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Who’s ready for Game Day?! Honestly, not this girl– I’m still a little bitter about the Chiefs losing. In the semifinals… in OT… by three points. That’s what’s great about the big game, though, right?! Only a handful of people actually care about the game, and the rest of us are only in it for the food and the halftime show. So, even though my heart is broken (and I’m still working through some conspiracy theories in my head), I wanted to share some comforting game day food recipes with y’all in today’s post. Keep reading for all my favorite game day appetizers and game day desserts!
You can also take a quick peek at my Game Day snack spread by clicking play on the TikTok video below!
@stephanieziajka #ad Who’s ready for #GameDay ?! 🏈 Ordered everything I needed for this big game snack spread from @Hy-Vee! Link in bio to shop! [AD] #hyveegameday #hyvee ♬ Swing Soon – Zero3 Music
Game Day Appetizers
Game day isn’t game day without lots of appetizers. Here are four of my go-to game day appetizers–
1. Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Crostinis
This baked spinach artichoke dip is to DIE for! I make it with crostinis, and it’s always the first thing to go. It can also be made the night before, too, which is always helpful when you’re preparing lots of different game day food.
Get the baked spinach dip recipe here!
2. Bourbon Pulled Pork Sliders with Homemade Coleslaw
I make these bourbon pulled pork sliders for Derby Day every year, and I decided to add a few twists (and by twists I mean homemade coleslaw and pickle chips) to turn them into game day appetizers, too.
Get the easy pulled pork sliders recipe here!
I also created my own coleslaw recipe for the pulled pork sliders, and it’s pretty dang yummy, too. Highly recommend scooping some on and then topping everything off with a few spicy maple bourbon pickle chips!
3. Veggie Tray with Ranch Dip
Okay, so I cheated here a little bit– Hy-Vee (our local grocery store) makes amazing and legitimately fresh fruit and veggie platters, so I ordered their Signature Premier Veggie Platter. It serves 8-10ish people and comes with my all-time favorite creamy ranch dip.
4. Boneless Chicken Wings
Our kitchen is pretty tiny, so I cheated again and ordered these boneless wings from Hy-Vee. They’re amazingly good, too– and a single platter, which serves 8-10, is only $12.95! I actually ordered two (honey roasted garlic and buffalo), and it was the perfect amount. Definitely make sure you put out some ranch or blue cheese dip, though! Wings just aren’t the same without them.
If you don’t have a Hy-Vee near you (it’s a grocery chain in the Midwest), I normally make this recipe. It’s super easy to follow, and the wings are to die for!
Easy Game Day Desserts
Sports-related or not, desserts are an integral part of any well-rounded snack spread. These game day desserts are particularly handy because there’s no baking required. Presentation’s really the only thing you need to worry about!
1. “Football Field” Rice Krispie Treats
I normally make my own rice krispie treats, but y’all– I couldn’t find the cereal anywhere. I’m not sure if there’s a national shortage or what, but I reluctantly bought the pre-made bars. It turns out they’re the perfect size to create little football fields!
To make them, I covered each rice krispie treat in kelly green icing and then let them sit in the fridge overnight. Then, once everything was totally dry, I drew on on 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 yard lines with white icing. My hands are a little shaky, so I also used a Wilton decorating tip to keep the icing from pooling. Easy peasy!
2. Vanilla Cupcakes
My cupcake baking game isn’t very strong, so I ordered a dozen vanilla cupcakes from Hy-Vee and then added these adorable football co*cktail picks on top. Cute, right?!
3. Football Whoopie Pie
This football whoopie pie was an impulse buy from Hy-Vee’s bakery. Kyle and I got married in Maine– and whoopie pies are huge up there, so I couldn’t resist. Plus, it’s adorable– and incredibly tasty, too!
More Game Day Food to Try
- Baked Pimento Cheese Dip– If you’re from the South and are looking for more Game Day dips, this one’s a must-try!
- Sweet and Spicy Game Day Meatballs–These delicious sweet and spicy beef meatballs are perfect for parties and game day gatherings! They make a great family-friendly dinner served over rice, too.
- Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs– Made with flavorful pimento cheese, these creamy pimento cheese deviled eggs literally disappear at parties. They’re just so gosh darn good.
- Game Day Snack Board– This fun and easy snack board is shaped like a football with green fruits and veggies surrounding it.
What are your plans for Game Day? Are you (A) tuning in, (B) in it for the snacks, (C) planning on watching the halftime show on YouTube the next day, or (D) not at all interested? I’m a solid B at this point, but who knows? I’ll probably get into the game at some point, too. Right now, I’m still bitter and just don’t want the Bengals to win… so, go Rams?
Also, as always, please let me know if you have questions about any of these game day food recipes! I love hearing from y’all, and I’m happy to help!
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Just so you know, I was reimbursed for the cost of these products as part of a sponsored social campaign with Hy-Vee. I loved this creating this game day food spread so much that I decided to feature it on my blog, as well, although I had no obligation to do so. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
