football food favorites: 34 easy and delicious appetizer recipes for game day (2024)

Score a touchdown at your next tailgate, football watch from home, or game day party with these football food favorites your whole team will love.

These tried and true appetizer recipes are some of my favorites that will help make game day party planning and prepping a breeze and will be a hit with all of your guests!

Happy fall!

It’s finally time for all of my favorite fall things like a whiskey apple cider co*cktail and easy pumpkin waffles and pumpkin beer and caramel apple pie and fires in the backyard and my especially my favorite fall thing:

Football!

I grew up in a world where Sundays throughout the fall and winter were football days.

Weekly, my family would gather in the living room and cheer on (ok more like screaming) our favorite team (the one’s from Wisconsin wearing the green and gold). Sometimes we’d get so invested in big plays that my sister would end up hiding in the bathroom until the hail mary was caught or the field goal was made.

While I always looked forward to our family watch parties to hang out with my family and cheer on our team, I can’t lie that I also looked forward to Sundays for spread of our football food favorites: snacks and appetizers to munch on for four quarters.

My love for football Sundays (snacks and apps included) carried on throughout college and law school. In college, I lived just down the street from my aunt and uncle and would go over there on Sundays for Packer Parties, complete with green and gold decor and tons of delicious football food.

I was also lucky enough to be just down the road (sort of) from the stadium in Green Bay, so got the chance to cheer on my team in person. Pre-game tailgates included lots of Wisconsin beer and you guessed it: lots of food including the best beer boiled brats.

In law school, my roommate and I were too cheap to pay for cable, so we’d find ourselves at a local bar on Sundays splitting a plate of nachos and yelling at the TV.

AJ and I have carried on the Sunday football tradition in our house which usually means camping out on the couch for the entire day with a football food spread on the coffee table.

And our favorite way to enjoy football from home this season is to invite my parents over (they just moved to Charlotte!) set up the TV in the backyard and make an epic spread of our football food favorites to munch on.

Football watching of any kind definitely has to involve food!

And if you’re looking for the perfect appetizer recipe to bring to abring to a fall tailgate, to cook up while you watch football at home, or you really, really just like snacks more than football, you are in the right place!

PS: these game day appetizers is they pair perfectly with an ice cold beer, or you can take them to the next level with a Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar at your tailgate or game watch party at home!

(And of course, if you’d prefer not to cook on game day, order a pizza from one of the restaurants serving the best pizza in Charlotte, or check out where to get some of the best wings in Charlotte!)

Easy and Delicious Game Day Appetizer Recipes: 34 of our Football Food Favorites

Appetizers are one of my favorite food groups. Not only does appetizer dining offer you, your guests, and your family a variety of bites and a tastes, they can be quite filling if you serve enough. Plus, when it comes to football food, I want to serve easy and delicious food that can be prepped and made ahead of time, so I can spend more time with my guests watching the game and cheering on my team than stuck in the kitchen cooking.

Make these football food favorites before kickoff and just leave them out for guests to munch on during all four quarters!

aunt julie's pepperoni bread

Aunt Julie's pepperoni bread makes and appearance at every game day party in our house. It's a tradition!

crockpot buffalo turkey meatballs

These slow cooker buffalo turkey meatballs have all of the flavors of classic hot buffalo wings but are less messy and easier to make for a crowd.

coca-cola hot wings

If you want to go classic (even if it is messy), Coca-Cola hot wings are baked and tossed in a delicious spicy sauce.

roasted jalapeno poppers

These poppers re my most popular blog post every so you should probably make these for your game day party because people apparently love jalapenos and cheese.

crab stuffed baked jalapeno poppers

And if you're looking for a more creative spin on the classic popper...think about adding crab. Crab stuff poppers are sure to be a hit on game day!

jalapeno pimento cheese

Speaking of jalapenos and cheese, another football food favorite is a big batch of jalapeno pimentno cheese, served with some crackers, chips, carrots and celery for dipping.

pimento cheese deviled eggs

Pimento cheese can do double duty with a batch of these Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs.

beer cheese fondue

And since we're talking about cheese, Beer Cheese Fondue is party perfect in a slow cooker with some bread and apples for dipping.

