Get ready to score big with our crowd-pleasing Game Day Party Food Bars! Whether you’re hosting friends or cheering on your favorite team with family, these easy-to-make recipes are guaranteed to be a touchdown.
So grab your apron, get in the kitchen, and let the game day feasting begin! These game-day party food bar ideas are a fun and easy way to feed a crowd while watching your favorite team play. Get tips for decorating, setting up a foobar, and recipe ideas for the next big game day.
What are game day party food bars?
Party food bars are a great way to serve food through all 4 quarters of the game easily. All the food can be prepared before the party. You can also have the whole food bar set up before guests arrive. They will have the freedom to come and go from the food bar to grab a bite throughout the game. It will be easy for you, just refilling items during commercials if needed. You won’t have to miss a play the whole game.
Tips for building a food bar
PLAN AHEAD: Plan for at least 75% of your foods to be made the day before. Also, don’t try to make everything. It’s ok to buy premade items such as veggie trays and desserts.
SET UP THE SERVING TABLE THE DAY BEFORE: Go ahead and get all the decorations set up the day before. Set out all your serving pieces out and arrange the furniture if you need to.
PLAN FOR HOT AND COLD FOODS: As you set up your table, designate zones for warm foods and another for cold foods. Get extension cords ready. Be sure and tape them to the floor if needed to prevent tripping.
PLAN BACKWARDS: On game day, start setting out dishes by which foods can sit out safely the longest. For example, set out your chips, cut veggies, and baked goods. Also, get your crackpots going so everything is cooked according to schedule. As the time approaches for the party to start, begin setting out foods that should be kept cold or freshly heated.
When it comes to football and food, your guest is most happy with various snacks they can graze on throughout the whole game. Easy to grab and hold foods are perfect since everyone is centered around the tv for the big game. Party food bars are a great way to serve food through all 4 quarters of the game easily.
Start by picking a theme for your food bar. Below are some fun ideas such as a sub bar, Mexican themed bar, healthy football snack bar, chips and dips, and a budget-friendly food bar.
Then fill out your menu page.
Print the shopping list, pull all your recipes, and write down what you will need to buy at the grocery.
Print your countdown checklist and get ready for the party.
Wings party bar
Everyone loves wings and football together. Why not have a competition for all your guest to bring their favorite wings and award prizes for the best tasting, spiciest, most unique flavors?
You might want to pick up some wing food trays for mess-free cleanup.
Baked Firecracker Chicken Wings Recipe
Love spicy & sticky chicken wings? Look no further, this Baked Firecracker Chicken Wings recipe is the perfect spicy Asian wing for any occasion!
Facebook14084TwitterPinterest26354Dill Pickle Chicken Wings will be your new favorite wing! Baked Chicken Wings get a dill pickle twist with pickle brine. The whole family will love these easy baked chicken wings. Is it just me or are Dill Pickles all the rage these days? I mean there are dill pick…
This Game Day Blue Cheese Dip is the ultimate dip for snacking! This creamy Castello® blue cheese dip goes perfectly with Town House® Crackers and veggies!
Get your crockpots ready and fill them with a variety of chili recipes. Serve up a batch of BEER BREAD and plenty of crackers for dipping. You could also ask your guest to bring a crockpot full of their favorite chili recipe. Have a competition and award prizes for best-tasting chili, spices, or most unique recipes. Grab one of these fun Chili Cook-Off Award trophies for the winners.
Wendy’s Chili Recipe
You might think Wendy's has top secret recipes however I am sharing with you an authentic Copycat Wendy's Chili recipe that you can make at home.
Serve your guest this special beer bread to dip in their chili. You can make it ahead, and it’s perfect with a good bowl of chile!
Quick & Easy Beer Bread
This easy beer bread recipe has a sweet chewy crust on the outside and a soft, scrumptious yeasty inside, this beer bread is a crowd-pleaser. In just 10 minutes, you can whip up a batch and pop it in the oven, making it a perfect choice for busy schedules or impromptu gatherings.
Authentic Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili (Skyline copycat)
This homemade copycat recipe for authentic tasting Instant Pot Cincinnati chile will become a quick and easy family favorite. The sweet and savory sauce is spiced with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, garlic all infused with beef hamburger and tomato sauce.
