Last Updated September 4th, 2023 at 08:01 pm by Lisa
During football season, we crave the best game day foods while watching our teams play like juicy cheeseburgers, loaded hot dogs, fun snacks, easy game day appetizers, and hot and cold dips.
Favorite football party food recipes go down so well with creative cocktails to sip or ice cold beers to drink.
Whether you are a fan of the NFL or College Football, cheer on your favorite team with a winning game plan of good food and munchies with over 75 game day recipes in this collection.
Gather your party guests and throw a legendary football party with spectacular, delicious Super Bowl foods for the biggest game of the year. And tailgate in style with all your fan favorites with these amazing football food ideas...
Table of Contents
Super Bowl Party Main Dishes
When it's game time, light up your smoker early in the day for ribs or a brisket, or fire up the grill with friends before kick-off. Everyone loves juicy cheeseburgers or hot dogs, or a big pot of chili simmering as a main course crowd pleaser in your slow cooker. There are lots of football food recipes ideas here for classic game day eats, and all are easy party food...
Crispy Chicken Wings
The secret to make Crispy Dry Rub Chicken Wings, the ultimate bar snack and big game appetizer! When it comes to party wings, we want tons of flavor, tender juicy meat, a crispy coating, and a deep-fried texture without going through the trouble of frying. Perfectly cooked wings are totally possible with a super crisp exterior that looks and tastes deep-fried. Gather your party guests and throw a legendary football party with spectacular, delicious Super Bowl foods for the biggest game day of the year. Spicy chicken wings are an easy appetizer and winning party food.
Hot Dog Chili
Hot dog chili sauce is a "go-to" football food on game days, Superbowl parties, tailgating, or summer cookouts. And the best thing, this great recipe is ready in just 20 minutes or can simmer away in a slow cooker all during the big game! Salsa and beer add great unique flavor to this delicious recipe. Adding a can of refried beans is an easy way to make chili nice and thick, perfect for piling on top of chili dogs.
Roast Beef Sandwiches
Roast Beef Sandwiches with homemade deli meat, creamy balsamic horseradish sauce, shaved parmesan, and lettuce on crusty baguettes!
Double Smoked Ham With Orange Honey Glaze
Twice-smoked spiral cut ham made just like a famous smokehouse. This double-smoked ham has an amazing orange honey glaze with apple cider!
Shish Kabobs
Grilling season is perfect for Shish Kabobs with a beef marinade made with pineapple and dark rum. The rum is totally optional of course! Plus take a look at dozens of ideas to make colorful grilled skewers your way with all the best shish kebob side dish ideas.
Cheeseburger Sliders
Cheeseburger Sliders are mini burgers stuffed with cheese, spread with burger sauce, and oven-baked. Bake ground beef burgers on a baking sheet in the oven. Stuffed cheese sliders are the perfect party food for game day, summer, or July 4th!
Lamb Gyros With Greek Tzatziki Sauce
Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce are great for summer cookouts. Wrap a pita around grilled lamb meatballs with tomato, cucumber, parsley, and sauce!
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (a pork loin recipe) is so juicy top these pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw, pickle chips, and tangy BBQ sauce.
Cheesy Meatball Subs
Cheesy Meatball Subs are loaded with gooey melted cheese and homemade marinara sauce. Use frozen or homemade ground beef, turkey, or pork meatballs. These meatball sub sandwiches are classic comfort food, and so worth the effort. Toast them under the broiler to get the bread crispy and the cheese gooey, golden, and melty.
The Best Cheeseburger
What is more American than hamburgers or classic cheeseburgers? These are topped with a copycat In-N-Out Burger sauce spread and seasoning.To make the best burger recipe, you have got to have so secrets up your sleeve. Today we will cover everything you need. Plus cookout grilling tips and 20+ burger topping ideas.
Cabernet Rosemary Grilled Rack Of Lamb
Grilled rack of lamb paired with refreshing watermelon skewers is an elegant special occasion recipe ready in just 45 minutes. The lamb is seasoned with a dry rub and then slathered with a Cabernet wine and rosemary marinade. There are also lots of inspiring sides to serve with lamb chops and perfect for a traditional Easter meal or a fancy dinner party...
Kahlua Pineapple Glazed Ham
Kahlua Pineapple Glazed Ham elevates party food for holidays and special celebrations. A tropical spin on a classic spiral ham dinner!
