Tips for a Great Tailgating Season!

It’s October, which means football season is heating up and Major League Baseball’s playoffs are beginning. There’s nothing quite like attending a big sporting event and tailgating beforehand with friends and family. Whether you’re serving entrees, drinks, tailgating snacks or easy tailgate appetizers, there’s a lot that goes into planning a successful tailgate.

As the saying goes, proper preparation prevents poor performance, and it also ensures that your pregame party is everything you want it to be. Below we’ll cover several different tailgating tips you should keep in mind when sketching out your pregame party plan.

Research

The first and most important step of tailgating is doing research. This is especially true if you’re traveling to an away game. Some sporting venues don’t allow tailgating, and some have specific areas or timeframes where it is permitted. Some tailgating spots require permits or don’t allow open flames. Before you set off, make sure you know the tailgating rules at the location you’re going to.

Check the weather

This could fall under research as well, but it deserves its own section. You’ll want to diligently check weather reports ahead of time to see if you’ll need to pack extra sweatshirts, rain ponchos or even popup tent tops that can shield you from the rain. Depending on your location, weather in the fall can be unpredictable and vary widely from the morning to the evening, so make sure Mother Nature doesn’t catch you off guard.

Make a list

When trying to plan a tailgate, there are numerous things you’re going to want to bring along. It’s easy to forget something, so make a checklist of all the accoutrements you’ll want to have with you and have someone else take a look at it to see if they can come up with anything you might have missed. Some of the most common forgotten items are condiments for burgers and hot dogs, napkins and silverware.

Do your work early

Perform as many food preparation tasks the night before as you can. This can include forming burger patties, boiling or pre-cooking brats, putting together any shish kebabs or skewers you’re planning on cooking and mixing any drinks or punches you’ll be bringing with you. The less work you have to do the morning of the event or at the stadium, the better off you’ll be.

Bring trash bags

Because you’ll be eating, you’ll obviously be producing a fair amount of garbage. To save the environment and to save you several trips to and from the general garbage bins, bring along some trash bags that you can easily toss plates, cans, napkins or plastic utensils into without a second thought. These have the added benefit of serving as potential rain ponchos if you and your guests are greeted with unexpected rain showers.

Call for your tailgate menu items today

Fall is the perfect time for tailgating. This month and beyond, if you’re looking for tailgating snacks or easy tailgate appetizers, give us a call at Tony’s Delicatessen & Fresh Meats. We have everything you’ll need for your next tailgate, from meat and cheese platters to bakery items to heat and serve meals.

Categorised in: Fall Foods, Sides

This post was written by Writer