Tailgate/ Party Food Ideas

Chili can be delicious, but it's important to remember that with chili there's an increased risk of spills and mess, and you need to remember bowls and spoons. And it's harder to transport (not impossible, but more difficult).

I'd stick to handheld choices. Kids tend to run around, and keeping the food choices to simple options that little hands can handle.

Hot dogs are a great choice, and they stay warm in a crockpot for quite a long time. A few bags of buns, ketchup and mustard and relish, and you're done.

Make the corn bread into mini-corn muffins, and again, you'll have a kid-friendly hand held side dish, and eliminate the need for cutting up a large pan of corn bread. You can make a ton of mini corn breads in mini muffin tins (or larger regular muffin tins) a day or two before the party. On the day of the party, just brush the tops with melted butter.

If you like chili and really want to serve it, how about in the form of meatballs? Make meatballs using your favorite chili seasonings (cumin, chili powder, onions) and pile them in a crockpot. Serve with buns, or just have toothpicks for skewering them. If you look up Tex Mex meatballs online there are many recipes.

My opinion is that popcorn would be really messy (a lot would end up on the ground). How about sticking to individual potato chip bags - those large multi-packs of variety-flavored chips that they sell for putting in kids' school lunches would be perfect, and much simpler.

Bring garbage bags, but not a garbage can. Bring duct tape and you can tape the bag to something (a pole, etc). Bring a couple of containers of wet wipes for hands and faces.

Have fun! It sounds like it will be a fun party for your son.

I love to tailgate, but usually this involves multiple fold-out tables, everyone brings their own lawn chair, etc. I'm not so sure about your plan. Here's why.

I think this might be hard food to eat from the back of a jeep, unless there are picnic tables nearby. The hot dogs (brought in a crock pot to keep them hot) would be ok - you can stand and eat them, and the popcorn. Coffee/cider from big thermoses and the cupcakes are ok. But I'm not sure how people are going to eat chili and cornbread standing up. Even if you have chairs, if you don't have a table, chili is not easy to eat.

Honestly, I think I'd go with the big subs and chips, followed by the cupcakes and coffee/cider after. And a cooler of small bottles of water for kids who don't like the cider. Easier to transport and easier to eat without a table.

Definitely at least bring garbage bags, and don't forget lots of napkins. A roll of paper towels in case of a spill. If you go with the hot dogs, you also need all the condiments and tongs for serving them. If you have cornbread, people will look for butter. If you want quick cleanup, I'd get a plastic tablecloth from the dollar store to put down in the back of the jeep. Just throw away when you are done.

I don't think you need to provide ponchos or hot hands. Hopefully people will be smart enough to dress for the weather, whatever it is.

I would do chili in a large crockpot. It will stay hot. Set the whole crockpot in a box so it doesn't slide around. You can always get free boxes at the liquor stores or from the supermarket when they break down cartons.

How many people? You can get a small gas grill for about $20 with a propane canister for less than $5. Probably less at the end of August when stuff goes on clearance. Then cook the dogs there. Take a folding table and set it up at right angles to your Jeep. Instead of a tablecloth, just use a $2 shower curtain liner, especially the kind with magnets on the bottom edge which may cling to the metal in the car. (Yeah, I know there's a lot of plastic in cars now though...) Does your Jeep have a roof rack? You can hang a few long bungee cords off that and hook the dangling hooks to the drawstring of large trash bags so they are down at kid-level but held open and not lying on the ground.. Probably easier than a garbage can.

You can get coffee in big cardboard containers from the coffee place closest to the park. Probably easier than transporting your own in a coffee maker, even the large buffet style urn.

Put condiments in large pump-style containers (all that picnic stuff will be on sale after Labor Day) instead of bottles and those little packets which just make a ton of trash. Pumit utent the cooked hot dogs in a flat foil pan, and put the buns in another - no plastic bags to blow around. Limit utensils to just the spoons for the chili. Get thin wooden coffee stir sticks,t no plastic straws which are not environmentally friendly or recyclable. Plus it's hard to find what they drop in the dark!

Cornbread and popcorn can be served room temp.

You can do subs if you think everyone will like them. For chips, buy a big bag or 3 and put them in a large container so the plastic chip bag isn't blowing all over.

We can get foil pans with lids for about 40-90 cents each at the discount store. If you pre-pack chips, hot dog buns, and maybe some cut-up carrots and other veggies and then pop the lids on, you can stack things easily. To stack things like cupcakes, just put a sheet of cardboard on top of the flimsy lids before you put the next thing on top of it. This is a good use for those cardboard dividers from the liquor store boxes.

Instead of hot hands, I'd get just tell people to bring gloves and hats. I don't see why you need ponchos. I would get glow sticks or glow necklaces for the kids, and get a few flashlight-type head lamps (like what runners and cyclists use) for a few adults. The hands-free aspect is great! Consider an ID necklace (those plastic name badge things that people wear at conferences are great) with the cell phone numbers of the parents or the party hosts make it easy to find lost kids should that happen.

I would do subs and chips. Everyone loves that and it will be easier for you!

I like both ideas (chili or the deli sandwiches and chips). I think the sub & chips might be better for the kiddos. You can still bring the chili to supplement & to warm up the adults.
In the invitations recommend that each person wear warm clothes, hats & gloves.
Then you could bring extra mini gloves for the kids. I buy them at Walmart & the Dollar Store.
You should bring a couple of boxes of those Hot Hands that make your hands warm. They can stick them in their gloves.
You can put the chili in a crockpot & put the crockpot in a big huge clear plastic bin.
I like the idea of putting down a vinyl table cloth in the trunk. Bring garbage bags to make your life easier.
Definitely bring those huge thermoses that caterers use filled with hot chocolate and coffee. Put the condiments in small Tupperware containers: sugar, mini marshmallows, whip cream.
Use an ice chest to transport & contain the containers of cider, hot cocoa. Don't use ice if these items are already hot. It's just a way to hold everything.
Do what you can at home: heat things up etc.
You could take a camping stove if you need to heat things up.
Big containers (plastic bins, ice chests& boxes will be your friends).

We tailgated for years - first with our kids’ marching band and then at their college. You may want to consider bringing a pop up tent, a folding table, and some chairs. If it rains, you’ll be glad for some shelter. Tie trash bags to the posts of your pop up - everyone will know what to do with their trash and it makes clean up so much easier.
To keep chili warm, you can use one of those large orange drink coolers.put hot water in it to get it warm. Dump the water and put the chili in it. Wrap it in a blanket and it will stay warm for hours.
Bring hot water in a drink cooler for cocoa or tea.
You need to be organized - make sure the plates, cups, napkins, and utensils are ready to go. I used a caddy for that.
If you get sub sandwiches, have them cut into “small hand sized” pieces. They are easier to eat and there is far less waste.
Walking tacos were always a hit. Individual Fritos chips are the base. Open the bag, put a little meat in, add the lettuce, tomato, and sour cream on top. Hand them a fork and off they go. No plate required.
Message me if you have questions.