The majority said they will choose snacks they do not consider healthy, apparently viewing the game as an excuse to tackle their favorite foods. Top picks for this year's game were [image-nocss] dips and spreads, up from last year to 30%; chicken wings at 22%; and pizza at 17%; however, compared to last year's number one favorite, the "chips were down" with chips and salty snacks such as peanuts, popcorn or pretzels falling from first place snack choice to fourth place at 14%.
Ever-popular burgers, dogs and brats came in at 9%.
More than 80% plan on watching the Super Bowl in their own home, the survey found. Among those who plan on hosting a Super Bowl party, the majority of hosts plan on doing all of the preparation themselves. The amount fans plan to spend on foods and snacks is down compared to last year: half of those hosting a party plan to spend $50 or less, versus $100 or less in 2010.
Local supermarkets continued to be the most common place fans plan to shop for Super Bowl party food and snacks (80%). This is followed by discount stores, mass merchants or warehouse clubs (42%); restaurants, caterers, gourmet food stores or delicatessens (9%); and convenience stores (5%).
Simple, easy-to-purchase snack choices were the fan favorites.
To help meet its customers' needs, the Supervalu Snack Down Survey also looked at the snacking habits of people living in markets where its family of stores are located, including Baltimore/Washington, D.C.; Boise, Idaho; Boston; Chicago; Las Vegas; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Norfolk, Va.; Orange County/Los Angeles; Philadelphia; St. Louis; and San Diego.
Snacking traditions in specific markets: Philadelphia: Philadelphia football fans still name the Philly Cheese Steak as their favorite snack food. The Philly Cheese Steak ranks the highest in the survey as a special food item associated with any NFL team. Chicago: Chicagoans had the highest percentage indicating they associated sausage or kielbasa with their favorite team, "da Bears." Chicken wings and dips and spreads for use with chips, crackers or veggies topped the list of favorite game-day snacks among Chicago-area football fans, followed closely by pizza and chips or other salty snacks. Minneapolis/St. Paul: Some 8% of Vikings eat the same foods every time the purple play. more than 13% (highest in the survey) of Twin Cities fans say they always or often feel guilty about what they ate during the Super Bowl. Baltimore/Washington, D.C.: Residents in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., area had the highest percentage (49%) of people who said they sometimes feel guilty about what they ate. Boise, Idaho: Dips and spreads, for use with chips, crackers or veggies, topped the list of favorite Super Bowl game-day snacks among Boise gridiron fans (47%) for the second year in a row. This was followed by chips or other salty snacks (16%), chicken wings (12%) and pizza (11%). Boston: Super Bowl party hosts in Boston are the most likely out of all markets surveyed to do all of their food and snack shopping at local supermarkets and then prepare it and serve it at home. Las Vegas: When asked what was the most unusual food fans consumed during Super Bowl parties, Las Vegas fans responded seafood and, in particular, sushi (highest in the survey). Norfolk, Va.: With no NFL team to speak of, Norfolk had the highest percentage of respondents indicating that they were casual fans of football. But when it comes to food during the Super Bowl, chicken wings are the favorite snack by a long shot when compared to the rest of the markets except St. Louis. Orange County/Los Angeles: Some 10% of Los Angeles football fans will have healthy snacks and foods at their Super Bowl parties, even though pizza edges out dips and spreads. Not surprisingly, they also had one of the highest responses that they do not feel guilty about what they have eaten. They are also more likely than other markets in the survey to use a restaurant or caterer for food. St. Louis: Chicken wings No. 1 in pecking order. St. Louis football fans have one of the highest percentages across all markets surveyed indicating that chicken wings are their favorite game-day snack. And while they love other meats (sausage, kielbasa) to the tune of 76%, St. Louis fans also enjoy seafood (13%) at the party. St. Louis fans are the highest consumers of desserts (cake, cookies, candy, etc.) during the Super Bowl than anyone else in the survey. San Diego: Football fans in San Diego enjoy dips and spreads for use with chips, crackers or veggies, but pizza and chicken wings are their favorite game-day snacks, followed by chips or other salty snacks, such as peanuts, popcorn or pretzels. About 15% serve seafood at their parties including sushi, shrimp and calamari.
While not an official national holiday yet, the Super Bowl is the third-ranked occasion or holiday where the most calories are consumed behind Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.
Minneapolis-based Supervalu Inc. is one of the largest companies in the U.S. grocery channel with estimated annual sales of $38 billion. It serves customers across the United States through a network of approximately 4,270 stores composed of approximately 1,140 traditional retail stores, including 816 in-store pharmacies; 1,240 hard-discount stores, of which 890 are operated by licensee owners; and 1,890 independent stores serviced primarily by the company's traditional food distribution business. Its family of grocery stores includes Acme Markets, Albertsons Stores, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh Supermarkets, Hornbacher's Stores, Jewel-Osco Stores, Shaw's/Star Market, Shop 'n Save Stores and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy.
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