Off the Eaten Path

A Food and Travel Blog

  • recipes
  • north carolina travel
  • cookbook
  • about
    • press and publications
  • work with me
    • mentoring and consulting
    • food photography

football food favorites: 34 easy and delicious appetizer recipes for game day

September 23, 2020 by Chrissie 6 Comments

Filed Under: all, appetizers, recipes, sunday supper Tagged With: appetizers, cocktails, drinks, Football, football food, game day, game day recipes, Super Bowl

Score a touchdown at your next tailgate, football watch from home, or game day party with these football food favorites your whole team will love.

collage of 10 different photos of football food favorites appetizers with text that says 30+ easy tailgate and game day appetizers

These tried and true appetizer recipes are some of my favorites that will help make game day party planning and prepping a breeze and will be a hit with all of your guests!

Happy fall! 

It’s finally time for all of my favorite fall things like a whiskey apple cider cocktail and easy pumpkin waffles and pumpkin beer and caramel apple pie and fires in the backyard and my especially my favorite fall thing:

Football!

I grew up in a world where Sundays throughout the fall and winter were football days. 

Weekly, my family would gather in the living room and cheer on (ok more like screaming) our favorite team (the one’s from Wisconsin wearing the green and gold). Sometimes we’d get so invested in big plays that my sister would end up hiding in the bathroom until the hail mary was caught or the field goal was made.

While I always looked forward to our family watch parties to hang out with my family and cheer on our team, I can’t lie that I also looked forward to Sundays for spread of our football food favorites: snacks and appetizers to munch on for four quarters.

My love for football Sundays (snacks and apps included) carried on throughout college and law school. In college, I lived just down the street from my aunt and uncle and would go over there on Sundays for Packer Parties, complete with green and gold decor and tons of delicious football food.

I was also lucky enough to be just down the road (sort of) from the stadium in Green Bay, so got the chance to cheer on my team in person. Pre-game tailgates included lots of Wisconsin beer and you guessed it: lots of food including the best beer boiled brats.

In law school, my roommate and I were too cheap to pay for cable, so we’d find ourselves at a local bar on Sundays splitting a plate of nachos and yelling at the TV.

AJ and I have carried on the Sunday football tradition in our house which usually means camping out on the couch for the entire day with a football food spread on the coffee table.

And our favorite way to enjoy football from home this season is to invite my parents over (they just moved to Charlotte!) set up the TV in the backyard and make an epic spread of our football food favorites to munch on. 

Football watching of any kind definitely has to involve food!

And if you’re looking for the perfect appetizer recipe to bring to a bring to a fall tailgate, to cook up while you watch football at home, or you really, really just like snacks more than football, you are in the right place!

PS: these game day appetizers is they pair perfectly with an ice cold beer, or you can take them to the next level with a Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar at your tailgate or game watch party at home!

(And of course, if you’d prefer not to cook on game day, order a pizza from one of the restaurants serving the best pizza in Charlotte, or check out where to get some of the best wings in Charlotte!)

Continue to Content

Easy and Delicious Game Day Appetizer Recipes: 34 of our Football Food Favorites

Appetizers are one of my favorite food groups. Not only does appetizer dining offer you, your guests, and your family a variety of bites and a tastes, they can be quite filling if you serve enough. Plus, when it comes to football food, I want to serve easy and delicious food that can be prepped and made ahead of time, so I can spend more time with my guests watching the game and cheering on my team than stuck in the kitchen cooking.

Make these football food favorites before kickoff and just leave them out for guests to munch on during all four quarters!

1

aunt julie's pepperoni bread

Aunt Julie's pepperoni bread makes and appearance at every game day party in our house. It's a tradition!

2

crockpot buffalo turkey meatballs

These slow cooker buffalo turkey meatballs have all of the flavors of classic hot buffalo wings but are less messy and easier to make for a crowd.

3

coca-cola hot wings

If you want to go classic (even if it is messy), Coca-Cola hot wings are baked and tossed in a delicious spicy sauce.

4

roasted jalapeno poppers

These poppers re my most popular blog post every so you should probably make these for your game day party because people apparently love jalapenos and cheese.

5

crab stuffed baked jalapeno poppers

And if you're looking for a more creative spin on the classic popper...think about adding crab. Crab stuff poppers are sure to be a hit on game day!

6

jalapeno pimento cheese

Speaking of jalapenos and cheese, another football food favorite is a big batch of jalapeno pimentno cheese, served with some crackers, chips, carrots and celery for dipping.

7

pimento cheese deviled eggs

Pimento cheese can do double duty with a batch of these Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs.

8

beer cheese fondue

And since we're talking about cheese, Beer Cheese Fondue is party perfect in a slow cooker with some bread and apples for dipping.

