Celebrate Super Bowl LX, Valentine’s with special foods
By Kara Kimbrough
A few years ago, the Super Bowl did American men a favor by landing right in the middle of Valentine’s Day weekend. The excuse that there was “simply no time” to go out for a special Valentine’s meal due to the big game got them off the hook. Fast forward to 2026; Super Bowl LX, or the 60th game, falls on Sunday, Feb. 8. Valentine’s Day arrives the following Saturday. However, there are ways to celebrate both special events with simple dishes that are easy to prepare and enjoyed at home with minimal stress on everyone involved.
First, every year a new Super Bowl food trend seems to sweep the internet; this year is no exception. TikTok is filled with thousands of “new” game day recipes and elaborate decorating ideas. A few of my favorites include a “stadium” made of small boxes filled with snacks and dips, highlighted by a “field” containing platters of wings, burgers and pizza slices; a backdrop of gold balloons shaped to resemble gold posts, with a giant football balloon positioned in the center and hundreds of versions of hot and cold dips, pizzas, sliders, wings and more.
My favorite food idea this year is a “wings and things” board filled with a selection of fried chicken tenders and wings, spicy fries, fried pickles, slices of grilled sausages, a bowl of homemade ranch dressing for dipping and here’s the interesting part…halves of grilled cheese sandwiches interspersed throughout the regular game day fare.
Turns out, “Grilled Cheese on Texas Toast” is a relatively new item in the freezer case at Sam’s. Requiring only a few minutes in the microwave (or a little longer in the oven) the end result is a hot, crispy, cheesy addition to the “wings and things” charcuterie board.
It’s fun to try new food trends, but let’s face it, there are some tried-and-true Super Bowl foods that everyone expects to be on the buffet table and for good reason.
It simply wouldn’t be the Super Bowl without everyone’s favorite chips and dips, a mile-high stack of nachos and all the toppings, the afore-mentioned wings and plenty of dipping sauces and depending on your taste, a huge pot of chili, burgers and maybe a pizza or two. Each of these dishes deserves their rightful place of honor on Super Bowl Sunday and for the most part, they’ll be served in most homes or at parties celebrating the game this Sunday.
As for Valentine’s Day, yes, it falls on Saturday, making it convenient for most couples to dine out at a restaurant in honor of the holiday celebrating love and other sentimental emotions. But if one or both members of the couple would prefer a cozy dinner at home, it’s super easy to create a meal that’s almost (notice I said “almost”) as good as anything that can be found at a restaurant.
I’ve compiled a few of my favorite Super Bowl and Valentine’s recipes for you to recreate. If you'd like additional recipes for either special event, drop me an email and I'll send them to you. Enjoy!
Super Bowl LX Wings
2 pounds chicken wings: Split into drumettes and flats
1-2 tbsp baking powder (for crispy skin- make sure you’re using baking powder, not baking soda!)
1 cup barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce or hot sauce (1 cup hot sauce mixed with 1 cup melted butter)
Seasoning blend: 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon chili powder.
Prep wings: Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss the wings with the olive oil (if using), then add the baking powder and spice mixture, tossing thoroughly to coat. For maximum crispness, place seasoned wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet and leave uncovered in refrigerator 1–2 hours (or up to 24 hours).
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange wings in a single layer on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet that has been lightly brushed with olive oil or sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Bake for 40–50 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
To add sauce: Remove from oven; toss wings in a bowl with preferred sauce, or leave in pan and cover wings with sauce using a small brush, turning to coat both sides.
Return sauced wings to the oven for an additional 5–10 minutes to crisp wings.
Steaks for Two
Marinate a thick cut of sirloin (or your favorite cut) steak for several hours in the refrigerator with:
* 1/2 bottle of teriyaki steak sauce
* Juice of 1 lemon
* Salt and pepper
Remove from refrigerator and coat the top of each steak with 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Grill or broil to desired level of doneness. Let meat rest before slicing.
Twice-Baked Potatoes
Bake two large baking potatoes. Scoop out inside, leaving a small border of potato around edges. Add to the meat of the potatoes:
• Small container of French onion dip
• 1-2 tablespoons of butter
Stir and return mixture to potatoes. Top with a sprinkle of bacon pieces and shredded cheese, if desired. Place under the broiler or in microwave for a couple of minutes until butter and cheese are melted; don't overcook.
V-Day Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
1-pint fresh strawberries
1 cup milk chocolate chips, white chocolate or dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Dry strawberries well with paper towels to make sure chocolate adheres perfectly. Heat chocolate chips and coconut oil in microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes on 50%. Stir until smooth. Dip each strawberry into the melted chocolate, making sure the strawberry is covered almost to the stem. Place chocolate covered strawberry onto parchment lined baking sheet and place into the freezer for at least 15 minutes to set. Once chocolate is set, you can dip the bottom half of strawberries in alternating chocolate color or drizzle alternating color over strawberries with a fork. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Note: For Super Bowl, leave some plain after dipping in dark chocolate. Decorate each with white “football laces” using small icing tubes found in the baking aisle.
Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at [email protected].
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