Super Bowl Food Index: Should You Embrace the Bacon Explosion at Your 2026 Super Bowl Party?

The Super Bowl is an experience, not just a football game, and we're here to make sure you get the most out of it with our Super Bowl 2026 food index.

Imagine this blissful scene. You've made a ton of Super Bowl predictions, and as kickoff at 6:30 p.m. ET on Feb. 8 approaches, it's time to sit down and let your worries melt away.

Also melting: That cheese from the many pizza slices in your mouth, and there's a soft pretzel to warm your soul. Let's make sure the right Super Bowl culinary delights are on your table.

📋 Super Bowl 2026 food index

I asked some of my fellow football and food lovers a question that's simple, but the answer can define your Super Bowl Sunday indulging. What food goes best with the biggest game of the year?

We need food that's mostly handheld, as attention is rightly fixated elsewhere. And if there's an exception to that, it needs to be well worth it, as is the case with a snack below that references erupting bacon. Also, let's keep prep time and work manageable, though again bend this rule when the cause justifies it.

Chiming in with their snacking staples are Esten McLaren, Gary Pearson, LJ Blut, C Jackson Cowart, Matt Burke, and Liam Fox.

😋 Best Super Bowl Snacks

Here's the official Super Bowl snack bible from our esteemed list of eating experts.

🥓 Bacon explosion

"It’s the Super Bowl, so you might as well enjoy eating something that looks like a football. I gave up eating the bacon explosion once I turned 40, based on the recommendation of my cardiologist. But if you’re relatively young and in good health, I highly recommend treating yourself to the world-famous explosion.

It requires lots of effort and time to make, but it’s well worth it. It’s pretty much a giant sausage fatty with bacon bits and cheese, wrapped in a bacon weave, and smothered in BBQ sauce. Delicious and memorable."

- Matt Burke

Snack scouting report and rating: This only gets dinged due to the intensive prep, but that does keep you away from watching at least some of the nine hours of pregame coverage featuring 12-person panels. 7/10

🦬 Buffalo chicken dip

"This one is self-explanatory: Buffalo chicken dip is the king of football snacks. The versatility of pairing it with chips, veggies, or bread makes this snack irresistible for all types of snackers."

- LJ Blut

Snack scouting report and rating: The only flaw is the potential for a mess after far too many food fumbles amid jubilation during the game. 8/10

Fully loaded nachos

"Fully loaded nachos and the Super Bowl form a dynamic combo, like Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in an NFC Championship Game."

- Gary Pearson

Snack scouting report and rating: There's high mess potential here too, but ho boy does that ever not matter if you're the lucky one to get the key chip right in the middle and often toward the bottom. 8/10

🍗 Chicken Wings

"With endless sauce and spice possibilities, you can't beat chicken wings on game day. My personal recommendation: lemon pepper or Kansas City BBQ."

- Liam Fox

Snack scouting report and rating: The National Chicken Council (which I assure you is real) is projecting that Americans will eat 1.48 million wings during Super Bowl 2026, according to Forbes. Do your part for the country. 10/10

🍕 Pizza

"Let's get real: Pizza is the best feature dish at any Super Bowl party. There's plenty to go around, and you don't need a plate or cutlery. Anytime you stand up to celebrate a big play, dance to Bad Bunny's halftime show, or grab a drink refill, you can always snatch another slice. Go with your local shop for that hometown feel, whether your team's in the Big Game or Cancun."

- Esten McLaren

Snack scouting report and rating: A classic for a reason, as long as that guy who likes gourmet pizza with truffles and honey on it or whatever is barred from entry into your house. Save that for the other 364 days of the year. 9/10

🥨 Soft Pretzels

"If you've never had a homemade pretzel on Super Bowl Sunday, you're missing out. Dip it in mustard, queso, or roll with that au naturale breaded goodness. You can't go wrong with the salty and chewy combo to either augment a thrilling day or soak up the sadness of a Super Bowl gone wrong (we've all been there). Plus, if you eat enough pretzels during the game, you'll sleep like a baby after it."

- C. Jackson Cowart

Snack scouting report and rating: Maybe I'm projecting, but this feels like it requires the type of intricate work and care that's easy to mangle, and we want to minimize thinking on Super Bowl Sunday. But yes, delectable if nailed. 6/10