9

Grilled Brie Two Ways

Another more cheese recipe because everyone loves cheese. Grilled Brie is a delicious (and faster) spin on the classic baked version.

10

how to make a cheese platter

More cheese please! I love throwing together a simple cheese and charcuterie board for game day featuring a variety of different cheeses, meats and seasonal fruits and veggies. This posts gives you all the details on how to put one together yourself!

11

devils on horseback

Devils on Horseback (or bacon wrapped dates) are easy to make ahead of time and then set out in a bowl before guests arrive for kickoff.

12

simple guacamole

Guacamole is a classic party snack and perfect for game day. I mean, have you ever been to a party that didn't have guac?

13

loaded grilled nachos

And since you're going to need something to dip into that guac, what about a big pan full of loaded grilled nachos for sharing?

14

LOADED Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Photo Credit: twohealthykitchens.com

Way beyond typical buffalo cauliflower appetizers, this version is piled sky-high with extra flavors - and it takes just 5 minutes of prep work (with no messy batter)!

15

Bratwurst Appetizer Bites

Photo Credit: www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

Easy Bratwurst Appetizer Bites are just the thing to serve during a party or for game day. They’re also super simple to make and everybody loves them! SCORE!

16

Sloppy Joe Tot-Chos

Photo Credit: sweetpealifestyle.com

Sloppy Joe Tot-Chos is the ultimate appetizer for any tailgate party! Rich sloppy joe sauce is ladled over crispy tater-tots, then slathered with pimento cheese!

17

Air Fryer Egg Rolls 

Photo Credit: recipesfromapantry.com

Packed full of ground chicken, garlic, ginger, cabbage, and a few more ingredients, these affordable Air Fryer Egg Rolls are so incredible. Serve them at your next game night, dinner party, as an appetizer, or as easy party food. Or keep them all to yourself for a delicious snack.

18

Healthy Mexican Stuffed Mushrooms with Cilantro Ranch

Photo Credit: beyondmeresustenance.com

Healthy Mexican Stuffed Mushrooms with Cilantro Ranch are a take on a classic stuffed mushroom with Mexican flavors. This healthy Mexican appetizer combines (Mexican) chorizo with ground turkey, cotija queso, egg, and a stale tortilla binder. Perfect as a starter or finger food for game day!

19

Cheesy Pigs in a Blanket

Photo Credit: www.megseverydayindulgence.com

These Cheesy Pigs in a Blanket are super simple to make and always the hit of the party.

20

Game Day Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes

Photo Credit: www.cupcakeproject.com

Buffalo chicken cupcakes are perfect for any football party. They’re made with hot sauce and blue cheese and taste phenomenal!

21

Cheesy Herbed Garlic Bread

Photo Credit: www.livinglou.com

Cheesy herbed garlic bread is the perfect appetizer for a crowd, with mozzarella, cheddar, green onions, garlic and parsley.

22

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp in Air Fryer

Photo Credit: www.findingzest.com

Bacon wrapped shrimp is the perfect game day snack! What is a better combination than bacon and shrimp? Everyone will love this flavorful shrimp recipe while watching the game

23

Low Carb Pizza Bites 

Photo Credit: www.ohsweetmercy.com

These little low carb pizza bites make perfect snacks or party foods. Just cheese, sauce, and your favorite pizza meats and veggies are all you need!

24

Herb and Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms

Photo Credit: veggiedesserts.com

Stuffed mushrooms only take minutes to prep and make a tasty game day appetizer! The creamy filling is full of fresh herbs and garlic, perfect with the soft baked mushrooms.

25

Party Sausages with Honey & Mustard Glaze

Photo Credit: www.joskitchenlarder.com

Simple yet irresistible these Party Sausages with Honey & Mustard Glaze are perfect combination of sweet and salty. Perfect Game Day nibbles!

26

Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Photo Credit: www.mommalew.com

These Sweet and Sour party meatballs are an easy appetizer! Just 3 ingredients and you've got the hit of the party!

27

Ham and Cheese Sliders with Garlic Butter Sauce

Photo Credit: www.sweetteaandthyme.com

Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders are a fun, easy, and crazy delicious freezer-friendly dish that is a hit at get-togethers with adults and kids alike! Use your favorite cheese and type of ham in between soft, sweet Hawaiian rolls then slather on plenty of that amazing garlic butter sauce that is full of great flavor. No one can resist!

28

Philly Cheesesteak Fries 

Photo Credit: girlcarnivore.com

This one is crazy easy and always a hit with our crew - cheesy fries topped with classic cheesesteak fillings.

29

Everything Bagel Pigs in the Blanket

Photo Credit: www.joyousapron.com

A twist to classic Pigs in the Blanket! This Everything Bagel Pigs in the Blanket is a fun game day snack and appetizer!

