Like with anything, there are degrees to just how serious you want to make your football tailgate.
And as football season kicks into high gear with the start of high school, college and pro action, we have what we feel is a happy medium setup for you: not too serious for the casual tailgaters’ Friday night high school setup, and just serious enough, with all the right thingamajigs and doohickeys, for the more serious among us, who might be found in the Muni Lot in downtown Cleveland on an upcoming Sunday morning. (We won’t tell!)
Have tailgate tips and tricks? Email them to [email protected] and we’ll share them with our readers on our website and social media.
Equipment!
Portable grill + mini propane tank: These have been absolute game-changers for the tailgate scene, with portable stand-up or tabletop options at reasonably affordable prices. The Coleman Roadtrip Xcursion, for example, is a foldable, standup option. Add in a couple mini propane tanks and your tailgate is off to a tasty and not-too-cumbersome start.
Condiments caddy: Bring your plastic silverware, grill utensils, napkins, condiments and more to the show all in one fell swoop with this convenient accessory.
Collapsible table for serving: Sure, the tailgate of your truck could serve as a de facto serving table, but if we’re talking about upgrading our game, a four-foot collapsible folding table is an easy way to ease your space burden on gameday.
Food tents: Whether it’s hot in late August or cool in late September, the bugs are coming for your delicious tailgate fare.
Food!
Old standbys are a must on the go, so we of course recommend hamburger sliders (or non-meat versions for vegans and vegetarians at the party), hot dogs, potato chips and more. But, just because you’re on the go doesn’t mean you can’t add a little flair to the menu. Our recommendations:
Buffalo chicken dip: An easy set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker dish, this is always a hit with those craving a bit of a kick and pairs perfectly with pita or tortilla scoops.
Corn salad: A staple of our family for parties, combine frozen corn with diced onions, peppers and tomatoes, black beans, the juice of a lime for a healthy salsa alternative.
Broccoli, grape and pasta salad: A fun twist on traditional pasta salad, this recipe from Southern Living is a big winner for your party.
Games!
Yes, cornhole is a traditional tailgate game, but for space-conscious partiers — or those without a truck or tailgate — perhaps it’s space-prohibitive. Try these alternatives to keep your guests entertained while waiting for kickoff.
Spikeball: The volleyball-like game of “roundnet” — but played much closer to the ground — is described as “that yellow trampoline game” and “if volleyball and foursquare had a baby” and is played two vs. two. A player hits the ball down into the net and that player’s opponents having three hits to get it back onto the net, preferably with the opponents being unable to return it back to the net.
Ladder Toss: Throw a rubber bolo onto one of three rungs on a ladder-looking contraption to score points; the further down the ladder you land your bolo, the more points you get. The GoSports version of the game (found at various retailers) – is a family favorite and collapses neatly into a small bag for easy transport.
