What to Bring to a March Madness Party

Picture it. You’re getting ready for a friend’s March Madness party and wondering, “What the heck do I bring to this thing? A basketball cake??” And while a basketball cake would be good, there are other, more practical options out there that you can bring instead. Dunk on your friends with these March Madness snack ideas this March.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Fritos Hot Bean Dip

Canned bean dip might seem like a last-minute, pick-it-up-at the-gas-station kind of snack, but it’s also portable and sharable (without even dirtying a bowl). And this particular Fritos Hot Bean Dip is good—a perfect snack food to bring to any party, and it’s sure to be a hit at the next March Madness get-together you’re invited to. When the Sporked crew taste tested canned and jarred bean dips, they loved this humbly packaged dip’s creamy consistency and the dimension that jalapeños contribute to its flavor profile. As editor-in-chief Justine Sterling wrote, “Whether you’re looking for a solo snack or something to put out for a party, this is the best bean dip you can buy.” This dip is perfect March Madness material; a slam dunk indeed.

Kona Light Blonde Ale

Beer is a game-day party classic, so it makes sense that you’d bring Kona Light to the party. In Justine’s ranking of the best light beer at the grocery store, she described this blonde ale as “downright tropical with notes of pineapple balanced with herbaceous hops.” While a game of beer pong might be tempting, our guess is that everyone will want to enjoy rather than chug this. No need to waste precious beer on college party games; the college basketball will be enough nostalgia for us, thanks.

Kirkland Signature Meatballs

Is it wild to bring a plate of meatballs to a March Madness party? They’re little balls of meat that would be totally on theme at a basketball watch party. What’s not to love? In contributor Danny Palumbo’s ranking of the best frozen meatballs, he wrote that “Kirkland puts every other meatball to shame with its deliciously fatty, spicy, porky flavor.” Bring some little frilly toothpicks and a platter of these meaty morsels to the party, and we’re willing to bet they’ll be gone before halftime.

Boylan Creme Soda

If you’re going to a March Madness party, why not bring soda for anyone who doesn’t want to fill up on beer, but still wants to drink something that kind of looks like beer? Our recommendation is to bring a pack of Boylan Creme Soda. Managing editor and cream soda enthusiast Gwynedd Stuart put Boylan in the top spot in her ranking of the best cream soda ranking. According to Gwynedd, this stuff nails a “delicate alchemy of vanilla flavor and fizz.” If it’s been a while since you’ve had cream soda, I can’t stress this enough: It’s a real treat.

Dunkaroos

Okay, hear me out: We should be buying whole boxes of Dunkaroos for March Madness so that you can dunk in solidarity with your favorite team’s players. And, considering that we’re heading to a party, we should bring the entire box so that everyone can dunk on their own terms, at their own pace. If you’re not famils, Dunkaroos are a nostalgic ’90s throwback snack that includes both a pack of vanilla cookies and frosting in which to dunk them. I’m sure everyone will be ecstatic to have an in-house dunk fest with these.