealthy trick play, jarred dill pickles step in for traditional jalapeños. They're sliced and hollowed, stuffed with cream cheese and toppings, and baked until the insides are melty and the outer edges crisp.

There are tons of ways to customize a pack of pickle poppers to please a crowd. Maybe mix in a little dry ranch or taco seasoning? For Super Bowl Sunday, go ahead and wrap these babies up with strips of smoky bacon.

Recipe: Pickle Poppers

Pats fans, this crowd-pleasing dip brings fishing town vibes to any party. It only takes a simple can of chopped clams and some extras from your fridge.

Inspired by the velvety-rich New England clam chowder, it begins with softened cream cheese and sour cream, plus freshly chopped celery, onion, and parsley. Crushed potato chips stand in for the potatoes (score), with crumbled bacon and a few dashes of hot sauce finishing it off with all the right moves. Serve with crunchy raw carrots, cucumbers, or bell peppers to balance the richness.

Recipe: Clam Chowder Dip

These homemade, protein-packed chips take shape with just one main ingredient: cottage cheese. The recipe (if we can call it that) is super straightforward: Drop dollops of cottage cheese onto a baking sheet, flatten them into circles, then bake until golden brown and crispy around the edges.

If your game-day oven is otherwise occupied with pizza and sliders, this recipe easily adapts to the toaster oven or microwave. There's also plenty of flexibility when it comes to seasoning. Stay classic with dried herbs or an everything bagel blend, or go zesty with Tajín or Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

Recipe: Cottage Cheese Chips

The National Chicken Council (NCC) predicts Americans will eat 1.48 billion chicken wings this Super Bowl Sunday. In other words, your squad expects them to be on the menu.

Here's a foolproof air fryer hack for making pub-style wings at home (versus ordering expensive takeout). It only requires fresh chicken, simple seasonings (salt, pepper, and garlic powder will do), plus your favorite Buffalo sauce for tossing.

If you end up with a few extra dollars to spend, add some buttermilk and blue cheese crumbles to your cart. There's nothing better than homemade dressing for indulgent dipping on the side.

Recipe: Air-Fried Wings

Cheesy tortilla roll-ups (aka pinwheels) belong in every casual party playbook. This budget-friendly, big-batch version turns five to seven large flour tortillas into 60 perfect spirals with just a handful of ingredients.

Depending on your guests, you can keep these bite-sized snacks vegetarian with chopped green chiles, green onions, and black olives. Or, you could add thin slices of deli ham or turkey for something meatier.

Serve your roll-ups with a dish of salsa on the side and watch them disappear before halftime. They look like you put in way more effort than you did. And kids love them.

Recipe: Cheesy Tortilla Roll-Ups

Our lemon pepper tofu recipe lets you skip the meat but keep the party wing ritual alive. It begins with a magic microwave method that gives extra-firm tofu a meaty, Chicken McNugget kind of texture. From there, you'll dredge your tofu pieces in an egg mixture, followed by a coating of buttery lemon pepper cracker crumbs.

You can prep and bread your tofu "wings" ahead of time, then batch-crisp them in the air fryer before the coin flip. Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce for extra zing.

Recipe: Lemon Pepper Tofu Wings

Pimento cheese is famously associated with the Masters Tournament, but it easily flexes to Super Bowl Sunday. This recipe comes together with five simple ingredients — but there are at least LX ways to use it. Spread pimento cheese between slices of Wonder bread and cut into bite-sized sandwiches.

Offer it as a scoopable dip to elevate everyday Saltine and Ritz crackers. If you're grilling for the big game, use it as a topping for burgers or chicken breast. You could also stuff pimento cheese into deviled eggs, potato skins, celery sticks, mushroom caps, mini peppers, and, well, you get the idea.

Recipe: Lake E. High's Pimento Cheese

Bundt pan nachos are made for big days like this. Layer (and re-layer) sturdy tortilla chips with shredded cheese and seasoned meat or beans inside a Bundt pan, bake until hot and melty, then give them a touchdown flip onto a platter.

Crowned with fresh salsa, sour cream, or guac, this showstopping tower of deliciousness offers excellent topping coverage with every pull-apart bite. There's also plenty to go around when guests start scrambling for seconds.

Recipe: Bundt Pan Nachos

Broccoli cheddar mini tacos are a big win for Super Bowl snackers watching carbs along with the game. The homemade shells are made with baked mounds of shredded cheddar cheese. The filling is a savory mix of broccoli and onion tossed in a zesty lime-mayo seasoning mix.

It all results in an elevated, unexpectedly delicious two-bite taco to please the masses. It just so happens they're vegetarian, keto, and wallet-friendly, too.

Recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Mini Tacos

Chili cheese dip proves you don't need a long ingredient list to make a touchdown snack. Spread softened cream cheese in a baking dish, smother with canned turkey chili and shredded cheddar, then bake until golden and bubbly.

You're welcome to sub in different types of hot or mild chili or cheese to suit your Super Bowl lineup. Sturdy tortilla chips, Fritos, and veggie sticks are your best bets for heavy-handed dippers. With three minutes left on the clock, you can even make this delicious mess of a dip in the microwave.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip

Everyone has their favorite salty-crunchy couch snack, but we'd argue that some choices are better than others. With roasted chickpeas on your roster, you get all the poppable satisfaction, plus some extra protein and fiber.

Here's all you need for the basic recipe: a $1 can of humble chickpeas, olive oil, salt, and your air fryer or oven. When golden and crispy throughout, toss your chickpeas with spices while they're still hot. For the Super Bowl, your health-conscious crowd might appreciate something bold and Dorito-adjacent. Try a mix of ranch seasoning and nutritional yeast, or a homemade nacho cheese powder.

Recipe: Roasted Chickpeas

Super Bowl parties are "go big or go home" situations. If you're playing host on a budget, here's an affordable homemade dessert that's guaranteed to wow. Based on the gooey-centered treats from New York's famous Levain Bakery, these cookies come together with mostly pantry staples: flour, butter, brown sugar, and the like.

Stud the dough with M&M's (sift your team colors from the bag), portion it into giant mounds, then bake until just light brown around the edges. Get these in the oven during halftime. Your house will smell like victory — no matter the score.

Recipe: Giant Levain-Style M&M's Cookies

Jell-O shots are a kitschy cocktail-dessert hybrid that deserves a custom invitation to your Super Bowl bash. Pick up boxes of berry blue and lime Jell-O for Seahawks-themed shooters, or tinker with cherry and berry blue (plus a pinch of grape) to cheer on the Patriots.

Best of all, you can make your mini Jell-O cups boozy with vodka or rum, or nonalcoholic with juice or soda. Top them off with Reddi-Wip and sprinkles, and you've got yourself a winner.

Recipe: Jell-O Shots