Top Scoring Game Day Snacks

No matter which team you root for, food is something all sports fans can agree on. From cheesy dips to stacked sandwiches and everything doused in Buffalo sauce, good game day snacks are a must. Here are some of our favorite recipes from around the web for football Sundays, game day parties and tailgating foods.

Fun Dips

It wouldn’t be a proper game day party without some dips on the table. From light salsa to rich queso, dips make chips – and football – better.

Taco queso dip (Serious Eats)

Buffalo chicken dip (Frank’s Red Hot)

Guacamole (Alton Brown/Food Network) & Three-Ingredient West Texas Roasted Salsa (Homesick Texan)

Touchdown Chili Recipes

Chili is one of the quintessential game day snacks to have on hand because it’s great for a crowd and so easy to customize. Spicy or mild, loaded with meat or totally meatless, you can use any one of the recipes below as a base to build upon. Serve with soft tortillas, crunchy tortilla chips or cornbread and set up a topping bar with a variety of shredded cheeses, sour cream, limes, diced onions and salsa for your guests to pile on.

Sunday chili (Pinch of Yum)

Veggie chili (The Pioneer Woman)

White chicken chili (Simply Recipes)

Get more chili-making tips and recipes. 

Game Day Nachos

When building the perfect nachos platter, it’s all about layering and choosing a sturdy chip, according to these rules of nacho making from the Bon Appetit test kitchen. To ensure your nachos don’t get soggy, remember to put the shredded cheese on first before adding the other ingredients and baking/broiling to melt.

Buffalo chicken nachos (The Girl Who Ate Everything)

Mexican street corn nachos (Simply Recipes)

If you want to go all out, take on the fully loaded black bean nachos with red and green salsa from Bon Appetit. Or for an easier version of a classic nachos platter that will save you some time, try macho nachos from the food blog I Wash You Dry.

Winning Wings

It’s a fact that mostly everyone loves to have wings when they’re watching the game. Billions of wings are consumed across the country during the Super Bowl alone. There’s just something about eating them that enhances the entire experience. You can’t beat classic Buffalo-style wings, but here are a few more flavors to try if you want to offer more options.

Crispy baked Parmesan chicken wings (Jo Cooks)

Grilled honey chipotle wings (Serious Eats)

One-pot sticky Asian chicken wings (Andrew Zimmern)

More Game Day Snack Recipes

Three more snacks to add to your repertoire. The football-shaped dessert dip is not only an adorable edible centerpiece but absolutely irresistible.

Philly cheesesteak sliders (Delish)

Mini deep-dish pizzas (Damn Delicious)

No-bake peanut butter touchdown dessert dip (Buzzfeed)

Tailgating Foods

Truthfully, all the snacks above are good tailgating food ideas, but the items you pack for your pre-game parking lot spread should be especially simple and portable. Here are some easy tailgating foods to bring to the stadium.

Braised beef brisket (Pioneer Woman) – Make, transport and reheat this recipe all in the same foil pan.

Ham and cheese tailgate sliders (Once Upon a Chef) – You could buy a hero/sub/grinder from the deli, or you can put a little love into it and make these simple sliders ahead of time.

Antipasto skewers (The Sweetest Occasion) – It’s like tortellini salad on a stick!

Looking for even more game day eats? AAA members can save on delicious snacks at Harry & David. 

What are some of your favorite game day snacks recipes? Tell us in the comments!