Score Some Family Fun with Game Day Foods

The most anticipated football game of the season is almost here and as you’re getting ready to watch it with your family, you’re also probably planning out your day. What kind of game day foods will you eat? Should we do anything fun with the kids before the game? Both of these are great questions and, as a matter of fact, they are two things we touch on in this blog. 

So, keep reading to score some ideas for family fun before the game starts, during halftime and after the winning team celebrations, all involving tasty game day foods you and your family love. To kick things off, let’s begin with some sweet game day prep that’s also an excellent idea for a little fun with the people you love most.

Pre-Game Prep with Game Day Foods

Spending quality time with your family is the biggest prize, right? One way to do that is to get your loved ones involved in a little game day prep. And this sweet recipe idea is the perfect treat to make together! To craft these Pull-Apart Touchdown Cupcakes, start by baking your favorite cupcake recipe or cake mix (for a quick and easy choice). 

Once baked and cooled, get the whole family into the kitchen for some decorating fun! Place your cupcakes in an even rectangular shape on a cookie sheet or serving tray. Then, mix vanilla frosting with green food coloring to make your “grass” icing. If you have pastry bags and grass tips, use those and work together to top each cupcake with a textured layer of frosting. You can also simply spread the icing with a silicone spatula and create a grassy texture with a fork. 

Now, it’s time to add your yard lines with white cookie icing. This is a fantastic opportunity to work on numbers and counting with the little ones too. And then last, but definitely not least, grab 23 candy-coated chocolates, like M&Ms, to represent your two teams and the football. So, you’ll need 11 of two different colors (for example, 11 red and 11 yellow) and one brown candy “football.” Place them on top of your icing on either side of your football, and you’re ready to enjoy this festive and sweet game day food while watching the game!

Pre-Game Predictions & A Big Snack Prize

Which team will win the final game of the season? That’s the question we’re all wondering. Why not make a game out of it? First, you’ll need a snack prize that your family would all love to win. So, think about your family’s favorite snacks. Is it a big bag of flavored potato chips? How about a chocolate candy bar? Get a few of their favorites from your neighborhood Food Lion and offer them up as prizes for whoever predicts the winning team.  Make sure you have enough snacks in case there are multiple winners.

Or, if you want to let them pick their own snacks, write up a few “snack vouchers” on pieces of paper. The winners can then cash in their vouchers the next time you go grocery shopping and make their selections. That way, it’s a sure thing that the winners will get their absolute favorite treats. 

Another option would be to make a homemade snack, like these festive Game Face Football Cookies. Made with refrigerated sugar cookie dough and decorated with white cookie icing, cocoa powder, green cookie icing and a green edible ink marker, these cookies are sweet, adorable and the perfect prize that your family would love to win. Get the full recipe here! 

Half-Time Hamburger Slider Bar

As the football players head back to the locker room and take a much-needed break during half-time, it’s also a great time to serve up your main dish of the evening. Hamburgers and sliders are popular game day foods. After all, they’re quick and easy to make and are a real family favorite. Sound like the perfect thing to enjoy on game day in your household? Then, fire up the grill (or heat a pan on the stove) and put together your hamburger slider patties. 

As they’re cooking, set up a burger bar with slider buns, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and mustard. Then, let your family have some fun assembling their own slider creations to enjoy while watching the halftime entertainment. There are other toppings you could make to top on your sliders as well, such as:

• Bacon
• Fried egg
• Spicy mayo (mayonnaise with sriracha and lime)

But, if you’re pressed for time, stick to toppings that don’t require extra cooking time.

Post-Game Fire Pit S’mores

As soon as the game ends, bundle up in your coats and winter hats, head outside and sit around the fire pit with your family for a little post-game day food before bedtime. S’mores are something everyone has fun making. You get to roast your marshmallows exactly how you like it - whether it’s lightly browned or charred and extra gooey. 

Then, it’s time for the graham crackers and chocolate. But, you don’t have to stick to the classic chocolate bar. Chocolate peanut butter cups, dark chocolate and caramel-filled all make tasty substitutions. 

However, if the weather isn’t cooperating and you need to stay indoors, you could whip up a batch of S’mores Bars. No campfire (or fire pit) required! To make them, here’s what you’ll need:

• Graham crackers
• Butter
• Brown sugar
• Vanilla
• Mini marshmallows
• Chocolate chips
• Salt

Once you have the ingredients in-hand, check out our recipe portal, where you’ll find the step-by-step directions to make these scrumptious treats. 

Ready to score some family fun with game day foods? With the four ideas we’ve detailed above, you’re prepared to do just that - before the game starts, at half-time and after the winning team has claimed victory. And if you want even more ideas for game day, visit our Fresh Ideas blog center! As you will see, not only is your local Food Lion your go-to destination for game day food favorites at low prices. We also have several articles to help you plan the perfect cheer-worthy celebration with your family.