Are you throwing a football watch party and need some easy game day appetizers to serve? Well, I bet you will find some fun ideas here! Below I have a list of appetizer ideas including popular football foods, crock pot recipes, foods shaped like footballs, kid friendly snacks to serve while tailgating!
(Cue music) "Are you ready for some footballlll?"
Football season is here! That means the FOUR F's! Football, Family, Friends, and Food! All are important but only ONE is under your control! The FOOD!
So when it comes to throwing a party, whether its for 4 people or 20, it is NOT an easy task! Especially when the party starts at 1:00! So if you're asking yourself, "What the heck should I serve?", keep reading!
You're here because you most likely want to impress your guests with some delicious appetizers to serve for this Sunday's football party right? Oh and if you can find a recipe that's not complicated OR boring, BONUS!!
Well here is a list of game day recipe ideas you will want to throw on this Sunday's football party menu! You'll find appetizers, snacks and desserts that can all be gobbled up with just a few fingers. This way you can use your other hand for high fiving, throwing things at the tv or wiping away your tears...
Jump to:
- Popular Football Party Foods
- Italian Stromboli
- Cheesy Pull Apart Bread
- Cheesy Hormel Chili Dip (In 7 Minutes!)
- Philly Cheesesteak Hawaiian Roll Sliders
- Mozzarella Gravy Fries
- Cheesy Sausage Stuffed Pillsbury Biscuits (With Jalapenos)
- CHEESY Jalapeño Popper Wonton Cups
- Air Fryer Cheesy Loaded Nachos (5 Minutes!)
- Quick Puff Pastry Chili Bites
- Loaded Cowboy Queso Dip
- Loaded Irish Pub Waffle Fries
- Honey Buffalo Hot Wings
- Beer Cheddar Cheese Pretzel Dip (QUICK!)
- Beer Battered Onion Rings
- Cold Spinach Dip With Cream Cheese
- Crispy Cheese Jalapeno Bacon Bites (Fried Cheese Balls)
- Puff Pastry Pigs In A Blanket With Creamy Dijon Sauce
- Fried Red Tomatoes
- Easy Mini Baked Potato Bites
- Sesame Ginger Chicken Lollipops
- Garlic n' Herb Puff Pastry Pinwheels
- Philly Cheesesteak Wonton Cups
- Fried Dill Pickles
- CRUNCHY Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips
- Baked Fluffy Potato Wedges
- Two Ingredient Dough Pretzel Bites
- Corn Dog Muffins
- Cheesy Garlicky Breadsticks
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
- Pepperoni Pizza Bites
- Taco Pinwheels
- Buffalo Brown Sugar Chicken Crock Pot Meatballs
- Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Nachos
- Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Meatballs
- Crockpot Chili Frito Pie
- Slow Cooker Beef Queso Dip
- Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
- Easy Sweet n Sour Crock Pot Meatballs
- Other Recipes To Try!
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Popular Football Party Foods
Below is a list of the most POPULAR football foods everyone craves this time of year. They are known as game day "classics" such as wings, pizza, chili and nachos to name a few. But this year it's time to change it up!! Below you will find the same classic flavors but with a TWIST!
Italian Stromboli
This stromboli recipe is a family favorite! When I think of football, I can't imagine a stromboli not on the table. This recipe is easy, filling and so delicious! You can add different veggies, cheeses, meats and seasoning to make it suit your tastes!
Cheesy Pull Apart Bread
This recipe is for the cheese lovers out there! It's super easy to make and even more fun to eat! All you need is your fingers and mouth. 🙂 You can add any cheeses or toppings like bacon if you wish. It goes well with beer so I recommend serving 2 of these bad boys during the game!
Cheesy Hormel Chili Dip (In 7 Minutes!)
This chili dip uses Hormel's canned chili, cream cheese and cheddar cheese making it the easiest and quickest dips that can be ready in less than 10 minutes! All you need is a shallow bowl and a microwave!
Philly Cheesesteak Hawaiian Roll Sliders
These sliders are HEAVENLY. They are soft, juicy and packed with flavor. The ratio of meat to cheese is spot on and they are easy to make for a crowd!
Mozzarella Gravy Fries
If you've never had gravy fries, you've been missing out! These are called Disco Fries! They are made with a flavorful homemade gravy and topped with mozzarella (and cheddar) cheeses! Your guests will devour this indulgent snack!
