Last updated on January 20th, 2021 at 07:32 am
Whether it’s your first time tailgating or even your 100th, some classic tailgate dishes are just meant to be. Check out our list of typical tailgate food to nail down an awesome menu for your next tailgating party.
If it’s your first tailgate, you should really check out our Tailgating Checklist post with Essentials for Game Day.
It’s the exact list we use before every Philadelphia Eagles tailgate we host!
So save that for later, but for now, let’s get on with the tailgating menu planning!
Typical Tailgate Food Ideas
These are some of the most popular foods to bring to a tailgate party!
(Be sure to collaborate with others so you can divide and conquer the menu once you decide what you want to eat.)
Popular Tailgate Entrees
- Burgers
- Cheese Steaks
- Hotdogs
- Grilled Italian Sausages
- Stromboli
- Tailgate Chili
- Meatball subs
- Hoagies (Heroes, Subs, whatever you call ’em!)
- Pulled Pork
- Tomato Pie
- Grilled Chicken Skewers
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches with Gravy
- Hot Turkey Sandwiches with Gravy
- Smoked Brisket
- Hot Ham Sandwiches
- Barbecue Kielbasa
- Fried Chicken Tenders
- Full Pig Roast
Typical Tailgate Sides and Appetizers
- Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
- Baked Beans
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Veggie Tray
- Pigs in a Blanket, Football Style
- Hot Wings
- Soft Pretzels
- Nachos
- Meat & Cheese Board with Crackers
- Walking Tacos
- Pasta Salad
- Potato Salad
- Chopped Salad
- Guacamole
- Taco Dip
- Roasted Potato Wedges
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Pepperoni Cream Cheese Rollups
- Pickle Platter (don’t forget the pickle juice!)
Delicious Tailgating Desserts
- Football Cookies
- Brownies
- Football Rice Krispie Treats
- Candy Bar
- Cinnamon Buns
- Donuts
- Tailgate Cupcakes
- Grilled S’mores
- Candied Bacon
- Cheesecake
- Mini Brownie Bites
- S’mores Dip
- Football Cake Pops
- Lemon Bars
- Munchkins Donut Holes
- Fruit Platter with Marshmallow Cream Dip
- Football Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Any of these typical tailgate food ideas would be great for your latest tailgate. If it’s your first time tailgating, don’t feel that you need to go overboard.
(I always do and usually regret it come 2 or 3 a.m. when I still haven’t crawled into bed yet.)
Sleep is an important part of your pregame – trust me!
(I also recommend not getting totally trashed the night at Korean Karaoke the night before a tailgate.) But that is a story for a different day…
Speaking of, Don’t Forget the Drinks!
Beer and Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey are staples at our Philadelphia Eagles tailgates. You may also enjoy trying something new, like Hard Cider Cocktails or just plain Blake’s Hard Cider.
I hope this list of typical tailgate food ideas helps you to plan your menu for your next tailgate!
And please do me a favor – drop me a line in the comments below and let me know what you decided on! I am super curious, but beyond that, it will help me to make sure I produce more of the content that you care about. ❤️
Happy Tailgating!