My first Super Bowl party I spent $140 on food for eight people. Wings, pizza, chips, dips, soda. Half of it went uneaten. The other half was gone in 20 minutes and people were still hungry. I have learned a lot since then — mostly that cheap, filling, make-ahead food beats expensive last-minute catering every time.

The Menu Math

For a crowd, you want food that scales. A pot of chili feeds 12 people for about $25. Wings feed 4 people for $35. The math is not complicated.

Here is what actually works:

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork ($18 feeds 15)

Pork shoulder goes on sale for about $1.50 a pound before game day. Rub with brown sugar, salt, smoked paprika. Into the slow cooker with a splash of apple cider vinegar. Low for 8 hours. Shred with two forks. Serve on cheap slider buns with coleslaw. People will think you spent all day on it. You did not.

Walking Tacos ($12 feeds 10)

Cook ground beef with taco seasoning. Open individual bags of Fritos or Doritos. Let people scoop beef, cheese, lettuce, and salsa directly into their chip bag. No plates. No cleanup. It sounds ridiculous but it is always the most popular thing at the party.

Queso Bar ($15 feeds 12)

One block of Velveeta, one can of Rotel, melted together. That is the base. Put out bowls of cooked chorizo, pickled jalapenos, black beans, and cilantro. Everyone customizes their own. The base costs $8. The toppings maybe $7 more.

What Not to Serve

Anything that needs assembly during the game. Anything that gets soggy after 20 minutes. Anything that requires forks and knives — people are eating on couches. If it cannot be eaten with one hand while holding a beer, rethink it.