November 18, 2021
Here's how to use smart tech to make hosting easy.
Some dads pride themselves in giving the best piggy back rides or building the coolest treehouse. For me, it's all about game day. I love kicking back with a beverage while rooting for my favorite team. But the best thing about watching live sports is how it brings people together.
When we bought our family home, I wanted to be able to throw the ultimate game day party. Hosting requires a lot of planning and prep, but now there are a wide variety of smart tools to help make those tasks more enjoyable. Here are some of my favorite, smart home must haves for game day:
The Warm Up
When I wake up on game day, I'm excited to jump into party mode. But first…coffee. With a smart coffee maker, I can get the java going by tapping my smart phone. While the coffee brews, I can check my phone or enjoy a moment with my kids.
Next on the to-do list: game day grocery shopping. Instead of spending my morning going to the store, negotiating the aisles and lugging bags, I can order groceries for delivery using my smart phone or tablet. All I have to do is tell Alexa what to put on my game day list, then have my kids put the order through (after adding a few of their favorite items, of course).
When the groceries arrive, I can use my smart home security system to confirm the delivery on my HD front door camera. I love knowing that I've already accomplished so much, and I haven't even left my kitchen.
Time to Pre-Game
Now it's time to start cooking. I like to consult the AllRecipes skill on Alexa for my game day meal ideas and recipe inspiration. It even offers hands-free, step-by-step cooking instructions.
My kids love helping out in the kitchen, especially when the food stirs itself! We have fun doing all the slicing and dicing, but we leave the rest to our smart oven. This appliance features precision heating elements that can roast, saute and fry, which means less time spent cooking and more time relaxing with my family.
I like to have drinks ready for when our guests arrive but I would just as soon hand off the bartender duties. With our smart drink maker, we've got freshly-made cocktails on demand — all I have to do is pop a cocktail pod into the machine and it mixes a top-notch beverage every time.
Game Time
Once all of our guests are here, the fun can really begin. We like to stream ambient tunes from our smart speaker, where we can access customized playlists and music apps like iHeartRadio and Pandora. Then I use our smart home touchscreen panel to set the thermostat and the lights, creating the perfect vibe.
Contour TV from Cox makes it easier than ever to watch the big game. I just say the name of my favorite team into my Contour Voice Remote and I can pull up the game in no time. The best part? I don't even have to get up to check on the food. With my smart grill, I can keep an eye on those ribs from my smart phone so I don't miss a single play.
When you've got all the latest smart home tech to help, hosting game day is a breeze. That means I have more time and energy to focus on what really matters: family, friends, and of course — the big game.