Cheesy Sausage Stuffed Pillsbury Biscuits (With Jalapenos)
Sausage and jalapenos are both popular football ingredients. They add a little "kick" to your food (pun intended) and will keep you full the entire game. They are a football finger food favorite in my home and best of all, you can make them ahead of time and reheat the day of the party!
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CHEESY Jalapeño Popper Wonton Cups
If you love creamy cheesy appetizer with a kick, these babies are it! They scream football season and are so fun to eat. Best of all, they can be made before the game starts and reheated at half time to keep your guests full!
Air Fryer Cheesy Loaded Nachos (5 Minutes!)
These Air Fryer Loaded Nachos are hands down, the quickest party appetizers I have on my blog thanks to the speediness of my air fryer. Ready in just 5 minutes, nothing could be easier or more delicious!
Quick Puff Pastry Chili Bites
These Cheesy Stuffed Garlic Bombs are an easy and quick way to enjoy garlic knots but 1,000 times better! I use Pillsbury's canned biscuit dough because they yield an incredibly soft and tender dough every single time.
Loaded Cowboy Queso Dip
Loaded Irish Pub Waffle Fries
Honey Buffalo Hot Wings
Football and wings go together like peanut butter and jelly! Both are good by themselves but together...they are a match made in heaven. These honey buffalo wings are sweet, sticky and will have you licking your fingers clean in between high fives!
Beer Cheddar Cheese Pretzel Dip (QUICK!)
This pub-style Beer Cheddar Cheese Dip is the perfect spread to serve with pretzels! The main ingredients in this appetizer are cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese and BEER! Best of all, it takes just 5 MINUTES to whip up, making it an ideal Super Bowl snack!
Beer Battered Onion Rings
These EASY Beer Battered Onion Rings are a classic football snack! The beer batter helps to create a SUPER crispy and light exterior while adding another layer of flavor. Serve your onion rings with this tasty roasted red pepper aioli dipping sauce and of course, a cold beer.
Cold Spinach Dip With Cream Cheese
Crispy Cheese Jalapeno Bacon Bites (Fried Cheese Balls)
Drooling...These bites are everything game day represents. Cheesy, crunchy and bite sized. These cheese jalapeno bacon bites are the perfect food for football watching. The fact that these bites are filled with cheese AND bacon is all people want to hear. The best part is you can make them ahead of time and freeze them for Sunday! Need I say more?
Puff Pastry Pigs In A Blanket With Creamy Dijon Sauce
Easy Mini Baked Potato Bites
How adorable are these mini baked potato bites? They are the easiest appetizer to make and hard to mess up. Guests wont expect these at your football party but that's the fun part! Plus, they DO look like tiny footballs AND are bite sized so just go for the "extra point" and I bet you'll make it!
Sesame Ginger Chicken Lollipops
These chicken 'lollipops' are such a fancy way to serve wings to your guests! They come out super crispy and soak up this easy bottled dressing. Everyone will love eating these because of how fun they are PLUS, having a cute "handle" will allow everyone to keep their fingers clean!
Garlic n' Herb Puff Pastry Pinwheels
Where are all my garlic bread Texas toast lovers? These pinwheels are for you! They are super easy to throw together and are hard to turn down no matter what is happening in the game. Serve alone or with a creamy ranch dip and they will be a fan favorite, I guarantee!
Philly Cheesesteak Wonton Cups
Here is another way I like to serve Philly cheese steaks! In order to do that, I used a mini muffin tin and some store-bought wonton wrappers. These are one of my favorite football appetizers to serve friends and family and never last the entire game!
Fried Dill Pickles
I don't know what it is about pickles but kids LOVE them, even at young ages! They just love that tangy vinegar taste! What if we turned them into bite sized dippers that are coated in a crispy shell? I think that's a football game winner that kids will come back for!
CRUNCHY Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips
These sweet potato chips are a delicious but healthy way to serve snacks. Serve them with a delicious maple mustard sauce for dipping and you will take your potato chips game to another level.
Baked Fluffy Potato Wedges
These baked potato wedges are like an 'adult' french fry! (So adults will love them too!) They are the best wedges I've tried! Baked with olive oil, they are crispy, fluffy and healthy! When I serve these, I love to pair them with 3 sauces, ketchup, cheese and ranch dressing. Kids may do a touchdown dance for them!