Instant Pot Turkey Chili is a protein packed, healthy chili. This cooks quickly in the pressure cooker and is great for game day or family meals. It also freezes nicely for later!
The Best Copycat Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe is a thick Texas-style chili filled with traditional smoky chili seasonings, a touch of heat then topped with cheddar cheese and red onions. It’s a homemade hearty meal your whole family will enjoy as a favorite a cold winter night.
Healthy game day food
You don’t have to give up healthy food choices when creating a healthy game-day food bar. Rework traditional football food recipes with a healthy twist. Opt for an air fryer vs. a deep fat fry. You can also substitute high-fat meats for veggies such as these buffalo cauliflower bites.
Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms are a perfect appetizer for your next party, full of garlic, toasted pecans, sundried tomatoes, spinach, and then topped with a citrus basil dressing. They are easy to make and you can make them ahead then bake just before a party.
These vegan sloppy joes are the perfect addition to your vegan sandwich collection! Satisfy your craving for classic comfort food with a healthy twist.
BBQ Roasted Chickpeas recipe is a simple to make a healthy snack, full of sweet bbq flavor and the best part is they are protein packed, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free!
Low-Fat Buffalo Cauliflower | The Essential Vegan Air Fryer – Seven Roses
Author: Tess Challis / The Essential Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook. This Low-Fat Buffalo Cauliflower recipe from The Essential Vegan Air Fryer cookbook is a fun and healthier meatless alternative to a classic American dish, Buffalo wings. Fully loaded with awesome flavors, it’s quick and easy to prepar…
Everyone loves a Mexican-themed party! Setting up a Mexican bar for the big game will make everyone happy. To really make it a fiesta, try these Easy Mexican Party Theme Ideas and Recipes. Your friends and family will be raving how clever you are for throwing such a great party!
Cheesy refried bean dip — Living Lou
Looking for a deliciously simple dip recipe? Our yummy Cheesy Refried Bean Dip couldn’t be easier to make. Best of all, it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser!
The Best Walking Taco Recipe: How to Make A Taco in a Bag
Learn how to create Walking Tacos for your next party! If you’ve never had a Taco in a Bag, you’re missing all the fun. Bag Tacos never looked so good!
Use leftover shredded beef brisket to make these easy but insanely delicious BBQ brisket nachos. Great as a party appetizer or dinner & easy to customize!
This green salsa recipe without tomatillos is an easy recipe made with fresh ingredients such as tart green tomatoes, onions, chilis, garlic, and lime. This green sauce is perfect for all Mexican food types, such as tortilla chips or tacos. You will never want to buy salsa Verda in your grocery store again.
Nacho Casserole has layers of classic nacho ingredients layered between tortilla chips or Doritos smothered in a creamy beef and cheese sauce that creates a delicious and easy dinner.
It’s quick and easy to learn how to make this Spicy Pico de Gallo using simple fresh ingredients. Pico De Gallo is a low-calorie condiment that adds a punch of authentic Mexican flavor to just about any Mexican meal.
Looking for a light and easy snack bar idea that is easy to make the day before the party? Try a dips and chips bar. Serve a variety of dips, then add chips, crackers, or pieces of bread.
Roasted Red Pepper Spread
Roasted Red Pepper Spread is a delightfully sweet, Mediterranean flavored roasted red pepper and tomato spread that can be used as a dip for naan bread, a sauce for pizza and pasta, or a sandwich spread.
Creamy Sausage Dip — feeds a crowd, everyone LOVES it!
My favorite chip dip of all time: this sausage dip is one you can count on! This spicy dip is highly addicting and loved by everyone! It’s the perfect appetizer and chip dip for game day or parties!
Cauliflower Hummus has a creamy nutty flavor, with hints of roasted garlic, cumin, and sesame. It is a nutritious snack that is paleo, keto, and vegan.
Beer Cheese Dip is warm, gooey, and so easy to make at home from scratch in 15 minutes! This beer cheese is perfect with soft pretzels, chips or veggies!
