A time-honored American tradition observed by football fans everywhere, nothing kicks off the fall season better than a tailgate party. Gather together with your friends before the big game to hang out, play games, and eat all sorts of delicious game day foods like ribs, nachos, pizza, and more. But a great tailgate party doesn’t just fall into place; it takes thorough preparation to make it fun, healthy and memorable. Here are our tips to throw the best tailgating event of the season:
1: Proper Preparation
Preparing as much of your food as possible beforehand will make cooking at the party that much easier, and the grub will be ready sooner for everyone to enjoy. So slice up vegetables and form burger patties before the big day and stock up on utensils, trash bags, folding chairs, and everything else that you’ll need. Making sure you have enough of everything ahead of time will help prevent sudden runs to the store to pick up forgotten essentials.
2: Designate a Driver
It’s generally a given that people are going to be drinking at a tailgate party, but when the game is over and the party winds down, it’s important to make sure everyone gets home safely. If you have more people than empty seats in the DD’s vehicle, have the number of a rideshare or taxi service readily available. Tailgating is about having a fun time with friends and celebrating football. Don’t make it an occasion to mourn.
3: Organize Your Coolers
More than likely, you’re going to need more than one cooler, so plan accordingly. Depending on how many coolers you have and the goodies you bring, consider having one cooler for food, one for drinks, and perhaps one just for ice. Tip: tie a bottle opener to the handle of the drinks cooler so that it’s always readily available and no one has to go hunting one down. You can also use an insulated cooler to keep hot foods warm. Wrap a couple unglazed bricks in aluminum foil and heat them up in the oven at 400° for about 45 minutes. Line the bottom of the cooler with some wet towels, lay the wrapped and heated bricks on top, and then cover them with another layer wet towels. This will keep any hot foods you store in the cooler warm for 4-6 hours!
4: Check the Tailgate Site’s Rules
This goes back to the first point of planning ahead, but deserves its own mention because of how important it is. If you get the chance to go check the place out in person, all the better, but at least look online or call ahead to see what their rules are regarding tailgating. Some locations may not allow music, flags, barbecue grills, or games, so find out what’s allowed, stake out your spot, and plan accordingly to avoid any disappointments or conflicts on the day of the big game.
5: Stay Hydrated
No matter what climate you live in, spending all day in the sun cheering, laughing, chatting, playing games, and cooking are sure to leave you dehydrated. Be sure to drink lots of water as the day goes on, especially if you intend to drink alcohol during the party. An easy way to keep your water chilled and tasting fresh is to use a high-quality, shatterproof glass water bottle that you can refill throughout the day. You also avoid having to use disposable plastic water bottles or cups that just end up polluting the environment and leaching BPA when you make the switch to a reusable glass bottle. Have extra watermelon or other fruits lying around at the party? Add them to your water for a fruity splash of flavor that will taste great while keeping you hydrated.
For the month of September, we’re giving away a shatterproof water bottle to two lucky winners. Enter here for a chance to win! You can also save 20 percent on our Glasstic Value 3 Pack for a limited time. Browse our online store for even more savings and specials on shatterproof glass water bottles, available individually or in multipacks for the best value.
