What Should We Eat on Game Night?
If you’re one of those people who love football, then you’ve come to the right place. Growing up, my dad would coach two teams from my high school, which automatically meant that we didn’t miss any games. Game days were some sort of family celebration, every single time, which brought us a lot of nice memories.
When the summer starts to taper off and the weather cools down a little bit, I still eagerly await the moment to take the gear out of my closet and proudly wear it. For some (me included), football is something that’s meant to be enjoyed with others.
With that being said, I’ve made it my personal quest to become queen of the tailgate. From College GameDay to the Super Bowl, I have a series of tried-and-appreciate affordable recipes that efficiently complement the big game.
I love setting out several appetizers and sides for munching, paired with a couple of heartier entrees, so people can easily create their own plate with what they prefer. Also, don’t forget the dessert to fully satisfy a sweet tooth. Here’s the list:
Bacon-wrapped breadsticks
Carefully preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, use a container of refrigerated breadstick dough. Carefully wrap each breadstick with a piece of bacon and sprinkle some garlic powder and Parmesan cheese on each and every stick.
Cook them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure you check them every 10 minutes, simply to ensure they do not overcook. You can serve it with a dish of ranch dressing for dipping. If you want to add a healthier twist to the snack, you can replace asparagus for the breadsticks.
Fruit kebobs
Well, it’s worth mentioning that not all snacks are unhealthy. If you have children, it’s best to bust out the fruit kebobs and make sure you are ready to get the hero’s treatment. Children usually love food on a stick, and these could top their list of favorites.
You can easily use any assortment of fruit, tailoring the kebobs to your personal taste. For more simplicity, you can use three fruits for your kebobs. Simply cut up the fruit into similar sizes, then place them in three separate containers.
You can also have your kids thread the kebobs with some fruit, using any given combination of flavors you prefer. For a special treat, put a marshmallow in the middle of each one.
No-fuss potato skins
Simply preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Then, cut six potatoes lengthwise, so you can get all the strips to be about one inch thick. Then place them in rows on a cookie sheet covered with some foil. Bake them for 30 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through.
When the time comes, carefully remove it from the oven. Top each one with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese, a couple of crumbles of bacon, and some sliced chives. Bake for another five minutes. Serve them with a dish of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for more dipping. Some ranch dressing or dip would work like a charm with everything if you ask me.
Pizza roll-ups
Make sure you preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Also, we’d advise you to get a tube of crescent dough and a package of cheese sticks from the refrigerated section of any store. You can place a tablespoon of marinara sauce close to the wide end of each crescent, then put two pieces of pepperoni on the marinara sauce.
You can also add one-half of a cheese stick on top. Roll up the crescent and put it on a cookie sheet. When you have made all of them, put the cookie sheet in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, and serve with extra sauce for dipping, if you wish.
Oven S’mores with a twist
Everyone loves some S’mores. Well, if you watch the game outside, you can easily make these the traditional way over an open flame. However, you can also use the oven to make your own. You can choose how to go about it, but it’s worth mentioning that you can add this fun twist: substitute other candy bars for the traditional milk chocolate.
Try some peanut butter cups, caramel bars, coconut cream, and any other type of candy bar you prefer. Then, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. You can halve 20 Graham crackers and lay out another 10 crackers on a cookie sheet.
Then, put one large marshmallow on each one of them. Place the sheet in the oven for five minutes, checking every three minutes to make sure the marshmallows don’t burn. Then, remove the sheet from the oven. You can place your favorite candy bars on top, and then carefully cover them with the rest of the graham cracker halves.
Tiny taco bites
Make sure you preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, open a bag of tortilla chips, as you will want to find the ones shaped like a small bowl if you can. You can place the chips all along the sheet. You can fill each one with a spoonful of refried black beans.
Then, add a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top of each taco bowl. Bake the small tacos for five to seven minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven, then add a small dollop of salsa or even sour cream on top of each bowl.
It doesn’t matter what sporting event you might go to, these are fun recipes that will instantly fit right in. You can enjoy the start (or even the end) of the season, and go *whatever team you stan*!
More complicated recipes – slow-cooker buffalo chicken dip
If you want to prepare something for a viewing party, you should make this slow-cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip. I personally don’t like to play favorites, but if I had to choose, that would definitely be it. As a general rule, I prepare this recipe all the time for a couple of very specific reasons.
It’s extremely easy and quite fast, with only 15 minutes of active time. It also takes a few budget-friendly ingredients such as chicken, onions, cream cheese, and hot sauce. Most importantly, it’s downright delicious. The first time I ever cooked it was for the Super Bowl, and my roommate at the time decided to take the entire container to the couch with him.
Tequila guacamole
You can think of this as a guacamole that’s basically ready to party. This easy Tequila Guacamole is ideal for dipping chips, topping some nachos and even spreading on sweet potato skins. We can take it as the “more the merrier” approach, especially when it comes to dips as the main tailgate, mainly because of how easy, flavorful, and shareable they actually are.
Besides, the leftovers are ideal for snacking and adding to breakfast tacos the following day.
Cast-iron skillet pizza
In this Cast-Iron Skillet Pizza with Sausage & Kale, the skillet can easily double as a serving dish wich definitely helps cut down on the number of dishes to scrub later on. With only six ingredients, this homemade pizza is as easy to make as it is impressive.
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