Tailgating Ideas While Watching the Game

Tailgating is the time-honored tradition of partying in the parking lot before and during a big game. While the game brings everyone together, it's the tailgate that keeps everyone together, so plan your festivities ahead of time to ensure that everybody stays with you throughout the game. Whether the weather is sweltering or frigid, and whether your home team is winning or losing, you and your tailgate party can make it a game to remember for everyone there.

  1. Food

    • People can still get hungry after kickoff, so keep serving food throughout the game. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to miss the game yourself because you're slaving over a hot grill --- this is the time to break out the party food. Salsa, dips and other appetizer-style dishes that you can make the night before allow you and your guests to chow down without having to prepare anything new. For hot dishes, pack a few thermoses of soup to keep everyone feeling warm and social.

    Watching Games

    • The game may be inside the stadium while you're outside, so naturally, you need something to watch it with. Portable televisions are one option, but you may find better picture quality by streaming the game live to a tablet computer. If your friends have tablets or mobile wireless-enabled laptops, encourage them to bring them, too. With multiple screens, you and your friends can stream multiple games at the same time, ensuring that nobody ever has to wander off to check another game's scores.

    Activities

    • For those times when you and your friends need a break from the excitement of the game, bring other activities to pass the time. Casual games are ideal, as they don't distract from the action too much and allow you and your guests to pick up and go as you please. Horseshoes or a ring toss are simple to pack and set up, but if you're feeling especially active, you may even bring your own ball to toss around during halftime --- just be careful not to hit any other cars or tailgaters.

    Upkeep

    • The last thing you want at the end of the game is to stick around the stadium parking lot cleaning up for an hour, so keep your area clean during breaks in the game. Take plenty of empty garbage bags with you, and set them up around your tailgate area so that people can throw their own garbage away. Use paper plates and other disposable products for eating to minimize the amount of cleanup you have to do later. By dealing with cleanup throughout the game instead of at the end, you save yourself time.