Savories, sweets, sauces, you name it. Whether you’re at a tailgate before a big game or watching from afar on the living room couch, a good game always comes with good food. Teams will win, and teams will lose, but no matter what, good food always makes a fantastic game day.
As a first-year undergraduate student going to a Big Ten university for the first time, I didn’t know what to expect at my first tailgate. To say the least, I was not prepared to experience a true, fun, college tailgate. I showed up empty-handed, and of course, no one minded, but I just felt like I needed to bring a little extra to the day.
People around me showed up with snacks, full meals and created fun drinks to raise sporty spirits even higher. To avoid making the same mistakes as me, and to boost spirits high with pride, here are five of the best and easiest dishes that will guarantee a win for you and your guests.
- seven layer dip
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To start strong, a seven-layer dip allows you, the chef, to be creative. Most recipes include guacamole, salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream, ground beef, tomatoes, and olives to create the perfect taco dip, including all of the classics. Take your favorite classics and put them in one bowl!
- Pizza Bombs
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Why order boxes and boxes of pizza when you can make it more portable, fun and enjoyable? Not only does Tasty’s pizza bomb recipe create perfect bite-sized pizzas to snack on easily, but it also cooks in just 20 minutes – great for a last-minute dish!
- Buffalo Chicken Wonton Cups
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Buffalo chicken dip – the staple of game days everywhere. Add a spin on this fan favorite (and save yourself some dishes) and serve the dip in cupcake tins that are easy for everyone to grab. Your tailgate or watch party will definitely be one to remember if you incorporate this unconventional method.
For assembly, add some wontons or chips of your choice into a cupcake liner, add the buffalo chicken dip on top and you have a variation of the beloved buffalo chicken dip everyone at the party is for sure going to be talking about.
- Pumpkin spice latte cake
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Turning a PSL into a cake? Yes please. Add a little sweet treat to (hopefully) celebrate your team’s big win.
- Hot Honey Pulled pork
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If you want to put the cherry on top of the food party and really impress your guests, this pulled pork dish will certainly help achieve that goal. With only one extra day of preparation and six ingredients, Mike’s Hot Honey Pulled Pork will be great in a sandwich or even on its own.
At the end of the day, game day is not just about the actual game. It’s also about celebrating and meeting up with friends, having fun and making memories.
While I was searching for my top five gameday foods on Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms, so many different ideas caught my eye. At the end of the day, showing up with fun tailgate food is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to make memories on game days.
So, with that being said, grab your bags, ingredients and other fun decor to get started and transform the day! With these top foods in your game day lineup, everyone will be ready for kickoff.