Two Ingredient Dough Pretzel Bites
Bite sized soft pretzels?! What could be better than cheering on your favorite team while dipping these babies? The best part is that the dough only requires TWO ingredients! I bet the kids would love helping you make these too!
Corn Dog Muffins
Corn muffins and hot dogs? Kids will come RUNNING! They are the perfect food for kids and are inexpensive to make! Best of all, you can make them ahead of time since they do not need to be warm to enjoy!
Cheesy Garlicky Breadsticks
These cheesy breadsticks are made with store-bought pizza dough so they don't take long to whip up. Dip them in your favorite sauces like marinara or ranch dressing if you like! Kids and adults will love them no matter if they are watching football or not!
Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
Serve these fall-off-the-bone tender ribs with a barbecue sticky glaze and your guests will be sure to lick their digits clean between high fives! (Check out those caramelized edges.) The 4-ingredient marinade makes these all the more appealing for this Sunday's game!
Pepperoni Pizza Bites
Ahh, remember those 'bagel bites' we have all come to know in the freezer section of the food store? These are a homemade version! Completely homemade and ready in less than 30 minutes! So you wont have to worry about missing any part of the game! Plus, your kids wont leave the party still hungry!
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Taco Pinwheels
These pinwheels are just screaming "MAKE ME AHEAD!". I love any appetizer that can go from fridge to table (skipping the oven!) These pinwheels are also loaded with shredded chicken, cheese and veggies so they are a yummy football idea especially when your expecting a large crowd! Older kids who love tacos would be perfect candidates!
If you've never had brown sugar with buffalo sauce, you've been missing out. These brown sugar buffalo meatballs will become your favorite football food because they can be made ahead of time in the crock pot and simply kept warm throughout the entire football game!
Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Nachos
Nachos could not be any easier when you use a slow cooker! Just toss in a pork roast the morning of the football game and a few hours later, you've got one delicious but unique nacho dish that everyone will be digging into. It's the ultimate appetizer!
Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Meatballs
I'm a sucker for a saucy meatball, ESP a bite sized meatball! These babies are made with chicken (or you can use turkey) and then bathed in a sweet, sticky and slightly spicy sauce and of course, can be made hours before the game starts!
Crockpot Chili Frito Pie
Fritos are the neglected chip that I could eat handfuls of. Turn them into dippers and you have a fun and creative way to serve chili! I bet none of your guests have tried this one. I also bet this cheesy dip would be gone before football even starts!
Slow Cooker Beef Queso Dip
Just 10 minutes of prep and this slow cooker beef queso dip will be ready by the time football kicks off! Flavored with taco seasoning it is super creamy, cheesy, beefy and best of all super EASY! You can serve this dip with tortilla chips, fritos or bread!
Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
Ina Garten says that serving unexpected food makes a party better! Well I bet no one would expect Swedish meatballs to be served at your football party! But meatballs have always been a delicious game day food so try this one paired with some toothpicks for easy popping. That sauce wont be ignored.
Easy Sweet n Sour Crock Pot Meatballs
These sweet and sour crock pot meatballs take just 5 minutes to put together! Frozen cocktail meatballs are the shortcut. I like to toss them in the crock pot a few hours before game time and allow guests to help themselves as the game goes on.
Other Recipes To Try!
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Ella
Hey Aleka, yesterday I had organized a housewarming party. I had included some of your recipes in my menu and everyone loved them. I would like to give a special mention for Baked Mozzarella Sticks, it was the star dish of my party. Thank you for your ideas. Keep sharing delicious recipe ideas.
Aleka Shunk
Thank you for your sweet comment 🙂
Haley Seymour
Always love me a good roundup! Thanks for taking all the effort out having to prep for football season - this is fabulous!
Chelsey
What a fun compilation of unique finger foods! These are all perfect for game day parties - I can’t wait to try the cold spinach dip cause it’s my favorite to snack on! Thanks for sharing all of these yummy recipes!
Jas @ All that's Jas
All the party favorites in one place! Wish I had this last Monday when for the college football season kick off (GO IRISH!). It'll be a hard pick among all these amazing recipes, but I'm sure any would please us for the next ND game. Thanks for sharing!
Bite Sized Kitchen
I agree!! 🙂 Thanks Jas!