MIAMI — Super Bowl Sunday is one of the busiest home-cooking days of the year, and safety data shows the most dangerous moment isn’t kickoff — it’s halftime.
Halftime is when food prep ramps back up. Trays go into ovens, knives come back out, blenders restart and grills are checked — all while attention snaps back toward the television. Parents move quickly, juggle multiple tasks and assume they will only step away for a moment.
That moment matters.
Data tied to Super Bowl weekend shows a clear rise in kitchen-related injuries, with lacerations and burns accounting for most reported cases. Cuts from knives, burns from ovens and contact with hot surfaces are the most common injuries, and they are frequently tied to distraction and rushed preparation.
Guacamole preparation is a repeat problem. National injury tracking has documented tens of thousands of emergency room visits over the years tied specifically to avocado-cutting injuries, many occurring during large food-prep events like the Super Bowl.
In Florida, the risk is amplified by indoor–outdoor movement. Families shift between kitchens, patios and grills. Doors open, people circulate and food is handled in stages. During halftime, traffic peaks just as focus drops, increasing the chance of slips, cuts and burns.
Parents often don’t view this moment as dangerous because it feels familiar. Cooking is routine. Kids are nearby. The game is paused. But safety officials consistently point to divided attention — not lack of experience — as the leading factor behind these injuries.
Most Super Bowl-related kitchen accidents don’t happen after the final whistle. They happen during the busiest stretch, when everyone is rushing to be ready before play resumes.
For families across Miami, Tampa and communities statewide, halftime isn’t just a break in the game. It’s the window when kitchens and grills get hectic, attention slips and small mistakes turn into emergency room visits.