Cedar Grilled Salmon
Cedar Grilled Salmon with asparagus, zucchini ribbons, and an incredible lemon dill fish butter. This healthy dinner cooks everything at once!
Grilled Lamb Chops
Grilled Lamb Chops rubbed with seasoned mint salt, sweet juicy peaches, and topped with parmesan mint pesto, what a cookout party food idea!
Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil
Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil is a fast oven-baked weeknight family dinner ready in 35 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner with simple ingredients.
Turkey Chili With Black Beans
Turkey Chili with Black Beans can be made in a slow cooker, crockpot, or stovetop. An all-time family favorite of chili recipes with years of rave reviews. Serve party guests a big bowl of chili with all the delicious toppings...
French Gourmet Grilled Cheese
Classic comfort food elevated to the next level. A chic, fancy, and amazing gourmet grilled cheese sandwich with a French cafe twist.
Spiral Grilled Hot Dogs
Spiral-Cut Grilled Hot Dogs get nice nooks and crannies to hold more toppings like mustard, ketchup and relish. Grill these full-flavor dogs at your next cookout and put out a bar of condiments.
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
Shredded Beef is fall apart tender and bursting full of flavor from slow cooking with the Latin Caribbean sofrito ingredients. It is one of those easy dinners that takes just 10 minutes of prep. Serve the shredded meat over cooked rice with thin avocado slices and a good squeeze of lime for brightness. This recipe is very similar and inspired by Cuban Ropa Vieja. Simple ingredients go in, and a "company-worthy" yummy family dinner comes out.
Oven Roasted Pulled Pork
Easy ROASTED PULLED PORK (Pork Loin Pulled Pork) is moist, slightly crispy, and super savory! Try my Homemade BBQ Rub, with the low oven temperature slow-roasting secrets. An incredible pulled pork recipe -- you'll want to try this one right now!
And receive a free Cookout Party Planner as our thank you!
Tailgate Foods
The first time I threw a tailgate party, I learned the best thing is to keep the tailgate menu simple! You are cooking in a parking lot, and want to have a good time.
If you throw a tailgate party, there are a few things to consider, here are my top tips!
- Plan for the site, the weather, and the game location. It is a great idea to get online and do some research on what is allowed at that stadium.
- The best tailgating recipes are mostly prepped at home and then either quickly grilled on a portable grill or heated before the game.
- You can bring things wrapped in aluminum foil, and keep them warm. Or use heated electric trays powered off a generator or to plug in slow cookers.
- Get all my tailgate game day recipes, and planning tips for all your tailgate recipes and foods that transport well...
Best Tailgate Side Dishes
This tailgate side dish menu works for game day potlucks and home parties. There are inspiring recipe ideas for salads, hot sides, potluck sides that transport really well, and more for your outdoor tailgate BBQ party. Plus inspiring ideas, tips, and hacks to make your game day spectacular. All the classics are here like baked beans, pasta salads, potato salads, macaroni salads and so much more...
Cookout Side Dishes
These are the best side dishes to make during cookout season! This ultimate list has 30+ Cookout Side Dish Recipes that will inspire you to create the yummiest food for family gatherings, summer picnics, outdoor cookouts, backyard barbecues, or church potlucks.
Easy Pasta Salad
An easy Pasta Salad with fresh herbs, bell pepper, and cheese. This is a mayo-less salad, perfect to serve at outdoor picnics or cookouts.
Bacon Potato Salad
Bacon potato salad is loaded with crispy bacon and blue cheese. A perfect side for summer potluck cookouts and BBQs. Since there are no eggs and no mayonnaise, this is a great picnic food idea. Make a double batch, and it disappears quickly!
7 Layer Salad
7 Layer Salad (aka Overnight Salad) is one of the most popular potluck dishes for picnics, a BBQ side for cookouts, or a summer side dish.
Watermelon Salad
Watermelon Salad recipe with a light citrus dressing, fresh mint, and topped with crumbled feta cheese. Serve this side dish for picnics, potlucks, and BBQ cookouts in a carved-out watermelon for the salad bowl!
Easy Taco Salad
Taco Salad with a delicious taco meat recipe and 25+ topping ideas from all kinds of cheeses, different corn or tortilla chips, crispy shells, black beans pico de gallo, cherry tomatoes, and more!
