Party Like A Pro With LaDainian “LT” Tomlinson + $75 Visa Giveaway

I am so excited about Super Bowl Sunday coming up in just over a week. I’m not really into football, but I’m 35 weeks pregnant and all about the food that the big game brings!

Are you ready to party like a pro this year? Pro running back LaDainian Tomlinson knows that planning and preparation are as important on the field as they are for hosting game-day parties. Here are a few of his tips to help you win fans at your Big Game bash this year:

•Crunch the numbers: Count on guests each eating between 8 – 12 servings of appetizers over a two-hour period. Plan on two nonalcoholic drinks per guest during the first hour, and one for each hour after that. Buy about a pound of ice per guest for drinks.
•Tackle the food prep early: Make as much of the food ahead of time as you can. Peel, chop and prep veggie trays a day or two in advance. Dips and desserts can be made the day before. If you’ll be making anything in a slow cooker, prep all your ingredients the day before, so that all you have to do when you wake up is put them in the cooker and turn it on.
•Stock up on all-star ingredients: Make sure you have plenty of the snacks your team really likes. Crowd-pleasers like Cheez-It® crackers, Town House® Flipside® crackers, Keebler® cookies, and Rice Krispies Treats® make adults and kids alike happy, and they can be used as ingredients in other dishes or paired with tasty dips and spreads, too.
•Run a surprise play: Try a new recipe like Spicy Touchdown Tenders that get a surprising, crunchy kick from Cheez-It Hot & Spicy crackers. Serve them with some Buffalo sauce and they’ll be the MVPs of your party.
•Call on your special teams: If you want a great dessert, but don’t bake, ask your baking friends to work their magic for the party. Get the resident chili expert to make his best, and let your friend the décor expert set the scene. They’ll enjoy working in their zones, and you get a few things taken off your to-do list.
•Let the Pee Wee League play, too: Let the kids help out with party prep, too. Older ones can help you make food and younger ones can set out utensils, cups and plates. You can appoint some special “Trash Referees” to patrol the party and help clean up plates and cups during the game, so there’s not a big mess to clean up afterward.
•Prepare for fumbles: With so much excitement and food, someone is bound to have an accident. Keep cleaning supplies like paper towels and rug cleaners handy for an emergency. Also, protect your furniture as best you can by placing extra coasters on tables.
•Share the home field advantage: Not all of your guests will be cheering for the same team, so be sure to decorate your party with both teams’ colors to make everyone feel at home.

You can head over to SnackPicks.Com to watch a video demonstrating his top tips and to learn more. He’s also got great recipes such as Cheez-It™ Spicy Touchdown Tenders and Cheesesteak Dip that are sure to be a hit.