Football Sunday…it’s like Christmas morning once a week for a football fan. I love all of the food, drinks, hard hits, and of course Erin Andrews. What more can you say about Football Sunday except that it’s easily one of the best days of the week during fall.
I can’t imagine sitting down to watch football without having some delicious food to enjoy during the games. Pizza and wings on the couch are great most of the time, but every so often, a thought will hit you…I should throw a party for the game. I will make a bunch of great food (or maybe get some help from your significant other), I will have plenty of drinks, and I will get the surround sound hooked up. This will be AWESOME.
One misstep some hosts or hostesses make is not identifying what kind of party you want your guests to remember. Surely you don’t want them going to work the next day saying “Hi insert coworkers name here, my friend had a party. It was cool, hotdogs, burgers, the usual”. You want them to say “OH MY GOD my friend threw the best party. We had chocolate covered strawberry footballs and they even built a stadium…OUT OF SNACKS.” Now, as someone who committed to way too many fantasy leagues this year and is laser focused on Sundays, I will not be preparing awesome snacks for a game day. But if I were, I would definitely be using these recipes below.
11. Buffalo Chicken Dip
Photo Credit: Frenchs.com
Buffalo chicken dip might seem a little plain. But who doesn’t love it? It’s a
great dish to fill people up, easy to make, and relatively inexpensive ingredient wise. My go-to recipe is from Franks Red hot. I have made this dip on numerous occasions and it is always a crowd pleaser.
Get this recipe here: https://www.franksredhot.com/recipes/franks-redhot-buffalo-chicken-dip-RE1242
10. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Footballs
Photo Credit: Tablespoon.com
For the Pinterest obsessed people such as me, this is a cute, fun dish I found one day while browsing. What could be easier than dipping strawberries in some melted chocolate (YUM) then taking a little icing and drawing laces? This will easily satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth and cover your dessert quota for the day.
Get this recipe here: https://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/chocolate-covered-strawberry-footballs/97ea47ad-8d17-48ff-9662-0d7fec5ad81b
9. Oven “Fried” Pickles
Photo Credit: Seedatthetable.com
I am someone who cooks pretty often and I don’t even have the tools to fry something in oil (nor the skill). Luckily, oven “fried” pickles is the next best thing. It is a little bit healthier than frying while still giving that crispy, crunchy outside bite. Pair it with a tangy dipping sauce and your guests won’t even know the difference.
Get this recipe here: https://www.seededatthetable.com/2011/10/07/oven-fried-pickles/
8. Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Quinoa Bites
Photo Credit: Melskitchencafe.com
More likely than not, you are going to invite someone who is “on a diet” or is only “clean eating”. This dish will definitely satisfy that person. Quinoa can actually be really delicious with the right seasoning and obviously adding cheese to anything makes it better. To make it easier, you even bake these in a cupcake pan so no messy quinoa grains all over the place.
Get this recipe here: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/cheesy-ham-and-broccoli-quinoa-bites/
7. Macaroni and Cheese Bites
Photo Credit: Thecomfortofcooking.com
I love Mac and Cheese. No really, I am bordering on obsessive regarding Mac and Cheese. While making a huge pot of mac and cheese would definitely work, this recipe takes the flavor a bit further and makes it a finger food. Less plastic utensils and less mess always makes a party easier.
Get this recipe here: https://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2012/02/roasted-vegetable-macaroni-cheese-cups.html
6. Baked Buffalo Wings
Photo Credit: Thecomfortofcooking.com
As you know wings are a game day staple. As someone who loves extra spicy dishes though, this recipe is a great way to ensure the wings the perfect amount of spice. I like the fact that you can change up the sauce if you wanted, add honey, add BBQ sauce, add whatever you want!
Get this recipe here: https://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2011/02/baked-buffalo-wings.html
5. Walking Tacos
Photo Credit: Blog.goodsmiths.com
When I was in elementary school, they used to have “Frito tacos” on Fridays. Until now, I never realized what a genius idea it was to put ground beef and other delicious taco toppings into a bag of Fritos and eat with a fork. This recipe however, is even better. Doritos are always a great party snack and it puts a fun twist on chips rather than just having an open bag sitting there.
Get this recipe here: https://blog.goodsmiths.com/2013/09/09/walking-tacos-the-perfect-tailgating-recipe/
4. Pizza in a Blanket
Photo Credit: Bos-bowl.com
This recipe is a fun play off of pigs in a blanket. While PIB will always work, this is just as simple and will steer you away from a “typical” football Sunday party. Serve with marinara dipping sauce and you will be good to go.
3. Cheesy Chip Dip
Photo Credit: Athriftymom.com
More than one dip at a party is necessary and this recipe is quick and simple. Just like the buffalo chicken dip, you will fill people up and can easily make more if you run out.
Get this recipe here: https://athriftymom.com/cheesy-chip-dip-the-easiest-chip-dip-you-will-ever-make-dip-recipe/
2. BBQ Chicken Nachos
Photo Credit: Itsalwaysautumn.com
This recipe isn’t necessarily the quickest but it is really delicious. If you have time to use a crockpot and follow the directions precisely then go for it. If not, they will still be good even if you just boiled the chicken and shredded it.
Get this recipe here: https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/2014/01/12/big-game-appetizer-blog-hop-huge-giveaway.html
1. Snack Stadium/Snack-adium
Photo Credit: Goodhousekeeping.com
This snack idea is not for the faint of heart- building a stadium out of only snack food. I have seen this all over the place and I have no doubt in my mind it would make your party the best anyone has ever been to. Some people just use toothpicks and build from there; others who are handier have actually built the foundation with wood of some kind. Either way this is a sure fire win for you. The recipe below is a very simple version of the snack-adium but feel free to try a much more elaborate set up.
Get this recipe here: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/research-institute/superbowl-snack-stadium
