Get to the stadium early for a tailgating party.
Whether you love football or not, tailgating parties can be loads of fun if you have the right mix of people and some great food. Why limit tailgating to football? Anything performed in a stadium is an excuse to pull out the blankets, coolers and folding chairs for a spread that will please even the pickiest of eaters. The key to satisfying everyone is to offer a large variety of foods. Finger foods are generally the easiest, but many tailgaters enjoy grilling on game day. Don't forget to pack paper plates, cups and plenty of napkins or paper towels.
Appetizers and Snacks
Deviled eggs are a crowd pleaser.
Have an array of appetizers and snacks so no one goes hungry waiting. It also gives the kids something to keep from whining about having to wait for the main meal. In addition to the standard chips, dip and salsa, offer a party mix with bite-size crackers, pretzels, nuts and your favorite seasoning. You may bake them or simply put them into a plastic container and shake until all the goodies are evenly distributed.
Although eating healthy isn't most people's objective on game day, some nutritious foods actually taste good. Stuff some cherry tomatoes with cream cheese and bacon bits. Celery is delicious with pimento cheese spread for the adults and peanut butter for the kids. Almost any vegetable can be stuffed with cheese or sausage.
Deviled eggs are a big crowd pleaser, and they're easy to make and transport. Cut each boiled egg in half. Scoop out the yolk, mash it up, and mix it with mayonnaise, a dab of mustard and some sweet pickle relish. Fill the hollows of the eggs with the mixture and keep it in a cooler until time to eat.
Sandwiches
Grilled hamburgers
The sandwich is the easiest main dish for tailgate parties. Use any kind of bread or roll and stuff it with sandwich meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onions peppers and whatever vegetables you like.
If you want hot sandwiches, pull out the grill for hamburgers and hotdogs. Make the hamburger patties in advance. For extra flavor, mix some peppers, onions and mushrooms into the hamburger patties. Make a slit down the side of the hotdogs and insert a long, skinny sliver of cheese. To take your burgers and hotdogs to the next level of tailgating fare, bring along some tasty toppings, such as chili, homemade barbecue or cheese sauce.
Desserts
Decorate cookies with your team's colors.
Cookies and cupcakes are the easiest desserts to eat while standing up or eating from your lap while sitting in folding chairs. For extra flair, decorate them in your favorite team's colors. If you have a mixed group, offer something for both sides.
If you don't mind the extra trouble, decorate your favorite flavor cake with green icing and draw off some lines with white icing. Using brown icing, draw a football on the center of the cake. Add the colors of the two teams on the ends of the cake. It doesn't have to be perfect since it'll be sliced and eaten with gusto.
Beverages
Keep hot apple cider warm in a thermos.
Encourage everyone to bring their favorite beverage to the party. If it's cold out, make some hot apple cider and keep it in a large thermos until everyone is ready. Heat up some apple cider, a small amount of orange juice, some cinnamon sticks, a tiny bit of dark brown sugar, lemon juice cloves and allspice. You may want to offer a spiked version to adults.
Tags: apple cider, your favorite, crowd pleaser, Deviled eggs, Deviled eggs crowd, eggs crowd