Taylor Swift-Themed Bites To Snack On During The Super Bowl
This year's Super Bowl is getting an expanded viewer demographic this year: Swifties. If you're anything like us, you are familiar with football and have seen some games, but it's not the No. 1 content you look forward to watching. But when Taylor Swift is at a game, it makes things a bit more exciting and engaging for us fans. And this year, the Super Bowl is shaping up to be a little extra special for fans of Taylor, the Chiefs, the 49ers, and celebrity couple enthusiasts.
If you're hosting (or attending) a Super Bowl watch party this year and want to add some extra Swiftie flair to the affair, what better way to incorporate it than with a fun array of snacks? We've come up with a list of various Swift-themed bites you can make for your watch party, either inspired directly from foods and drinks she's been known to enjoy, or sporting clever names in their titles that you can make cute name tags for and place in front of each dish. With all these tasty treats, you can make sure to let everyone know why you're really watching.
It's bean a long time coming dip
In the spirit of including items that are already popular football-viewing party snacks, we thought a classic bean dip would be perfect. How is it Swift-ified, you ask? Through the name, of course. "It's Bean A Long Time Coming Dip" is our moniker for the appetizer based on a lyric from her song off "Lover" called "Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince." If you think you're not familiar with the song, you should probably think again, considering it's the anthem of the smash-hit Eras Tour. It's the song she opens the show with, and has become a favorite way to sum up how people feel about the concert. It has been a long time coming.
If you want to make your own bean dip, it's not too hard of a task. Most recipes involve mashing up beans (typically black beans, but you can also use pinto), then adding spices and any mix-ins like onions, peppers, or even cheese. This Spicy Black Bean Dip is our favorite if you're looking to add some spice to the mix. Just make a little name tag for the dish so people can see your clever play on words.
Chicken strips and seemingly ranch dip
If you missed this viral meme from the fall, let us catch you up to speed. While attending a Chiefs game, fans spotted in several photos that Taylor had a plate of chicken tenders, ketchup, and what appeared to be ranch dressing as a dipping sauce. While we don't love people over-analyzing anyone's personal food choices that they're not already talking about themselves, this one took the internet by storm, mainly because of the funny moniker "seemingly ranch."
Throw it back to September (when this chicken tender moment happened) and serve some crispy chicken tenders to your guests — complete with dipping sauces in bowls on the side, of course. Serve whatever dips you prefer, like honey mustard, barbeque, and ketchup, but for the Swift effect, add some ranch in there and label it "Seemingly Ranch." It makes things a bit more fun, you know?
Lavender Haze coffee
Recently awarded album of the year at this year's Grammys, "Midnights" is also Swift's most recent original album (though we are unbelievably excited for her new album coming out in April called "The Tortured Poets Department" that she announced this past Sunday). Pay homage to this iconic album with a coffee inspired by the equally peppy hit "Lavender Haze." Make one for yourself, or offer it to your coffee-loving friends coming over for the game. After all, the Super Bowl can be a high-intensity viewing experience, so you'll want to be at full energy capacity to watch it.
Create this "Lavender Haze" coffee by making a simple lavender latte. You can choose to make it hot or iced, and use whatever espresso-making machine you have, whether it's a fancy Breville, a moka pot, or even instant espresso. The key ingredient here is the lavender. If you're not super into botanical-forward drinks but still want to have the lavender in there, we recommend putting in some vanilla, as well, to make things a bit sweeter and less earthy.
Sunrise Boulevard sweet potato fries
This one's for all of you currently in your "1989 (Taylor's Version)" era. If you love the summery, NYC, pop perfection that is that album, you'll be familiar with the dreamy lyrics from the vault song "Slut! (Taylor's Version)." The first few lyrics of the song paint a landscape as effervescent as the song, and we think you should name one of your most vibrant Super Bowl snacks after this song. Though there are many colorful lyrics to draw from in this song, like "flamingo pink" and "aquamarine moonlit swimming pool," we chose the one of "Sunrise Boulevard," because there are quite a few gameday appetizers that would fit this color.
When we think of a sunrise, we picture oranges, pinks, and yellows. You can go with any number of snacks to pair with that vibe, but we think sweet potato fries are a good pick. They go well with many other common gameday appetizer choices but are a bit different from the typical regular french fries you might make.
White chocolate blondies
If you want some desserts that'll kick your Super Bowl party up a notch, it's time to whip up some delicious white chocolate blondies. What do these have to do with Taylor Swift? Well, sometimes the fans lovingly call Tay Tay by a different nickname: Blondie. It's just a fun way to mix things up a bit, and the name was inspired by her trademark blonde hair.
When hosting any type of party, it's important to provide some sweet options for people, as well as savory ones. Maybe you'll want to leave these out on the table all night, or you could bring the plate in when your favored team scores a touchdown. Either way, blondies are a super simple dessert to make that doesn't involve any messy frosting or require you to wait for them to rise. Simply make the batter, put it in a pan in the oven, cut the brownies, and serve. It's as easy as Taylor writing a bridge.
Gold Rush golden wings
This clever name (if we do say so ourselves), has a double meaning. First, there's the obvious Taylor meaning of it all, named after the third song on "evermore" called "gold rush." But we like the football implications of this name as well, with the word rush in the title also being a nod to rushing in a football game. This name should please both your Swiftie pals there for her and your football fanatics ready to watch every play intensely.
Because this is a pretty broad name, you can go with any type of wings you like for this one. If you like the spice, go for some buffalo wings. But if your tastebuds need a bit of a break, why not make some tasty garlic Parmesan wings? You can even head over to the grocery store last minute and pick up some frozen chicken wings to cook quickly and serve with your favorite dip (seemingly ranch, anyone?).
