Game Day Party
Big screen, big flavours, and food that waits for halftime
Plan a game day party for the big match, the playoffs or the final. Get a crowd-pleasing menu of chilli, croquettes and dips that hold for hours, drink quantities that last to the final whistle, and a setup that keeps the screen, the food and the fans happy.
Countdown
The game day timeline
Tick things off as you go — it’s a checklist.
2 weeks before
1 week before
2 days before
Day before
Game day
Day after
Menu ideas
What to serve
- Bleacher nacho croquettes with pimento beer cheeseShape and bread a day ahead. Fry in waves. Hold on a rack at 200°F twenty minutes, then stop. Sauce the platter when the last batch is ready.
- Brisket potato-skin canoes with coffee-barbecue glazeBake and hollow a day ahead. Crisp, fill, and glaze close to service. Two waves beat one crowded pan.
- Fried chicken bites, bucket-styleFries in relays, holds in a lined basket under a heat lamp.
- Vat of beef chilliStovetop only, no oven contention, tastes better the next day.
- Tortillas y salsasWarmed in batches on the burner just before guests arrive.
- Crisp creamy coleslaw with celery seed and pickle brineSalt and drain the cabbage or the dressing becomes a puddle. Good at 30 minutes and still good the next day.
- Store chips, jarred dipNo prep beyond decanting; the whole board never approaches the burner.
- Gluten-free brownie trayOne tin, one bake, cuts into small squares for a long table.
- Iced tea, big urnBrews ahead and lives in a cooler, no ice dilution problem.
- Zero-proof house pourNo-alcohol house pour. Batched, chilled, poured like anything else.
Décor ideas
- · Team colours on napkins, cups and a table runner.
- · A green tablecloth with white tape lines like a pitch or field.
- · Team scarves or flags on the wall behind the screen.
- · Chalkboard score tracker and prediction board.
- · Buckets of snacks along the coffee table.
Things to do
- · A squares or prediction pool with small stakes or bragging rights.
- · Game bingo cards with plays and ad moments.
- · Halftime quick game: penalty shootout with a mini goal or cornhole.
- · Best-dressed fan award.
Drinks
- · Beer in a cooler of ice.
- · Iced tea in a big urn.
- · A pitcher cocktail in team colours.
- · Zero-proof house pour: citrus soda with bitters.
- · Plenty of water.
Music · Pre-game hype, then mute for the match.
- · Stadium anthems while people arrive.
- · The halftime show or a pump-up playlist at the break.
- · Team songs after a win.
Questions hosts ask
How much food for a game day party?
Games run long and people graze. As a rule of thumb, plan six to eight bites per guest per hour for the first two hours and a filling main such as chilli at about 230 g (8 oz) per guest. Add dips and chips at about 85 g (3 oz) per guest.
How much beer per guest?
A common catering rule is two drinks per guest in the first hour and one an hour after. For a four-hour game that is up to five per guest, but not everyone drinks beer, so split it with other drinks and have water and zero-proof options.
What food holds best during a long game?
Slow-cooker chilli, baked dips, sliders and croquettes all hold well. Keep hot food at 140°F or above and do not leave perishable food out for more than two hours, as the USDA advises.
How do I keep the kitchen from missing the game?
Make nearly everything the day before and use a slow cooker for the main. Plan hot bites for kick-off and halftime only, so you are not cooking during play.