What do chuckwagons have to do with Super Bowl Sunday? Lots as it turns out. Join Kim and Leigh as they talk about the cultural and culinary phenomenon of the Super Bowl.
A Brief History of Tailgating
The Super Bowl is an iconic event in which the annual championship game of the National Football League takes place. But did you know that it is a culinary phenomenon too? This event is so momentous that the Super Bowl is the second-largest day for food consumption in the US.
At the start of the year, there’s an empty feeling due to winter and the absence of festive holidays. However, the Super Bowl fills that void by being a quasi-national holiday. Since it comes before the Lent fasting period, the Super Bowl can be seen as a nonsecular last chance of indulgence. The foods which people indulge in at this cultural festival are connected to the fan’s teams and team’s origin.
For instance, the cheese platters are eaten for Green Bay Packers and Kansas City style ribs for the Kansas City ribs. Most Super Bowl foods are rich in fats and sodium as they pair well with watching television or standing in tailgating. Super Bowl snacks include potato chips, chicken wings, pizza, chili, deviled eggs, guacamole, and 7 layer dips. Just like any other competitive sport, there’s a communal camaraderie at Super Bowl.
The foods that are consumed accentuate this sentiment. The dishes and ingredients for stadium foods act as a counterbalance. Some popular ones are Nachos, beer, garlic fries, and hot dogs. They are all dairy, fatty and saucy which combines well with the group energy and calms down. Another thing to unpack is that when people eat the same nutrition and share it with each other, a bonding ritual forms.
Historically, in important sports events, people used to eat meat which was considered holy. By consuming this dish, they believed that their team would win. They also used to eat for luck. Culturally, many families remember the Super Bowl by a certain dish their dad or a loved one makes every year. Players also have their lucky socks or wear the team’s jersey to lend the player’s strength whose jersey is worn.
It’s comforting to know how we all eat certain foods only at one time of the year. There’s an unspoken understanding or a cultural agreement we share with everyone, and it’s just one of the many ways food binds us!
Super Bowl Foods Transcript
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Sources We Found Helpful for this Episode
Books We Think You’ll Enjoy Reading
United States of Pizza by Craig Priebe and Diane Jacob
Around the Roman Table by Patrick Faas
Recipes You Really Need to Try
Buffalo Wings - Chez Us
White Bean Hummus - OMG! Yummy
Episodes We Think You’ll Like
Inauguration Foods: Presidential Food Fights, War Heroes, and First Ladies
New Years Traditions: Pork for Progress, Stinky Fish, and Tall, Dark-haired Men
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EP 10 Super Bowl: Civil War Battles, Tailgating, and Buffalo Chicken Wings