Works as lunch, family dinner, or party food for a large gathering.
Grilled Corn On The Cob
When sweet corn is in season, try this recipe for the best Grilled Corn On The Cob. It cooks in 10 minutes and can be put together ahead of dinner. There are 12+ creative flavor ideas to try, use seasoning blends or homemade compound butter. With endless flavor options, this is a great party food
Easy Vinegar Coleslaw (No Mayo)
This Easy Coleslaw Recipe has a clean vinegar-based dressing and has no-mayo. It goes great with pulled pork sandwiches, or as a classic side dish at potluck summer picnics and BBQ cookouts.
Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe
A classic macaroni salad recipe with chopped eggs, dill pickles, pickle juice, and crunchy celery. A cherished old fashioned family recipe!
BBQ Potato Salad
A BBQ Potato Salad recipe with yummy flavors from your favorite barbecue sauce, crumbled bacon, buttermilk ranch, crunchy celery, and cheddar cheese. Made with secret ingredients in place of mayo, this super creamy potato salad is inspired by one of America's favorite recipes, a loaded baked potato! A great recipe that uses any kind of potatoes, and is a fresh new twist on a classic. Mix up a double batch, and watch people gobble it up at your next tailgate or cookout.
Sauces, Condiments & Fixings
All the best things to slather on burgers, sandwiches, sausages, and more. Make some good condiments at home in minutes, and spread the good stuff onto spiral grilled hot dogs, and hamburgers, or dip hot chicken wings into Ranch, Barbecue Sauce, Remoulade, or Creamy Balsamic Horseradish sauce.
Burger Sauce
Make one of the best burger sauces just like the In-N-Out spread from the west coast drive-through chain that started in Southern California. When you crave the real thing, here is the best way to make a copycat recipe of the real In-N-Out burger spread special sauce.
Creamy Balsamic Horseradish Sauce
Creamy balsamic horseradish sauce is amazing on thick slices of Roast Beef for dinner, on prime rib, and as a spread on Roast Beef Sandwiches.
Remoulade Sauce
Remoulade sauce is a popular condiment or dipping sauce, usually paired with seafood, cold meats, and fried foods like French fries.
The Best Burger Seasoning
Mix up the best burger seasoning recipe for juicy hamburgers everyone will rave over at your next backyard barbecue cookout. Add amazing flavor with just a few insider secrets like what beef to buy, how to make the burger patties, and pro grilling tips. This seasoning mix is made with simple ingredients you might already have on hand. Grill restaurant-quality hamburgers in your backyard this summer...
Homemade Relish
Mix up this fresh crunchy homemade relish recipe, to top grilled hot dogs or hamburgers. Serve this condiment at your next cookout or BBQ.
Blue Cheese Dressing
The best homemade Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe with just 5 ingredients. Shake in a Mason jar for easy fridge storage to use all week. It also works great as a dip for buffalo wings, appetizers, or a chip dip.
Easy Football Finger Food Appetizers
Game day appetizers, finger food, and delicious dips can be the best part of your party, with simple delicious snacks like sour cream onion dip, or great food like soft pretzels with a beer cheese dip. Make one great thing like my roasted cocktail shrimp or jalapeno popper dip, then buy a few things from your local grocery store.
Some of the most popular football finger foods in the United States are pizza rolls, French onion dip, cheese sliders, roast beef sandwiches, a favorite guacamole recipe, onion rings, french fries, sheet pan nachos, pepperoni pizza dip, and bean dip.
The full recipe for this winning Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball is at the bottom of this post in the printable recipe card...
Mini Tacos
Crunchy Mini Tacos are loaded with your favorite toppings! Tucked inside are layers of juicy taco meat, refried beans, cheeses, black olives, pickled jalapeños and more drizzled with a quick Mexican crema sauce. Serve these mini beef tacos as a delicious appetizer for a Cinco de Mayo party, family taco night dinner, birthday parties, or perfect party food for the big game.
How To Make Guacamole
Guacamole starts with the best simple ingredients like perfectly ripe avocados, fresh lime juice, grated onion (one of my top secrets), chopped tomato, good hot sauce, and spices. This is the way to make real guacamole in the traditional way as there are many variations. Use quality ingredients and these tips to make this Mexican guacamole recipe!
