We've officially reached the point where a cardboard box has become one of the hottest products of the summer. And this morning, it's all we're seen on our social media thanks to Lidl's innovative marketing.
Lidl has only *just* launched its brand-new Snack Stadium, yet it's already selling out across the country, with some shoppers already listing it eBay for more than double its original £4.99 price!?
And while it might not sound particularly exciting at first, wait until you hear this. The cleverly designed cardboard tray folds out into a miniature football stadium, complete with compartments ready to be filled with all your favourite match-day snacks. Think crisps, chocolates, popcorn, sweets, crudités, fruit or even homemade picky bits. Suddenly, watching the football feels a lot more fun (even I could get on board with it).
It's one of those products that's wonderfully simple but surprisingly effective. Rather than balancing bowls all over the coffee table, everything is contained in one playful centrepiece that looks brilliant piled high with snacks.
Lidl has even shared its own Snack Stadium inspiration online, and we have to admit, it's pretty genius. The centre is filled with a generous bowl of guacamole, with crisps and snacks arranged around it like the stands of a stadium. It's technically American football-themed, but swap the NFL ball for a football and you've got yourself a match-day spread that looks far more impressive than the effort required to make it. We'd happily recreate it this weekend.
The Snack Stadium has become so popular on social media that shoppers are already reporting they're struggling to find them in stores, while others have wasted no time listing them on resale sites for around £15. Apparently it is still very much in stock in stores, but we'd recommend going as soon as your nearest store opens for the best chance possible of picking one up.
If you do miss out, there is another option. Amazon sells a similar football snack stadium for £14.99, although Lidl's version remains considerably better value if you can get your hands on one.
Goal Party Food Sharing Football Stadium Platter
It might only be a cardboard box, but it's proof that sometimes the simplest ideas are the most brilliant. And at £4.99, we'd much rather spend the money we've saved filling it with our favourite snacks.
Mel is the Senior Food & Drink Writer for Good Housekeeping UK, covering all the delicious new product launches that come her way, writing about food and drink topics, and curating gift guides for the best foodie products to buy. Alongside that, she can be found developing and creating cocktails for GH and holds her WSET Level 2 in Wine and Spirits. She was part of the Good Housekeeping Institute food testing team for over four years before moving over to the digital side, so knows a thing or two about great food products. You'll find her scouring the supermarket shelves in her spare time for new and exciting ingredients to experiment with in her kitchen.
