All-star media team shares Super Bowl snack favorites
BNP staffers share their MVP menu picks for the big game on February 8.
When it comes to feast-focused occasions, Super Bowl Sunday might rival Thanksgiving in terms of the amount of cuisine consumed. According to recently unveiled data from Circana commissioned by SNAC International, sales of savory snacks hit $742 million during SB week last year (catch SF&WB’s special pigskin-centric Fun Friday piece next week for more tasty snacking stats).
The winning team at BNP Media (the company that owns SF&WB and our microsite Candy Industry) is not immune to game-day snacking. We huddled up recently to discuss our menu-planning strategies—interestingly, no one mentioned which NFL team they were rooting for in the big matchup, though a few expressed excitement about Bad Bunny’s halftime performance (check out the official Apple Music Bad Bunny playlist here).
Below are some of the baked goods, snacks, candies, and mouth-watering recipes from our players.
SF&WB Chief Editor Jenni Spinner loves hosting Super Bowl parties in her Chicago domicile, and while she typically whips up something for her guests, the homemade dishes on the spread vary year to year. What’s more, her snack game has evolved considerably since taking over the help of the snack-focused publication. The 2026 roster includes both savory and sweet items—the former includes potato chips and rookie Cheetos Flamin' Hot Dill Pickle Puffs; the latter includes all the flavors of Girl Scout cookies.
Chief Marketing Officer Ben LeDonni has an impressive roster of eats at his Super Bowl watch gatherings. In addition to Chick-fil-A nuggets, he favors two kinds of pretzels: peanut-butter-stuffed ones and Philly-style soft pretzels, served with an array of delicious dips.
Courtney Fathers, senior art director, goes the homemade route, with her chili recipe in the starting lineup. She also munches on buffalo chicken dip (a dish also drafted by Demi Fry, senior digital project coordinator).
Karie Vigeant, credit and receivable manager, says her pigs in a blanket are a fan-favorite dish, adding that if they were missing from the menu, her kids might boo.
Kiona Smith, senior event and webinar marketing specialist, cheers for all sorts of football-shaped foods, like Rice Krispies Treats shaped like pigskins, or a stadium made of veggies and dip.
Kristen Bayles, associate editor for Plumbing & Mechanical and Supply House Times, cites a southern delicacy, sausage balls traditionally made with Bisquick, but that she calls an audible for: Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix.
Brian Kennedy, digital and demand generation sales director, says he loves a popular, traditional pick: buffalo wings—all flats, extra crispy, spicy, and with blue cheese dressing on the side.
Ariane Claire, panel and research director, shared a simple recipe for her favorite sweet treat: place square pretzels on a cookie sheet, place one Hershey Rolo on top of each, bake just a moment until the candy gets a little melty, then top each with another square pretzel, squish gently, then cool.
Lorna Kuper, digital sales specialist, says she serves a crowd-pleasing dish known as pizza dip, then generously shared the recipe from her playbook. Sometimes she mixes things up and subs in taco-seasoned ground beef, tops with salsa, and then a “ton” of mozzarella.
Anna Dorsey, art director, confessed she isn’t much for “sportsballs” like the Super Bowl, though she’s a fan of the eating—her faves are Reuben dip, prosciutto-covered dates with goat cheese or Boursin.
Brian Berk, Dairy Foods editor in chief, drafts gameday classics like pizza, tortilla chips, and guacamole, and Doritos for his SB watching.
Vania Halabou, senior digital project manager, is a big supporter of pizza rolls—she also enjoys mozzarella cheese sticks served with ranch for dipping, but to make her happy, those sticks had better deliver a long cheese pull.
Doug Peckenpaugh, SF&WB group publisher, loves Spicy Nacho Doritos, but that’s just one of the players—he’s famous for his Super Bowl Sundae Bar, with plenty of candy toppings (Reese’s Miniature Cups are his pick, Heath toffee crumbles for his wife). He also fills out the lineup with things like soft pretzels, wings (dry-rubbed and spicy BBQ), and soft pretzels with dipping sauce.
What are your must-have Super Bowl snacks? We’d love to hear what savory snacks, baked goods, and confections are on your shopping list. Please email me your picks at spinnerj@bnpmedia.com.
