Game day starts long before kickoff. It starts in a parking lot, with a folding table, a cooler that won’t quite close, and a crowd that showed up hungry. We’ve been feeding game day groups since ’68, so we’ve picked up a few things. Here are our favorite tailgate food ideas, how much to bring per person, and how to keep it all hot until the last quarter.
Table of Contents
How Much Food Do You Need for a Tailgate?
Plan on about 1/2 pound of cooked meat per person, plus 2 to 3 sides. Tailgaters graze for hours, so round up, not down.
| Food | Per person | For 20 people |
|---|---|---|
| Pulled pork, chicken or brisket | 1/3 to 1/2 lb cooked | 7 to 10 lbs |
| Ribs | 3 to 4 bones | 5 to 7 full racks |
| Each side dish | 1/2 cup | About 10 cups (2.5 qts) |
| Buns or rolls | 1 to 2 | 2 to 3 dozen |
| Desserts | 1 to 2 pieces | 20 to 40 pieces |
| Drinks | 2 to 3 per hour | Depends on how long you stay |
Serving more than one meat? Cut each amount back a little. Folks will take some of everything, so 1/4 lb of each of two meats goes about as far as 1/2 lb of one.
Tailgate Food Ideas That Travel Well
The best tailgate food holds up in a cooler, eats with one hand, and still tastes good in the third quarter. Here’s what we’d pack.
The main event
- Pulled pork. Pile it on a slider bun, add slaw, done. It reheats like a dream and feeds a crowd for less than almost anything else.
- Ribs. Nothing says “we came to win” like a stack of ribs. Cut them into single bones before you leave so nobody has to wrestle a rack.
- Smoked chicken. Wings and pulled chicken both work. They’re easy to grab and easy to share.
- Brisket. Slice it thin and smokey or sandwiches. It’s the move when you want to impress the next tailgate over.
Sides that hold up
- Mac and cheese. Keep it in a foil pan on the grill so it stays creamy.
- Baked beans. They only get better the longer they sit. Rare for anything at a tailgate.
- Coleslaw. Cool, crunchy and the perfect partner for pulled pork. Keep it in the cooler until serving.
Easy tailgate snacks
- Chips and dip. The classic for a reason. Bring more than you think you need.
- Brisket Burnt Ends. Smoky, saucy, bite-sized brisket that disappears faster than a lead in the fourth quarter.
- Chicken tenders. The one thing the kids, the picky eaters and the guy who “isn’t hungry” will all agree on.
Something sweet
- Banana pudding. Handheld dessert is the best kind of dessert. Just grab a spoon and dig in.
- Cookies or brownies. Pack them in a tin and they’re the perfect sweet treat.
Drinks
- Sweet tea by the gallon. It’s not a Southern-style tailgate without it.
- Lemonade. Mix it half and half with sweet tea for a crowd-pleaser.
- Water. Lots of it. Especially for early-season games in the heat.
How to Keep Tailgate Food Hot (and Safe)
- Pack two coolers. One for drinks, one for food. The drink cooler gets opened every five minutes and won’t stay cold.
- Use an insulated bag for hot food. Wrap foil pans in towels and pack them tight. They’ll hold heat for a couple of hours.
- Keep the grill on low. Set foil pans on the cool side to keep sides and meat warm all game long.
- Serve in small batches. Put out one pan at a time and keep the rest hot or cold until it’s needed.
The Easy Button: Let Sonny’s Cater Your Tailgate
You could wake up at 4 a.m. to fire up the smoker. Or you could sleep in and let us do it.
Sonny’s Catering brings slow-smoked BBQ and all the sides, packed and ready to travel. Pick it up on the way to the stadium and you’re the hero of the parking lot. Nobody has to know you didn’t smoke it yourself. We won’t tell.
- Feeding a big crowd? Order Catering online for pulled pork, ribs, chicken and sides by the pan.
- Smaller group? Grab a Family Meal for an easy meal that feeds the whole crew.
- Earn while you eat. Check in with Sonny’s Rewards on every order and put those points toward your next game day.
Tailgate Food FAQ
What is the best food to bring to a tailgate?
The best tailgate food is easy to eat with one hand and holds up for hours. Pulled pork sliders, ribs, wings, mac and cheese and baked beans are all crowd favorites.
How much food do I need for a tailgate of 20 people?
For 20 people, plan on 7 to 10 pounds of cooked meat, about 2.5 quarts of each side, and 2 to 3 dozen buns.
How long can food sit out at a tailgate?
No more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it’s above 90°F. After that, toss it.
How do you keep food warm at a tailgate?
Wrap foil pans in towels, pack them tightly in an insulated bag or cooler, and keep them on the cool side of a low grill once you’re set up.
What are easy tailgate foods to make ahead?
Pulled pork, baked beans, coleslaw and desserts can all be made the day before. Or skip the prep and pick up BBQ catering on the way.
Closing
Win or lose, nobody remembers the score from a tailgate. They remember who brought the ribs.
Be that person this season. Get Sonny’s catered and spend game day where you belong: in your lawn chair, not over a grill.