Pretzels With Beer Cheese Dip
Bake warm soft pretzels and scoop them into an easy beer cheese dip. Every bite has a chewy, golden crust with soft, fluffy centers. Homemade pretzels are the perfect appetizer for relaxed weekends at home or big game-day football parties! And they just take about an hour. You can shape the pretzel dough like footballs, small soft pretzel nuggets, knots, or the classic pretzel shape...
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings are a healthy appetizer that taste and look just like chicken wings. Baked full of zesty flavor with a spicy kick, these are vegetarian, gluten free, and have absolutely no guilt of extra calories. Created in a Southern California pub, dunk these buffalo wings into your favorite dipping sauces like blue cheese dressing or buttermilk ranch for the perfect game-day snack with a cold beer.
Jalapeno Popper Dip
Jalapeno Popper Dip is always a big hit and is one of the best dips! Make this melty hot appetizer for parties with simple pantry ingredients and scoop up with large corn chips. Double this recipe for large groups, it goes fast! It's so easy, and all the ingredients combine into one of the most flavor loaded creamy dips ever!
Avocado Salsa
Drizzle Avocado Salsa is often served on Mexican foods like tacos, burritos, taquitos, or served with tortilla chips as a dip. Many people call it Taco Sauce or Salsa de Aguacate. Drizzle this green sauce over tacos, and burritos, dip taquitos into it, pour on a taco salad or scoop with a chip...
Beef Wellington Appetizers
Mini beef wellington bites are delicious fancy hors d'oeuvres to bake for your next dinner party, for special occasions, or anytime during the holiday season. People will devour them hot out of the oven! These beef wellington appetizers are a modern take on the classic English dish made easy with golden brown edges of flaky puff pastry, juicy filet mignon, and a creamy mushroom filling.
Sour Cream Onion Dip
Onion Dip aka California or Sour Cream Dip is the easiest recipe ever, with only 2 ingredients! Made in minutes, serve with a large bowl of your favorite chips and assorted fresh-cut veggies. This is a classic iconic American party food dip that has earned a respected place in many people's hearts with its savory onion flavor.
Tomatillo Salsa
Tomatillo salsa has a fresh taste you will never get out of a jar from any store. The fire-grilled flavor and medium heat in this homemade salsa will have people loving each and every bite with tacos, nachos, and taquitos. Grab a bowl, and a bag of tortilla chips, and wait for lots of compliments, crunching, and munching, as people dip chips into this roasted tomatillo salsa recipe.
Crudités With Dip
Crudités with Green Goddess Dip is an easy appetizer and the perfect dip for assorted fresh vegetables. Serve this as a veggie tray, or make little veggie cups or a purple cabbage "bowl" for a unique relish tray at your party! Try colorful carrots, jicama sticks, green bell peppers, fresh green beans, radishes, and cucumber sticks.
40 Puff Pastry Appetizer Recipes
Which of these 40 Best Puff Pastry Recipes will you choose? Every impressive appetizer and delicious dessert in this collection is wrapped with irresistible golden flaky layers of freshly baked pastry and creative filling combinations. Keep a few of these easy recipes for special occasions during the holidays, such as Thanksgiving appetizers, or your Christmas
Easy Layered Cheese Appetizers
Gorgeous layered cheese appetizers with deli-style sliced cheeses and a creamy filling loaded with chopped nuts and dried fruit. Eat them as a snack or fancy finger food hors d'oeuvres! Keep the simple ingredients on hand for any potluck or holiday party, and assemble up to a day ahead. People will be fascinated by the elegant stacks, and they are so pretty on charcuterie or cheese boards.
Marinated Mozzarella Balls
Everyone loves cheese appetizers, and there is nothing easier than Marinated Mozzarella Balls on a gorgeous Charcuterie Board with some crackers, crusty bread, and drinks to get the party going.
Brie and Bacon Palmiers
Brie and Bacon Palmiers baked in 15 minutes with 3 ingredients. You will need store-bought puff pastry, crisp crumbled bacon, and some brie. An easy last-minute appetizer packed with bacony goodness, golden puff pastry, and that classic brie taste...
Shrimp Cocktail
The best Shrimp Cocktail (prawn cocktail) is made by oven-roasting, then dipping them in homemade shrimp cocktail sauce! The shrimp cooks in just 15 minutes and is such an easy appetizer for the holiday season, New Year's Eve, or party food for special occasions and celebrations. Roasting is a great way to go versus dealing with a large pot of boiling water, a sheet pan is so much easier with less cleanup, and the roasting adds deep rich, delicious shrimpy flavor.
