37 Super Tailgating and Game Day Recipes

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Whether celebrating your favorite sport: football, baseball, basketball, soccer (and more), these super tailgating and game day recipes are sure to be easy winners at your next party.

Super Tailgating and Game Day Recipes - 1 - Wisconsin Homemaker

Folks love game days and tailgate parties are a must. You’ll more than likely be lined up side by side alongside other sports enthusiasts in the stadium parking lot. Not only will you get to meet some awesome folks, you’ll also get inspiration for everything food and frivolity.

What Is Good Game Day Food?

For starters, game day food can be anything you want it to be. To be honest, I’ve seen folks go whole hog–literally or in part–or laid back–chips, dip and pretzels.

How about brats, hamburgers and hotdogs and their respective sides? You bet!

Anything and everything goes when you want delicious, quick and easy game day food that everyone can make–no fuss or muss.

PARTY TIP: Make ahead food like Sloppy Joes and Pulled Pork makes game day party time a breeze. And, you can keep it warm in a slow cooker or large mouth thermos.

Tailgate Party Tips (at the Stadium)

Group Of Sports Fans Tailgating In Stadium Car Park - Tailgating

With a little planning and foresight, you too can put together a party that is not only fun but also practical. Here are some of my favorite tips:

—Don’t limit yourself. As mentioned above, there are a lot of fair game options when it comes to tailgate party food. So take the time to plan out your food and drinks.

—Bring the essentials. You got this: plates, utensils, napkins, serving spoons, cups, ice….Make a list so you have everything you need on hand–including sanitizing wipes for cleaning dirty hands. Also, be sure to pack plastic bags for storing leftovers and a couple of garbage bags for disposable items.

—Grill it. Here in the great state of Wisconsin we like to grill bratwurst, hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, and yes, even salmon. They’re a perfect touchdown for any tailgate party. Just be sure to bring these nosh-worthy foods to the game on ice.

—And, speaking of grilling: be sure to follow best practices for disposing of hot coals and cooling down gas grills.

—Make it healthy. Can you serve healthy alternatives? Of course. Many folks opt for healthy stuff like salads, vegetable wraps, and fresh fruit.

—Make food for you. It’s your party after all, so don’t be afraid to serve up food that best exemplifies, well, you.

—Keep it cool. Bring plenty of ice for drinks, as well as for keeping your food chilled. Meats and seafood, and food that can spoil easily–think mayo-based salads need to be kept chilled for your safety, as well as your guests. Don’t forget to throw in a couple of frozen water bottles. They can act as instant coolers or used to handle wound care–think sprains, bruises or keeping you cool.

—Decoration a must. Tailgating encourages folks to think outside-the-box in terms of game day decor. Deck out your vehicle to show your loyalty to your favorite team or theme. Or play it simple with just a few folding chairs and a cooler. It’s totally up to you.

10 Tailgate Party Tips – HGTV

Need some tailgate inspiration? Check out this quick flick.

Tailgating Tip: It’s okay to dive right in and eat your favorite finger foods, snacks, entrees and drinks. Just be sure to pace yourself, though–especially on the spirits–because you don’t want to fumble on your way into the stadium–just saying.

RELATED: 4 Secret Tips to the Perfect Tailgating Party (Video)

—Serve it yourself. Taco, nacho, salad, or snack bars are really great ideas if you want to keep things simple, while at the same time providing a variety of options for your guests to nosh on.

—Set up stations. When tackling gatherings like tailgating, set up snack and drink stations where your friends and family can easily gravitate to while still being able to watch the game.

—Make use of available flat surfaces. But, if you don’t have space galore, then you can divvy what space you do have into smaller sections on a portable table, tailgate or even a car hood. Just be sure to cover all surfaces with tablecloths or coverings to protect surfaces from hot and wet items.

Super Bowl Party Decor Tips – Simply Preet

Check out this amazing video that offers some fabulous tips and tricks for hosting your own Super Bowl Party that can easily translate to a portable one.

Best Game Day and Tailgate Recipes

Hungry yet? If you’re looking for winning game day food, look no further than this extensive recipe roundup that shares some of my favorite recipes that are not only easy to make but are also tasty, too.

I’ve divided up the following recipes into different sections. Click on the link and you will be taken to the appropriate recipes. Or better still, scroll through and take in all of these nosh-worthy recipes. Enjoy!