Grilled Brie Two Ways

Another more cheese recipe because everyone loves cheese. Grilled Brie is a delicious (and faster) spin on the classic baked version.

how to make a cheese platter

More cheese please! I love throwing together a simple cheese and charcuterie board for game day featuring a variety of different cheeses, meats and seasonal fruits and veggies. This posts gives you all the details on how to put one together yourself!

devils on horseback

Devils on Horseback (or bacon wrapped dates) are easy to make ahead of time and then set out in a bowl before guests arrive for kickoff.

simple guacamole

Guacamole is a classic party snack and perfect for game day. I mean, have you ever been to a party that didn't have guac?

loaded grilled nachos

And since you're going to need something to dip into that guac, what about a big pan full of loaded grilled nachos for sharing?

LOADED Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Photo Credit:twohealthykitchens.com

Way beyond typical buffalo cauliflower appetizers, this version is piled sky-high with extra flavors - and it takes just 5 minutes of prep work (with no messy batter)!

Bratwurst Appetizer Bites

Photo Credit:www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

Easy Bratwurst Appetizer Bites are just the thing to serve during a party or for game day. They’re also super simple to make and everybody loves them! SCORE!

Sloppy Joe Tot-Chos

Photo Credit:sweetpealifestyle.com

Sloppy Joe Tot-Chos is the ultimate appetizer for any tailgate party! Rich sloppy joe sauce is ladled over crispy tater-tots, then slathered with pimento cheese!

Air Fryer Egg Rolls

Photo Credit:recipesfromapantry.com

Packed full of ground chicken, garlic, ginger, cabbage, and a few more ingredients, these affordable Air Fryer Egg Rolls are so incredible. Serve them at your next game night, dinner party, as an appetizer, or as easy party food. Or keep them all to yourself for a delicious snack.

Healthy Mexican Stuffed Mushrooms with Cilantro Ranch

Photo Credit:beyondmeresustenance.com

Healthy Mexican Stuffed Mushrooms with Cilantro Ranch are a take on a classic stuffed mushroom with Mexican flavors. This healthy Mexican appetizer combines (Mexican) chorizo with ground turkey, cotija queso, egg, and a stale tortilla binder. Perfect as a starter or finger food for game day!

Cheesy Pigs in a Blanket

Photo Credit:www.megseverydayindulgence.com

These Cheesy Pigs in a Blanket are super simple to make and always the hit of the party.

Game Day Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes

Photo Credit:www.cupcakeproject.com

Buffalo chicken cupcakes are perfect for any football party. They’re made with hot sauce and blue cheese and taste phenomenal!

Cheesy Herbed Garlic Bread

Photo Credit:www.livinglou.com

Cheesy herbed garlic bread is the perfect appetizer for a crowd, with mozzarella, cheddar, green onions, garlic and parsley.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp in Air Fryer

Photo Credit:www.findingzest.com

Bacon wrapped shrimp is the perfect game day snack! What is a better combination than bacon and shrimp? Everyone will love this flavorful shrimp recipe while watching the game

Low Carb Pizza Bites

Photo Credit:www.ohsweetmercy.com

These little low carb pizza bites make perfect snacks or party foods. Just cheese, sauce, and your favorite pizza meats and veggies are all you need!

Herb and Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms

Photo Credit:veggiedesserts.com

Stuffed mushrooms only take minutes to prep and make a tasty game day appetizer! The creamy filling is full of fresh herbs and garlic, perfect with the soft baked mushrooms.

Party Sausages with Honey & Mustard Glaze

Photo Credit:www.joskitchenlarder.com

Simple yet irresistible these Party Sausages with Honey & Mustard Glaze are perfect combination of sweet and salty. Perfect Game Day nibbles!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Photo Credit:www.mommalew.com

These Sweet and Sour party meatballs are an easy appetizer! Just 3 ingredients and you've got the hit of the party!

Ham and Cheese Sliders with Garlic Butter Sauce

Photo Credit:www.sweetteaandthyme.com

Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders are a fun, easy, and crazy delicious freezer-friendly dish that is a hit at get-togethers with adults and kids alike! Use your favorite cheese and type of ham in between soft, sweet Hawaiian rolls then slather on plenty of that amazing garlic butter sauce that is full of great flavor. No one can resist!