15 Winning Tailgate Food Recipes From Around the Web

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cheesesteak party sliders for football tailgating

Who’s excited for football tailgate food and parties?

Pass the chips and dip, and dig in! Whether you’re a football fan or not, I think you’ll agree everyone looks forward to the yummy food and drinks! If you’re looking for some winning tailgate recipes to try out this year, check out these mouthwatering and popular ideas from around the web.

1.) Zesty Walking Tacos

dorito bags wiith taco salads inside

You’ll score big points for this brilliant tailgate idea using taco meat and chips! Walking tacos are so easy to make that you really don’t need to follow a specific recipe.

Simply make a large batch of taco seasoned meat and serve inside single sized bags of chips, alongside all your fave taco toppings for a delicious and convenient meal on the go.

I’ve had them while camping, and they’d be great for tailgating, too!

Hip Tip: If you eat low carb, check out our keto walking taco recipe using Quest chips!


2.) Grilled Bacon Jalapeno Poppers

bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers

There’s nothing better than bacon covered roasted jalapeño dripping with melted cream cheese! We grill these simple Bacon Jalapeño Poppers all the time and they are always a popular crowd pleasing snack.

Hip Tip: Prep your poppers ahead of time and take them tailgating to grill at the game, so they’ll be super fresh and melted!


3.) Buffalo Chicken Dip

easy buffalo chicken dip with cheese

It’s not football season without yummy Buffalo Chicken Dip! This is a very popular recipe, and an easy to make spicy melted dip perfect for any crowd. Every time I make it, it’s the first to go.


4.) Individual 7 Layer Dip Cups

individual cups of bean dip

If you’re a fan of 7 Layer Dip like me, try this on the go individual version served in small plastic cups from Cooking Classy. A friend of mine made these for a party recently and they are so good and fun to eat!


5.) Make-Ahead Tailgate Chili

tailgate chili recipe

I think we all can agree football and a warm bowl of chili go perfectly together! This make ahead version sounds delicious, and has a secret ingredient- beer! It’s easy to make chili portable using a slow cooker for game time, so go make some delicious Tailgate Chili this Fall. 😊

I’m also a huge fan of our Wendy’s Copycat Chili!


6.) Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball

Homemade Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball for tailgating

This yummy Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball idea has been one of our most popular appetizer recipes! If you haven’t tried it yet, you really should! It’s easy to make and would be great to make ahead and bring tailgating with crackers for an incredible snack.


7.) Vodka Jell-O Shots

portable jello shots for football games

This idea is like an adult drink and snack all in one. Check out this recipe for Vodka Jell-O Shots via AmandasCookin.com that you can make ahead and take with you to the big game. Don’t forget to pick up Jell-O in your team’s colors! 😉


8.) Slow Cooker Little Smokies

slow cooker little smokies appetizer

Every time I see these Little Smokies at a party, they are extremely popular and are SO EASY easy to make. You can easily keep them warm for game time using a slow cooker, so consider these delicious Little Smokies from FoodieCrush.com.


9.) Honey BBQ Chicken Wings

Baked chicken wings are actually super simple to make at home, and we’ve got the best recipe around! You’ve got to try these outstanding Honey BBQ Chicken Wings – many Hip2Save readers have made this recipe since we first posted back in 2014. My kids go crazy for these! Keep them warm in a slow cooker to enjoy for a tailgating snack!


10.) Ham & Cheese Party Sliders

baked ham and cheese party sliders

Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders are a fantastic way to feed a crowd! This popular Hip2Save recipe uses Sweet Hawaiian Rolls for delicious cheesy pull apart sandwiches.

Hip Tip: You can also make this idea in tin foil on the grill using a loaf of french bread instead. Go here for the Grilled Pull-Apart Ham and Cheese Sandwiches recipe!


11.) Philly Cheesesteak Sliders

If you’re loving the easy party sliders idea, make sure to check out this Philly Cheesesteak version! They are seriously so over the top good with lots of onion, steak, and peppers- YUM!


12.) Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

pasta salad recipe for football tailgating

This popular crowd pleasing side dish, Zesty Italian Pasta Salad, features tasty salami and lots of fresh veggies! It’s a family favorite of mine and won’t disappoint- I promise!

Hip Tip: You can make this pasta salad a day ahead of time and pop it in the cooler to take tailgating!


 13.) Totchos (Tater Tot Nachos)

tater tot nachos

Who wants regular nachos, when you can make melted TOTCHOS?! It’s full of all the traditional nacho toppings we love, but served on a bag of frozen tater-tots as a genius and delish twist!

Hip Tip: If I was serving this for tailgating, I’d throw them on some foil, and let them crisp up on the BBQ grill, then throw on the cheese and toppings to melt- YUM!


14.) Cheater Cinnamon Rolls

quick cinnamon rolls for tailgate cooking

Kick off those morning football games with a gooey batch of Easy Cinnamon Rolls. This simple recipe uses frozen dough for a super convenient and unbelievably delicious treat! My sister-in-law always makes this the night before the game so they’ll be easy to warm up for a morning game time, and it’s always a hit!


15.) Pitcher of Bloody Mary

bloody mary pitcher for football

You’ll also need a Pitcher of Bloody Marys to share with friends for some delightful day drinking! You could even take along some toppings like celery, cilantro, pepper, hot sauce, and cucumber to create a Bloody Mary Bar. Yum!


Score Big with 50 of the Best Football Party Food Ideas!


About the writer:

Lina has a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Arizona University with 11 years of blogging and photography experience having work featured in Today.com, Martha Stewart, Country Living, Fox News, Buzzfeed, and HGTV.


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Comments 4

  1. Tina

    You guys are awesome! Thanks for putting this list of recipes together!

    • Jennifer (Hip Sidekick)

      You are very welcome, Tina! I’m really glad you could use these!

  2. Teresa

    great ideas. I was getting bored of nachos or pizza

    • Jennifer (Hip Sidekick)

      We are glad we could help, Teresa!

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