We have just entered my favorite time of year—fall. I love everything about fall from the cooler weather, to the oh-so-cliché Pumpkin Spice Lattes, to cute scarves. But if we boil it down to my favorite part, it’s college football on Saturdays. I love the pageantry and revelry, the game itself, but I especially love how it brings people together.
Today, we’re sharing with you some of our tailgating tips, and I went to my favorite expert, my cousin Sarah Beth Thompson. She and her husband are the most experienced tailgaters I know (Go Gators!), and she’s given us some of her tricks of the trade to share with you.
- Folding tables, tailgate chairs, rolling coolers, ice, drinks, food for an army, tents, TVs, generators, RVs—tailgates have come a long way from folding down the tailgate of your truck.
- Build traditions around tailgating.
- Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it!
- There’s no such thing as too much water or ice.
- Drop a pin on your smartphone’s map and text it to friends so they can find your tailgate location. Tents, flags, and spreads start to blend together as you wander through campus.
- If you are tailgating with friends, coordinate who is bringing what by using sites like signupgenius.com.
- Think of food options that travel well and don’t need heat or refrigeration: Ham biscuits are great for breakfast, fruit & veggie platters, cookies & brownies in team colors, Hawaiian bread sandwich sliders, crackers, chips & salsa.
- Pick up platters from the grocery store or order take out from a favorite local restaurant.
- Have a standard spread, but feature a new item each week to coordinate with the opponent or a holiday.
- If you are visiting for an away game, get the lay of the land the night before to figure out where you can park and set up your tailgate.
- Only fry in peanut oil.
- Plan on two pounds of meat per person.
- Arrive early and stay late!
- Plan to tailgate post game. There’s always a lot of traffic, and everyone will have worked up an appetite cheering for their team. Enjoy a little more food and quality time before heading out and prepping for next weekend’s festivities.
To top it all off, here’s the recipe for my favorite game day snack—Buffalo Chicken Dip!
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds of cooked chicken, diced or shredded (you can also use a 20-ounce can)
- ¾ cup pepper sauce (I like Frank’s Red Hot—this isn’t the same as Tabasco)
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4-inch pieces, for serving
- Crackers, for serving
Directions
Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well combined and warm. Stir in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, cover, and cook on low until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers.
Share some of your tailgating and game day tips with us in the comments!
When Mary Margaret isn’t coordinating leadership events for women or hosting the {MARKED} podcast, you can find her watching Florida Gator football, cooking with friends, or reading a good book. She loves teaching God’s Word, Mexican food, a good pair of jeans, and calling Nashville home. Follow her on Twitter: @marymargaretc.