Sweeter Than Fiction Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
If white chocolate blondies aren't your vibe, there are still plenty of sweet game-day treats to be had. Our next Taylor-centric suggestion is truly sweeter than fiction: The Sweeter Than Fiction chocolate chip cookie skillet. You could just take the song "Sweeter Than Fiction" and add it to any dessert name, but we think it works best with this showstopping cookie skillet. First of all, the cookie skillet is a great dessert to make if you're only having a few friends over, and you all want to huddle around the skillet, forks at the ready, and dig into it together from different angles. It's bonding time.
Aside from that, though, people typically top a warm cookie skillet with some ice cream (we'd go for vanilla), so you've got some double sweetness going on here. Hence, our choice for the name. And making your own cookie skillet really isn't that hard (though you can try to find a premade one at the grocery store, too).
No it's b(r)ecky
A meme from way back in the Tumblr days, "No, it's Becky," is a reference to a pop culture moment when someone posted a photo of Taylor Swift on Tumblr saying it was their friend named Becky. A user replied, saying "That's Taylor Swift," and the creator of the post responded, "No, it's Becky." A while later, Swift was spotted wearing a "No, it's Becky" t-shirt and the internet went wild over it. Isn't that the most 2014 story you've heard? Either way, it was an iconic meme moment in Swiftie history, so why not pay homage to it in your Super Bowl snack title?
What we're thinking for this particular item is that if you're having friends over pretty early to start getting excited for the game, you might want to put out a light breakfast for everyone. In fact, why not make a whole day out of the Super Bowl like you would if you were going out to a bar to watch it and start the morning off with a little breakfast buffet (aptly titled "No, it's B(r)ecky"), while you put on the Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions. Shake it off and go for a walk outside for some fresh air, then come back in and start prepping your game-time appetizers and snacks for kickoff.
13-Layer cake
Go big or go home isn't just a saying that applies on the field. It can also apply to the kitchen. If you're having a ton of people over, or if you want a masterpiece of a centerpiece for your Super Bowl spread, why not make a cake decorated in your favored team's colors? But don't just make any cake: Bake one with 13 layers in honor of Taylor Swift's lucky number.
We know that's a lot of layers, but to save you time (and oven space), you could make seven layers, cut them into thin halves, and there you go — 13 layers (with some extra for backup in case of mistakes). Make the cake any flavor you want, as the main focus will be the name card (any Swiftie will catch the Easter egg immediately), and the decoration in your favorite team's colors. You could even write your favorite player's number in icing in the middle of the cake for some extra team spirit.
Jack Anton-offsides dish
Ah, we've made it to our favorite name on the list: the Jack Anton-offsides dish. We're tickled pink about this name, as, if you couldn't already tell, it's a nod to Taylor's longtime friend and producer Jack Antonoff, as well as a pun with the football term "offsides." Swifties will love it, football fans will appreciate it, and you'll feel satisfied just looking at the name tag.
The beauty of this one, as well, is that you can make this the title of any side dish you choose. We think this would work great with any savory snack to chow down on while watching the big game, but some of our top suggestions would be loaded nachos because they're so customizable to your guests' preferences. You could even print out a little headshot of Jack to put on your dish card to really drive the message home.
TNT: Taquitos and tostada bites
A powerful ship name that is rumored to be used by Taylor and Travis themselves, TNT is a way sicker couple name than Tayvis. And, in the case of gameday snacks, TNT (presumably standing for Taylor and Travis) works in your favor. You can take any two appetizers you love that start with the letter T and pair them together for this name.
Tacos and tequila, tater tots and tenders, taquitos and tostada bites ... the t's are your blank canvas to go wild with. We recommend pairing things together that make culinary sense, like two fried foods like tater tots and tenders, or two Mexican appetizers like taquitos and tostada bites. You could do something like tater tots and tacos, but if you want to be cohesive and not confusing, pair things together that make some sense (at least have it make sense to you and your guests).
If the Chiefs lose: You're Losing Me drink
Even though we would still have things to believe in if the team Taylor is rooting for (the Chiefs) loses, we still think playing this song would hit different if they lose. One of Swift's saddest songs in her catalog, we tear up just thinking about it. "You're Losing Me (From the Vault)" can be given a new meaning by listening to it if the Chiefs lose, but don't just stop the wallowing there. Really kick things up a notch by pairing it with a "You're Losing Me" drink (if you're of legal drinking age, of course).
In honor of one of Swift's favorite drinks, pair with the heavy hitter that is the Old Fashioned. Because let's be honest: The Super Bowl is a very big drinking event (at least in the U.S.), so if you're going to be having one, might as well make it interesting (and Taylor-themed, of course). And if for some reason Swift doesn't make it to the Super Bowl this year, you can go ahead and make this drink at the beginning of the game. We get it.
If the Chiefs win: Long Live Long Island Iced Tea
When your favored team wins the Super Bowl, it's as much of a celebration for you as it is for them. For a lot of people, the celebratory drinking is where the night really ramps up. Instead of drinking beer, as you're probably already full from all of these delicious gameday appetizers you've tasted, go for a different drink. In fact, go for one that's inspired by a triumphant song representing celebration and longevity: "Long Live (Taylor's Version)."
Put this song on immediately after your team wins and get transported to another dimension. The heroic vibes will be almost too much to take. Then, pull the pitcher of your premade Long Live Long Island iced tea out of your fridge that you prepared ahead of time and get to pouring a glass. It's time to celebrate (Taylor's Version).