Thursday Tailgate Tip: Bring a Pan and Some Pre-Made Heat-Up Foods

Who doesn’t love to head over to the stadium for a little tailgate action? Even if you don’t have tickets to the game, you can’t beat that awesome tailgating atmosphere. Every Thursday, BCS Frenzy is proud to bring you the Tailgate Tip of the Week. Feel free to send in your own tips or tailgating pictures, and I’ll post ‘em!

Mmm…the smell of burgers, hot dogs, and sausage fills the air of every good tailgate. The problem with that is…well…I only smell burgers, hot dogs, and sausage. Yes, there are some high-end ‘gaters that grill up steaks and a few drunken college kids that just have a buffet of chips and pretzels because they don’t have a grill, but overwhelmingly, the staples of the bun rule. And while that’s great, you can really take your tailgating experience to the next level with some awesome different foods.

Making stuff on the grill is hard. So here’s my suggestion: Find things that you can make rather easily ahead of time and then heat up in a pan over the grill for the game. For example, make little ham and cheese bites with just some lunch meat and dough (Pillsbury or any brand in the pop-can works great). Bake ‘em in the oven for awhile and then heat them up for your tailgate.

Or why not try making things on a stick? You can grill all sorts of meats and veggies and then create a buffet table with everything in different piles. Whether someone wants a snack, all they have to do it skewer the items they want and pop the whole thing back on the grill for a few minutes to reheat. It’s a great way to personalize a snack.

This is my tailgate tip today because good food brings good people together. The tailgate is all about making new friends, so as people walk by, comment on the player’s jersey they’re wearing, shake their hands, and offer them something to eat. Game day is the one day that a parking lot full of strangers can come together with something in common – the all-out love for their team!