75 Football Food Ideas + Bacon-Ranch Football Cheese Ball Recipe

A football shaped cheese ball coated with crumbled bacon, green onions, and cheddar cheese and white cheese to look like laces on the football surrounded by crackers on a platter.

5 from 3 votes

75 Football Food Ideas + Bacon-Ranch Football Cheese Ball Recipe

During football season, we crave the best game day foods while watching our favorite teams play. Juicy cheeseburgers, loaded hot dogs, fun snacks, easy appetizers, delicious hot and cold dips, with cocktails to sip or 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.

Throw a legendary football party with spectacular Super Bowl food for the biggest game of the year, and tailgate in style with these amazing football food ideas...

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheese ball, easy football cheese ball, football appetizer, game day cheese ball

Servings:

Calories: 83kcal

Author: Lisa Hatfield

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.

Get Recipe Ingredients

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.

Video

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.

Nutrition