French Onion Dip
French onion dip is an easy appetizer with rich flavor from caramelized onions and fresh simple ingredients. This party appetizer tastes even better if you make it a day or so ahead! This an easy dip recipe for parties, and holidays, and a classic to serve on exciting big game days with a big bag of potato chips. Whip up this homemade onion dip, and take a look at all the creative ways to use up the leftovers of this creamy dip if there are any!
Buffalo Chicken Appetizer
Buffalo Chicken Appetizer made with tortilla chips, buffalo wing sauce, blue cheese, and crisp celery made in 20 minutes with 6 ingredients.
Game Day Cocktails & Drinks
Take your Sunday brunch football game day parties to the next level with a big batch of your own homemade bloody mary mix. Or whip up some CoronaRitas or Micheladas are the perfect way to enjoy all your delicious food and party snacks...
Micheladas Mexican Beer Cocktails
Micheladas are light, refreshing, tomato juice-based beer cocktails served in tall glasses with salted rims. The red color of the popular drink also gave them their nickname, Mexican bloody marys. A really good michelada is loaded with spicy flavors, and swaps in beer for vodka so it's similar to a bloody mary but they are a little lighter. Sip poolside on hot days, mix up at brunch, are great drinks for football season game days, happy hours, and Cinco de Mayo.
Fireball Whisky Cocktails
"Red Hot" Fireball Whisky Cocktails made with orange, cinnamon, cloves, and apple cider. Serve fireball drinks for Fall parties, brunch, and Thanksgiving Day!
Cuba Libre Cocktails
Cuba Libre Cocktails from my trip to Cuba. Learn the secret ingredient in these famous Cuban cocktails and what makes them authentic. And yes, this cocktail is a Rum and Coke, but made the Cuban way!
Easy Limeade Margaritas
Easy tasty margaritas made with 3 simple ingredients, you won't believe how good these taste. Made in a pitcher, serve at your next party!
Green Jello Shots & Jigglers
Slurp emerald green Jello Shots or Jell-O jigglers and have some shenanigans with a wee bit of mischief at your game day, tailgate or St. Patrick's day party!
Spicy Bloody Marys
One sip of these Spicy Bloody Marys, and you will never want the bottled mix again! These have the right amount of heat, and bolder spices than boring tomato juice mixes. Fire-roasted grilled chilies, onions, and fresh ripe garden tomatoes create different flavors that are complex and extraordinary.
Irish Coffee
Just like they serve in the pubs of Ireland, this is a classic Irish Coffee recipe. It can be made with a kick of Jameson Irish whiskey and or Baileys Irish Cream. I created beautiful garnish ideas using edible gold and shamrock sprinkles or shaved chocolate to make this one delicious sipper. One of the best ways to relax on chilly evenings is to get cozy with a Bailey's Coffee in front of the fire watching the big game.
CoronaRita Margaritas
CoronaRita Margarita/Beer Cocktails are made with a margarita and a mini “Coronita” turned upside down into the drink. Perfect when you can’t decide between a margarita and an icy cold Corona!
Game Day Breakfast Ideas
Start your game day off right with great food and drinks for breakfast or brunch! And the best thing is these recipes are all easy to prep ahead for a home party or pack up and take to the stadium for the perfect football food for a tailgate gathering.
Breakfast Egg Muffins
Breakfast food can be so incredibly easy with Egg Muffins! They can be made just the way you want them in a muffin pan with cooked breakfast meats like smoked ham, bacon, or crumbled sausage. Or fill them with a diced confetti of vegetables and top them with different herbs and cheeses. There are five egg muffins recipes for you to try, and it's so simple to make individual muffins for everyone in your family for weekday breakfast.
Brie and Bacon Mini Quiche
Make Brie and Bacon Mini Quiche in muffin tins or small pie dishes. Serve for brunch or breakfast, the bacon and brie combination is scrumptious!
Oven Baked Hash Browns
Crispy Oven Hash Browns are baked in muffin tins using frozen or real potatoes. This is the easy way to make perfect hash browns without spending time at the stove. Skip the traditional cooking method of frying in a large skillet altogether. Both sides and the bottom of each one have a crispy exterior. And no messy stovetop to clean.
