Football season is right around the corner, which means there’s one thing on everyone’s mind: food. Anyone who has ever gone to a college football game or a Superbowl watch party knows that the snacks are almost as important as the game itself. Whether it’s tailgating before a game or having all the neighbors over to watch it on TV, it’s not a football party without an abundance of good grub. Between finger foods, dips, appetizers and desserts, there’s no reason anyone should ever watch a football game on an empty stomach. 

Buffalo chicken dip

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes 

Servings: 12-15

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast tenders

One bottle of Frank’s RedHot sauce

4 tablespoons of butter

2 teaspoons of molasses

Blue cheese crumbles (optional, add to taste)

Directions

Step one

Bake chicken at 350 F for 20 minutes or until done all the way through. Let cool and shred finely into a large bowl.

Step two

Melt butter with molasses and add to the chicken. Stir in hot sauce until the dip reaches the desired consistency. 

Step three

Serve the dip hot with pita chips, tortilla chips, toasted baguette slices or crackers. 

Ham and cheese sliders

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 pack of Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (12 rolls total)

¾ pound cooked deli ham

¾ pound Swiss cheese

1 stick of melted butter

1 tablespoon of dijon mustard

1 tablespoon of poppy seeds

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce

Pinch of kosher salt

Pinch of black pepper

Directions

Step one 

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. 

Step two 

Being careful not to separate the rolls just yet, take a long knife, and cut through the middle of all of the rolls at once. The result should be two large pieces of bread that resemble hamburger buns. 

Step three

Place the bottom half of the rolls in the pan. Layer the ham on top of the rolls, making sure it’s even. Then, layer the Swiss cheese on top of the ham in the same fashion. Continue layering the rest of the ham and cheese this way. Once done, lay the top half of the rolls on the ham and cheese. 

Step four

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, add the dijon mustard, poppy seeds, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and stir. 

Step five

Slowly pour the butter mixture over the rolls, being sure to coat each of them evenly. Use a rubber spatula to spread over the rolls if needed.

Step six

Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Let the rolls cool for 20 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue baking until the rolls begin to brown on top. 

Step seven

Cut the sliders apart and serve warm. If desired, add other ingredients such as lettuce, tomatoes or crispy onions. 

Spinach artichoke dip

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Servings: 5-7

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh spinach leaves

3 artichoke hearts, chopped (fresh or canned)

1 block (8 ounces) of cream cheese, softened

¼ cup of sour cream

¼ cup of mayonnaise 

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 cup of parmesan cheese, shredded

⅔ cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded

Pinch of black pepper

Directions

Step one

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a medium-sized baking dish with cooking spray. 

Step two

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, parmesan, mozzarella and pepper. Stir until well combined.

Step three

Add spinach leaves and chopped artichoke hearts. Spread the mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is warmed through. 

Step four

Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, pita chips or toasted baguette slices. 

Potato salad 

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Servings: 12-15

Ingredients

5 pounds of potatoes, diced 

½ pound of bacon

6 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and sliced

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups mayonnaise 

½ cup diced dill pickles

Half of a red onion, minced

¼ cup vinegar

¼ cup yellow mustard (optional)

Directions

Step one

Place diced potatoes and eggs into a large pot with just enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes reach desired tenderness. Drain the water.

Step two

Cook the bacon and crumble into bits. 

Step three

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, eggs, bacon, cheese, pickles and onion. Slowly fold in mayonnaise and vinegar until the desired consistency is reached. Add in yellow mustard.

Step four

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. This potato salad pairs well with tailgating staples such as hamburgers and hotdogs. 

Fruit salad waffle cones

Prep time: 15 minutes

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients

¼ cup of honey

¼ cup of orange juice

¾ cup raspberries

¾ cup blueberries

¾ cup blackberries

2 cups strawberries, quartered

2 kiwis, peeled and sliced

1 orange, peeled

1 cup of pineapple chunks

1 ½ cup grapes, halved 

1 banana, sliced

2 10-count packs of waffle cone bowls

Directions

Step one

Combine honey and orange juice in a small bowl. In a large bowl, toss all the fruits together until they’re mixed well. Pour the honey and orange juice dressing over the fruit. 

Step two

Serve the fruit salad in waffle cone bowls. Top with whipped cream if desired. Feel free to substitute any of the fruits and play around with this recipe!

White chocolate Chex Mix

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Servings: 10-12

Ingredients

2 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal

2 cups Chex cereal (rice or corn)

1 cup lightly salted popcorn

1 cup lightly salted peanuts

1 bag of pretzels

2 ½ cups of M&Ms

2 packs of white chocolate melting chips (24 ounces)

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Directions

Step one

In a large bowl, combine Cap’n Crunch, Chex, popcorn, peanuts, pretzels and M&Ms. Toss until mixed well. 

Step two

Place white chocolate melting chips and vegetable oil in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between until completely melted. 

Step three

Slowly pour the melted white chocolate over the ingredients in the large bowl. Stir gently with a rubber spatula to coat the mixture evenly. 

Step four

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the Chex Mix evenly over the baking sheets, and let it sit for about an hour or until it hardens. Once it’s set, break apart the Chex Mix into medium-sized pieces and serve. 

Cheerwine punch

Prep time: 5 minutes

Servings: 10-12

Ingredients

2 liters of Cheerwine

1 liter of ginger ale

5 ¾ cups of pineapple juice

1 scoop lime sherbet (optional)

Directions

Step one

Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl and stir. Punch is best served chilled, over ice or with a scoop of lime sherbert. If desired, add pineapple slices and cherries to the punch.