30

Big Mac Potato Skins 

Photo Credit: cookathomemom.com

These Big Mac Potato Skins have got everything you love in the classic Big Mac, even the special sauce! Seriously, they’re the best healthy appetizer for Super Bowl Sunday or a perfect easy weeknight dinner!

31

Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Nachos

Photo Credit: www.bucketlisttummy.com

This sheet pan sweet potato nachos recipe is an easy vegetarian nachos recipe, great for a quick weeknight dinner or game day. Customize your toppings and include your favorite plant-based options to make these loaded nachos vegetarian.

32

Crispy Seasoned Potatoes for Game Day

Photo Credit: www.mykitchenlove.com

Crispy seasoned potatoes that are perfect for game day! This quintessential Super Bowl recipe is seasoned, crispy, and fun.

33

Slow Cooker Hot Wings & Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

Photo Credit: www.handmadeintheheartland.com

Slow cooker hot wings are the perfect game day snack! So easy and so delicious. Don't forget the blue cheese sauce that everyone loves!

34

Homemade Loaded Baked Potato Chips

Photo Credit: www.saltycanary.com

These Homemade Loaded Baked Potato Chips are so easy to make and so good! They’re a perfect appetizer or snack for game days when you want to serve potato chips, but you’re afraid everyone is going to fill up on chips and spoil the main dish.

Related Posts

out of town: buku
a 2017 recap and reader survey
out of town: the wooden nickel and cleo’s
« slow cooker buffalo turkey meatballs
things to do in bryson city nc: restaurants, hikes activities and more »

Comments

  1. K says

    January 17, 2018 at 9:22 am

    Well now I am excited for the super bowl! Is it wrong that I want to make ALL these recipes?! What a great collection 🙂

    Reply
    • Chrissie says

      January 17, 2018 at 10:15 am

      I know, same Kristen! I am so happy we are having friends over because I think I will make a pretty good dent into this list. 🙂 Yay for food and not so much for football!

      Reply
  2. ELEVATE LIFESTYLE says

    January 25, 2018 at 1:24 am

    For more information about the latest events in Charlotte. Contact us.

    Reply
  3. Kacey Joanette says

    January 29, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    So many delicious recipes! I don’t even know where to start! But hey! I know my weekend will be packed with amazing food 😉

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. four tips to help you throw an easy dinner party (including how to make an instagram worthy cheeseboard) | off the eaten path says:
    April 17, 2018 at 10:20 pm

    […] number one, essential hostessing tip (so essential I repeat it a lot on this blog, especially when it comes to game day recipes) no matter the occasion and no matter the menu, pick something to cook that is either quick, easy, […]

    Reply
  2. loaded grilled nachos | off the eaten path says:
    October 18, 2018 at 8:09 am

    […] know we talk football food a lot here (if you are new around here or got here from a social media link or someone sharing this […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

chrissie off the eaten path blog
Hi! I'm Chrissie: a pizza and sushi loving, craft beer and red wine drinking, restaurant exploring and traveling home cook who's been taking pictures of my food since 2013. To learn more about Off the Eaten Path, click here!

Get in touch: offtheeatenpathclt@gmail.com

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

NEWSLETTER


Find the ultimate cheese and food pairings when you are building your own cheese and charcuterie boards at home with Off the Eaten Path's Perfect Pairings Guide!

FIND ME ON INSTAGRAM

★ GIVEAWAY ★  I’ve teamed up with the incre ★ GIVEAWAY ★ 
I’ve teamed up with the incrediblyyy talented @cosmiccreativ, for a New Year #giveaway!!! Her beautiful hand poured resin pieces are truly outta this world! Her pieces are one of a kind functional art (like charcuterie boards, lazy susans, serving trays & stovecovers) that will add tons of character and charm to your home (her boards are some of my favorites that I own!) Winner gets my cookbook, Stunning Spreads, and this giant hand-poured #charcuterie board featuring rose gold foil & extraaa sparkle 😍

Here’s how to win:

★ Head to @cosmiccreativ's post to get all the juicy details about entering to win (you must be following us both but enter on her post). Contest ends Thursday so click over right now!
★ While you're there, make sure you keep track of when her next batch will be launched, because even if you're not the winner of this giveaway, you're going to want one of her boards in your home.

Contest ends this Thursday evening, 1/21 at 10pm est. Winner will be announced her stories!