Homemade Granola
Granola made with quality ingredients is the best breakfast cereal, use this recipe in yogurt bowls, granola bars, cookies, and more!
Steamed Hard Boiled Eggs
Steamed hard-boiled eggs cook perfectly every time with no green ring. So easy to peel, the eggshells miraculously slip right off in minutes!
Yogurt Parfaits
Yogurt Parfaits are a great make-ahead breakfast or snack on the go. This recipe includes homemade granola and can be made the night before!
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole is an easy breakfast recipe that takes 15 minutes to prep and bakes golden brown and bubbly in just 50 minutes.
Football Party Ideas Top Tips
Create a fan-favorite menu of crowd-pleasing recipes and invite your friends and family over for football parties to watch the big game. Put out a spread of delicious appetizers and favorite foods we all love in America for big sports days.
Menu Planning
Plan your menu in advance. Shop a couple of days before your party, and prep as much as you can the day before. Choose a selection of finger foods, main dishes, a couple of sides, and drinks.
Finger Food, Appetizers, & Tailgating Snacks
Make things in bite-size pieces, some easy dips, classic crispy chicken wings, sweet treats like cupcakes cookies, or chocolate pretzels, great appetizers, some hot and some cold. Grab bags of salty snacks like pretzels, potato chips, tortilla chips, and popcorn.
Serving Plates & Dishes
Use some football-themed or team-branded serving trays, paper boxes with wax paper liners, and serving bowls, or assemble a football stadium box on a kitchen counter or dining table, it will be the talk of your party!
Serving Areas, Tables, And Chairs
Set up glasses, chilled bottles of wine, champagne, and water bottles with glassware. Set up a bar area with liquor, mixers, and ice near the TV! A blender with a signature cocktail ready to mix or shakers to let guests play bartender. Set up a recycling bin for glass and plastics.
Seating & Tables: Borrow rent or buy extra chairs for guests, chairs are very inexpensive to rent for parties, and they deliver and pick them up for you!
- Cold Drinks - Have large tubs with bags of ice, or set up a portable ice maker for guests!
- Condiments & Dressings - Put together a basket of condiments like ketchup, hot sauce, mustard, relish, mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing, and buttermilk ranch.
- Delicious Hot Food - Use a warming tray to keep food warm or hot during your party. Slow cookers are incredible to keep chili, stews, or cheesy dips hot during the party.
Grilling & Smoking
You can do both at your party, start ribs early in the day on a smoker, then grill burgers, grilled hot dogs, and shish kabobs during the party ideally with a TV in view outside!
Game Watch Party Tips
Indoor TVs & Outdoor TV - Use a projector and set up a large screen to stream the game from the backyard, pool area, or patio with a pop-up tent.
Weather - In the Fall, have a stack of extra blankets and portable heaters for guests watching outdoors. Firepits add so much to any party with folding chairs. Popups are great for hot days, and fans if you have electricity or a portable generator.
Fun Activities & Games To Play - A fun way to make sure people have a great time even if they are not into watching football games is to set up some activities and games!
Kids can be in a part of the yard with a picnic blanket, or in a room with games, crafts, or snacks they will love. Set up a cornhole game, washer pitching, or beer pong for the adults. And be sure to have a football to toss around outside!
Football Party Decorating
Go the extra mile and get some extra points and decorate in your team's colors at your football party. Plant flowers in your colors, and use banners, ribbons, or balloon garland arches in your team's colors!
Take a visit to your party store or order online some football banners, spirit flags, tablecloths, plates, cups, and cutlery with the colors of your favorite home team. Add inexpensive strings of lights in your team colors!
Party Favors - Have party favors that represent each team - this is an easy way to decorate and so fun for guests to take home.
Dress In Team Colors - Put on your team colors or a jersey from the college town you are from, and let the good times roll.
Coming in number one is chicken wings! The other most popular game day recipe ideas are buffalo chicken dip, spinach artichoke dip, and pizza of course. Seven layer dips, a favorite guacamole recipe, potato skins, and a classic, pigs in a blanket are some of the best Super Bowl appetizers.
Some of the most popular football finger foods in the United States are pizza rolls, French onion dip, cheese sliders, roast beef sandwiches, onion rings, french fries, sheet pan nachos, pepperoni pizza dip, and bean dip.
