How to Have a Tailgating Party

It's a popular thing to do to tailgate before a big game, especially football games. Living in Pittsburgh, home of the Steelers, I know a thing or two about tailgating and how to prepare for a fun tailgate party. This is how you can prepare to have a tailgating party of your own.

First, decide if you want to have a theme. You could go with a Thanksgiving-themed party, for those of you tailgaters who attend the Thanksgiving Day football games. Bring your deep fryer and deep fry a turkey, which is a delicious alternative to baking, although it can be dangerous if you're not careful. You could also make a theme around your favorite teams. For example, if your favorite team is the New Orleans Saints, prepare foods like gumbo or jambalaya. The possibilities are endless as far as theme ideas, you just have to use your imagination and be creative.

Next, make sure you bring all of the essential items you'll need to prepare food and keep everybody entertained. Remember to pack the following: portable grill (charcoal works best), utensils to cook with, large cooler for drinks and perishable foods, paper plates, plastic utensils, party cups, a meat thermometer, a few rolls of paper towels, serving trays for food, oven mitts, trash bags, sunscreen, aluminum foil, a canopy to block the sun, some blankets, fold up chairs and of course, the food and beverages! Also remember that a fire extinguisher is a good idea too.

As far as food and drinks go, you can choose anything you want. It's nice to keep the food simple, like burgers, hot dogs and BBQ chicken. Try to prepare as much food beforehand as possible, like salads and dips. If you are going to serve foods that require refrigeration, make sure you have room in the cooler to store these foods, and keep the food out of the sun. Keep your guests in mind as well. While you are cooking, what are your guests going to do? Provide chips and dip, and other finger foods to keep them occupied while the food is being cooked. Most people think that tailgating is all about getting drunk, but that's not always true. Provide different kinds of drinks, like water, canned pop, lemonade, iced tea, as well as beer and wine coolers. Water is essential to tailgating parties, especially on hot days. Along with food and drink, bring hand sanitizer and wipes to keep hands clean!

Remember to get to the stadium early, to find a good spot and set up. Allow about 2-3 hours before game time to tailgate, so that people aren't rushed through eating and drinking to get into the field. Also, remember to check the stadium's rules about tailgating before you being the party. They may have certain rules about grills, beer bottles, etc. Finally, enjoy your tailgating party! This can be a lot of fun, and a great way to kick off a big game!