NATIONWIDE — Each year, millions gather around their television sets for one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year in the United States: the Super Bowl. There are always different reasons for the excitement leading up to the event including the game itself, the halftime show (this year will feature Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar), the commercials and, of course, the snacks. From finger foods to full meals, let’s take a deeper look into this part of the Super Bowl viewing experience.
According to Sports Media Watch, 34.28 million viewers tuned into the 2021 Super Bowl. According to Christina Gough, a research expert in sports and video gaming for Statista.com, 42 percent of those who tuned in to watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play against the Kansas City Chiefs chose chips and dip as their snack of choice, with chicken wings coming in at a close second with 37 percent.
The U.S. Census Bureau (USCB) states that snack food manufacturing primarily consists of at least one of the following:
- Peanut butter
- Salting/roasting/drying/cooking/canning nuts
- Making various chips (potato or corn primarily), popped popcorn, pretzels (with the exception being the soft variety), pork rinds, or similar types of snacks
- Processing grains or seeds that go into snacks
In a study released by the USCB in 2019 stated that there were 717 snack food manufacturing establishments in the United States with the greatest number of those located in California, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
The USCB compiled the following information regarding snack food beverage manufacturing statistics based on data retrieved during 2020:
| Snack Manufacturing Company | Soft Drinks | Breweries | Frozen Specialty Food | Roasted Nuts and Peanut Butter | Tortilla |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales/Value of Shipments/Revenue ($1,000) | $36,792,963 | $27,091,747 | $19,145,156 | $14,724,234 | $4,686,657 |
If you’re looking for some great recipes for ahead of the big game, check out websites like Food Network or Delish, and the sites for food manufacturers like McCormick and Hidden Valley.
No matter your snack of choice or reason for tuning in this weekend, have a safe and happy Super Bowl Sunday!