Football fans also love mozzarella sticks (use an air fryer to make them crispy!), beer cheese dip, sausage rolls, chicken taquitos, and tortilla chips and salsas.
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75 Football Food Ideas + Bacon-Ranch Football Cheese Ball Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Football Cheese Ball Ingredients
- 2 - 8 ounce boxes cream cheese
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup pepper jack cheese
- ½ cup crispy crumbled bacon or bacon bits
- ¼ cup green onions or chives
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup sour cream
Football Cheese Ball Garnish Decorations
- ½ cup crumbled crispy bacon
- 1 tablespoon green onions
- 2 sticks string cheese or cut sliced cheese sliced for football laces
- ¼ cup grated cheddar or pepper jack cheese
- Serve with crackers, pretzels, or pita chips.
Instructions
- Pull the 2 packages of cream cheese out on the kitchen counter at least 30 minutes so they are easier to mix.
- Make the crumbled bacon (it's worth the time!) but good bacon bits work great too and save time. Cook bacon the way you like to and crumble, you will need 1 cup for this recipe.
- 1 pound of sliced bacon makes about 1 ½ cups of crispy crumbled bacon so you will have some extra.
- To cook in a large skillet or cast iron pan, slice a package of bacon slices into ½ pieces, and saute over medium heat, stir the chopped bacon pieces with a wooden spoon until crispy. Takes about 12 minutes. Drain the crumbled bacon on a paper towel.
- Grate the cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese on a box grater or food processer. Pregrated cheeses are fine too!
- In a large bowl, add the two cream cheese blocks, grated sharp cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, crumbled crispy bacon, green onions, ranch seasoning mix, garlic powder, and sour cream. Mix cream cheese mixture with a hand mixer or stir with a large spatula until well combined.
- Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula, and place the cheese ball mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic around, and form a round ball and wrap the plastic tightly around the cheese ball.
- To make the football shape, cup your hands around the sides of the cheese ball and push to create the pointed end of the football and then again on the other side. It is really easy!
- Chill on a serving platter or large plate in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Press crumbled bacon bits, cheddar cheeses, and or green onions onto the cheese ball. Cut slices of white cheese into laces for the football. Two parallel pieces and eight small cross pieces. Serve on a platter with assorted crackers, pretzels, or pita chips.
Notes
bacon
Real bacon is the best, if you buy a 1-pound package of sliced bacon, it will cook down to 1 ½ cups of cooked crumbled bacon. You will need 1 cup for this recipe.Easy Cheese Ball Flavor Variations
Use some ingredients you prefer or have on hand. Here are a few ways to mix things up. Seasonings: Instead of the Ranch seasoning packet, add a teaspoon of seasoning salt blend, some Worcestershire sauce, or everything bagel seasoning. Veggies & Herbs: In place of green onions, add fresh parsley, or some chopped basil and rosemary. Or add some chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes or a confetti of chopped colorful bell peppers. Meats: Add in chopped salami, slice some ham or pepperoni into thin small ribbons and mix it into the cheese ball. Nuts: Roll in crushed toasted or Candied Pecans, macadamia nuts, walnuts, or toasted pine nuts. Cheeses: Good grated cheese will make your cheese ball really tasty, add in Monterey jack cheese, parmesan cheese, goat cheese, pecorino romano, white cheddar cheese, or Colby jack cheese. Cheese Truffles or Cheese Ball Bites: Use a mini scoop or teaspoon and portion out small scoops formed into little ball shapes, then rolled in chopped herbs, nuts, crushed cracker crumbs, and chopped dried fruit. And it is fun to push a small pretzel stick pushed in for a "grab and go" easy appetizer.
Oh my goodness. All these recipes look so good, Lisa. This is the perfect post to send to all my friends. It has the all best party food recipes!
Thanks so much, Seanna! It was a really fun collection to put together, years in the making...
Everything on this list looks so good! The gyros with tzatziki sauce have me drooling! This is the only football recipe guide I could ever need to throw an amazing Super Bowl party. Thanks Lisa!
Hey Meg, thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, it was a super fun collection to put together!
These are all amazing ideas for Football game day!! We absolutely love your chicken wings and the burger sauce is incredible.
Hey Jessica, so glad you love the chicken wings, after years I love how crispy and full of flavor they become!!! Oh and that burger sauce....its just like In N Out burger....