Great Tailgating Snacks for Football Season

The weather may not feel like it, but fall is on the way. And that can only mean one thing, football season is here!

With game day now upon us, it's time to make plans for tailgate parties. While we can't organize your event, we can help by suggesting easy tailgating snacks that are guaranteed crowd-pleasers. Be sure to save the four recipes below for your tailgating get-together.

4 Easy Tailgating Snacks for Game Day

1. Buffalo Chicken Dip

Hot and tangy, buffalo sauce is tamed by cream cheese, blue cheese, and ranch dressing in this buffalo chicken dip recipe. You can serve this tailgating snack with chips, cheese, or mini toasts. For a healthier spin, fresh veggies like celery, cucumber, and carrots are also excellent for dipping!

Recipe borrowed from Frank's RedHot®.

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup hot sauce
• ½ cup ranch dressing
• ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
• Green onions, sliced (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, then spoon the mixture into a small, shallow baking dish.
2. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the mixture is heated through. Stir the dip and sprinkle with green onions, if desired.

2. 7-layer Dip

There may not be a more traditional tailgating snack than 7-layer dip. Both cooling and flavorful, this dip really is the perfect complement to tortilla chips. If you prefer a touch more heat, add pickled or fresh jalapeno peppers to this reliable standard.

Recipe borrowed from Pillsbury.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups sour cream
• 1 package (1 ounce) taco seasoning
• 4 ½ ounces chopped green chiles
• 16 ounces refried beans
• 8 ounces guacamole
• 1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup pico de gallo
• 2 ¼ ounces sliced black olives, drained
• ¼ cup green onions, sliced
• Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

1. Spread the refried beans on a 12- or 14-inch round platter or serving plate.
2. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, taco seasoning, and green chiles. Spread the sour cream mixture over the refried beans.
3. Carefully spread the guacamole on top of the sour cream mixture. Top with cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, olives, and green onions. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

3. Sweet BBQ Meatballs

Meatballs come in all different shapes, sizes, and flavors. From giant Italian meatballs to creamy Swedish meatballs, the possibilities are nearly endless.

When it comes to game day, keep the cooking simple and the flavors bold. These sweet barbecue meatballs will satisfy both. We recommend using frozen meatballs for convenience, but if you opt for fresh meatballs, be sure you fully cook them prior to making the sauce. The crockpot cooking time isn't long enough for raw meat.

Recipe borrowed from Food.com.

Ingredients

• 32 ounces frozen, pre-cooked meatballs
• 18 ounces spicy barbecue sauce
• 9 ounces grape jelly

Directions

1. Combine the barbecue sauce and grape jelly in a slow cooker; stir.
2. Add the meatballs to the sauce mixture; stir.
3. Cook the meatballs on high for 2 ½ hours, or until cooked through.

4. Sugared Spiced Nuts

We'll round out our list of tailgating snacks with a sweet finger food: spiced nuts. With plenty of crunch and a healthy dash of sugar, these flavorful tidbits are great for munching. Be sure you let them cool before serving, or your guests will end up with sticky fingers!

Recipe borrowed from Food.com.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1 ½ cups whole almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the nuts.
3. Add the nuts and stir until completely coated with spice mixture.
4. Spread the nuts evenly onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
5. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
6. Spread on wax paper to cool before serving.

After these recipes, our stomachs are rumbling just thinking about our favorite tailgating snacks. Save these recipes for your next football game, and don't forget to share this post with your fellow fans.

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