The Big Game Bash  Back to Events

Round up your favorite fans—even if they are just commercial watchers—and celebrate the championship event. Whether it's the playoffs, a bowl game, a basketball tournament or the Olympics, you'll be the star by hosting a winning get-together:

• Give the party a theme based around the city, state or country where the event is held. For example, if the game is in Arizona, lend a Southwest twist using chile peppers and small cacti in terra-cotta pots for decor.
• Add to the spirit of the party by topping your serving table with artificial turf (found at your local hardware store) and a display of clear containers filled with layers of jellybeans in the teams' colors.
• Arrange seating so everyone can face the television. Set out throw blankets and floor pillows for extra comfort.
• Set up two TVs—possibly in two separate rooms, depending on the preferences of your guests—for watching. Dedicate one viewing area for diehard fans and the other for the casual viewers who would rather chat and check in on the event periodically.
• Host a contest where guests make a prediction before the event starts. Be creative and make it challenging. It could be the game MVP, the spread between final scores, the number of free throws shot or even how many turnovers the losing team committed. When it's all over, reward the winners with prizes.
• Serve finger foods from your neighborhood Publix while the game is on and plan a full meal for halftime. You won't want to miss out on the fun while you're cooking, so make cold foods ahead and use the oven or slow cooker for hot foods.
• Treat guests to a popcorn bar. Provide individual bowls, popcorn and a variety of toppings such as Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, cinnamon sugar and chocolate sauce.

Menu Made Easy 

Here's where we've figured out courses and servings for the party. Scroll down to see the Publix selections we suggest, then add appropriate sizes and/or quantities to your Planning List based on the estimated servings per course (see chart). If you're interested in other options, you may click View All to see everything else available by course. Or, you can use our Plan a Menu tool to build your own menu for the event.

The recommended servings are meant as a guide and not an exact calculator. Please consider that many factors may require you to make adjustments: the mix of adults and children, time of day, length of event, etc.

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