This buffalo chicken dip is super easy and tastes amazing! It’s loaded with cream cheese, ranch, buffalo sauce, and chicken; then topped with blue cheese!
This bar is really easy to create. Fill small canning jars with condiments and some bowls with relish, slaw, and sauerkraut. Fill a crockpot full of chili to serve over the hotdogs. Then get a variety of chips your everyone will enjoy. Grill your hotdogs and sausage dogs before guests arrive. Place them in a warm crockpot with a 1/2 cup of water at the bottom. They will stay warm through the whole game if they last that long. Get some Red Checker Paper Hot Dog Trays for easy serving and clean up.
Easy Hot Dog Chili
If you love hot dogs, you have to try this Easy Hot Dog Chili which comes together in a flash. It’s great on loaded fries and nachos too!
Wisconsin Beer Brats. Simmered in beer and onion, grilled, and served slathered in sauerkraut and mustard. Perfect for game day. #brats #grilling #footballfood #tailgating #superbowlfood
Brat Bites with Spicy Mustard Dipping Sauce are perfect to serve at home for the game, or portable for a tailgate at the stadium. Delicious brats wrapped in pastry, baked, sliced, and dipped in a creamy spicy mustard.
An Italian party food bar would be a unique idea. Grab some Fun Shaped Football & Helmet Noodles and serve with your favorite pasta sauce. What a fun idea!
Italian Cheesy Pull Apart Bread
Crazy good and addictive this Italian Cheesy Pull Apart Bread is sure to be a crowd pleaser. The loaf is filled with a buttery garlic, pesto and Italian herb mixture then generously stuffed with mozzarella cheese to create each perfect bite for this pull apart Italian bread.
An easy Italian stromboli recipe made with refrigerated pizza dough and Italian cold cuts. Stuffed with provolone, salami, pepperoni and ham and baked.
Here are recipes that can all be made the day before the big game. Some will need to be heated just before your guests arrive.
These shooters would also be fun to serve in the Red Solo Shot Cupsfor easy cleanup.
Bloody Mary Shooters with Shrimp or Oysters – The Art of Food and Wine
Bloody Mary Shooters, garnished with shrimp or oysters, are quick and delicious for a party. Make homemade Bloody Mary Mix and top with leafy celery stalks.
This is an easy, make ahead, perfect for a crowd, appetizer for a big football game. The Game Day Cheese Plate recipe has plenty of charcuterie, cheese and spice to be the hit of your next football party and is the ultimate finger food.
My longtime love for spicy food has led me to make these easy stuffed jalapenos over the years. If you are the type of person who loves a little bit of spice, who asks for that side of tabasco at a…
The air fryer cooks Pork Belly Bites into perfect little morsels of deliciousness. Serve them as finger food at a party or as movie night snacks that the whole family will love.
Bite-size finger food snacks are a great way to feed a crowd. Fill your food bar with plenty of plates and bowls because everyone will be coming back over and over for these creative snacks.
Maple Glazed Popcorn
Maple Glazed Popcorn is an addictive treat with a naturally sweet buttery maple glaze made with maple syrup, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Ok, this recipe might be a little strange to some, but southerners know a great way to cook peanuts is to boil them. I like canning my own, but you can also do a stovetop method or buy them already cooked in a can in your peanut isle.
Canned Boiled Peanuts: Step-By-Step Guide
Canned boiled peanuts are a salty southern treat that are easy to can. If you are from the south you know that summer brings boiled peanut stands, selling warm salty goodness in a paper bag. Canning your own at home is easy and makes for a great snack all year long.
Mac and Cheese Balls make a tasty side dish, appetizer or finger food! All the great taste of macaroni cheese, but in crispy bites. You’ll love this recipe.
Sweet & Spicy Roasted Cashews are a delightful appetizer, snack or gift to give that is quick and easy to make. The best part is these cashew nuts are good for you, gluten-free and vegan.
Keep it easy on yourself by using a crockpot to do all the cooking and serving in. Get some extension cords ready and ask everyone to bring their favorite crockpot snack. Your meal will stay warm even if the game goes into overtime.
This slow cooker vegan chili recipe is a vegan twist on this classic comfort food that makes for a healthy dinner packed with nutrients brimming with flavor