#cheeseboard #cheeseboardsofinstagram #cheeseboards #charcuterieboards #resinart #resinartwork #handpouredwithlove #functionalart #supportartists #supportsmallbusiness #cheeselover #grazingboard #cookbooks #cookbookclub #cookbookauthor #stunningspreads #womenownedbusinesses #womenownedbusiness #womensupportingwomen #cheeseboardgoals #custommade #handmade #easyentertaining #giftideas #cheeseplatter #cheeseplatters #cheeseplate
@leah_and_louise is hosting such a creative and de @leah_and_louise is hosting such a creative and delicious event benefiting the Charlotte community today. their pay what you can soup kitchen (with a suggested donation of $20) brought together 16 local chefs to make really freaking good soup with all proceeds benefiting @myhealcharlotte an organization "created to support dialogue and relationship building between urban youth and families, the police, other divisions of government, and community partners." They "strive to engage a diverse group of youth to create stronger neighborhoods and a better city." In the wake of the pandemic, Heal Charlotte is on a mission to provide a safer and healthier living environment for the communities they serve.

We got two orders to go, so we got our choice of four pints plus rolls from @dukesbread to take home. It was SO HARD to pick just four from so many great chefs but we ended up with celery root soup from @chefwhitneythomas, brisket chili from @lewdon4, vegan curry sweet potato soup from @chefccoleman and Virginia peanut stew from @jbarnes757.

If you're jealous of our lunch and dinner today (yes we're eating soup all day) there are a few limited walk up tickets available, so swing by @campnorthend before the event ends at 3pm. I love the kindness and creativity of the Charlotte food community! 

#soupseason #soupweather #soupforthesoul #soupoftheday #soupfordinner #soupfordays #nosoupforyou #cltfood #cltfoodcommunity #charlottefood #charlottenc #charlottecommunity #clt #queencity #givebacktothecommunity #cltfoodie #cltfoodbloggers #mlkday #soupszn #soupbowl #supportlocalrestaurants
Just in time for you to watch the playoffs on your Just in time for you to watch the playoffs on your couch this weekend ( #gopackgo ) I wrote a post all about the best wings in Charlotte 🤗

Local businesses are tagged and  leave a 🐓or 🍗 if you want me to send you the link!

#wings #buffalowings #chickenwings #buffalowing #cltfood #cltfoodie #cltfoodbloggers #cltfoodies #charlottenc #charlottefood #charlotteeats #clteats #eastcoastfoodies #eastcoastfeastcoast #eatclt #ncfoodfinds #ncfood #ncfoodie #northcarolina #northcarolinafood #dinelocal #foodiechats #supportlocalrestaurants #gamedayfood #gamedayready #footballfood #chickenwing #hotwings
hi my friends, lets talk takeout. are you still lo hi my friends, lets talk takeout. are you still looking for local takeout inspiration? we've found that over the past ten months, one of the easiest ways for us to support local restaurants and eat delicious is by ordering takeout once a week (sometimes more if we can't get to the grocery store or don't feel like cooking). our take out routine is a mix of new to us places as well as some tried and true trusty standbys, and I'm going to try to highlight some of our favorite spots more often. (like a #takeouttuesday situation but since I'm not super organized I cannot promise a new post every tuesday!)

it seems very appropriate to kick of this takeout series (whatever you want to call it!) with a classic: pizza! @iniziopizza is one of our favorite restaurants in charlotte and we order from them a lot (confession: we always get two pizzas because we are greedy and don't want to share with each other). while I'm always and forever on team pistachio pesto pizza, we tried their two new seasonal pies this week: the Pizza Di Pera (with cider poached pears, toasted walnuts, fior di latte, buffalo mozzarella, topped with a gorgonzola cream) and Porchetta Pizza (slow roasted Italian porchetta made in house, broccoli rabe, lemon zest, pecorino, fior di latte, buffalo mozzarella, topped with a salsa verde). they were both delish but we agree we can't get enough of that gorgonzola cream 

this is a 🚨free food alert🚨 post. inizio graciously let us take home their new seasonal specials at no cost to us, but as avid pizza lovers we do exercise our wallets a lot at their dilworth location (inizio is included in my best pizza in charlotte post which I just updated you can read on my blog...if you want the link leave a 🍕). and please don't forget to tip, even with take out!

#pizzagram #pizzanight #pizzanapoletana #pizzaporn #pizzalove #pizzaday #pizzaislife #cltpizza #charlottepizza #cltfood #cltfoodie #clteats #charlottenc #queencity #eatlocal #feastagram #eastcoastfeastcoast #charlotteeats #charlottesgotalot #eatclt #pizzatime #ncfoodfinds #ncfood #supportlocalrestaurants #dinelocal #foodiechats
I believe Black Lives Matter. I wear a mask to pr I believe Black Lives Matter.

I wear a mask to protect my family, friends, neighbors and strangers I've never met.

I will get the vaccine when it's my turn.

What happened at the US Capitol yesterday was white supremacy. It’s the same white supremacy that this country was founded on and has plagued the US for centuries. It’s the deep-seated, extremist right-wing ideology that underlies US policing and the Republican Party.

These beliefs are not politics. It’s humanity.
  • privacy policy
  • disclaimers
  • disclosure policy

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

90shares