NFL season is set to kick off on Thursday, September 8. Tailgating has been a long-standing tradition of football games, and an NFL kickoff is not complete without seeking your teeth into some party foods. A tailgate party is all about having all your friends huddling around the table with some grab-and-go food. There’s nothing quite like the art of tailgating – the camaraderie, delectable food, and adrenaline rush are simply top-notch. Some may even argue that tailgating is a greater spectacle than the football game itself. Coming up with tailgate food ideas can be daunting, but we’ve got you covered. Pack up the SUV, pop up the tent and pull out the table for this ultimate list of tailgate food ideas! From Pit-smoked Wings, Barbecue Burgers to Nashville Hot Chicken, we have plenty of game-day food ideas for you!

Nashville Hot Chicken

Nothing’s better than kicking off the football season with some Nashville Hot Chicken that gives you the adrenaline rush. Only hot chicken can match the intensity, pace and energy of the NFL games. The complex flavor of spice slowly develops and hits you like a train after the first innocent bite. Nashville Hot Chicken is fried chicken with a major kick. It’s usually doused with a hefty dose of spice like cayenne pepper and hot sauce in the coating. Nashville Hot Chicken is not for the faint-hearted, so be sure to quench your thirst with some iced-cold beers. Pair it with some coleslaw and Texas Toast too.

Not only is September NFL kickoff season, it’s also National Chicken Month where we all celebrate our favorite staple – chicken! Perfectly paired with alcohol, chicken is a party food that can help boost your mood. Did you know that chicken has tryptophan, an amino acid that can raise serotonin levels in your brain. Serotonin is the “feel good” neurochemical associated with mood. It’s hands down the best brain food to chow down on at a tailgate party!

Tater Tots

Looking for some crowd-pleasing and bite-sized snacks for your tailgate party? Then stock up on some tater tots. Those golden treats are crunchy on the outside, pillowy on the inside, and filled with scrumptious flavors. Those nuggets of potato are shaped like footballs which makes them the best game-day food to nibble on. While French fries are usually the easy option, they get soggy over time whereas with tater tots, you can always reheat them to restore the crispiness. You can get those tater tots delivered to your tailgate party or pick them up at Trailer Birds. Be sure to get crowd-pleasing dips like homemade ranch, blue cheese, jalapeno cheese sauce, and more. Trailer Birds offers a myriad of tater tots like seasoned, Cajun, Hot, jalapeno cheese, and Nashville hot chicken tater tots.

Buffalo Wings

Speaking of game day food, you certainly don’t want to miss out on the most crowd-pleasing saucy grubs like buffalo wings. It’s no secret that football fans can’t get enough of the buttery and spicy buffalo sauce. Wing Boss puts a Southern twist on the classic buffalo wings by smoking them in a wood-burning pit, adding a hickory smoke flavor that’s unlike any other wings. If you want to kick the tailgate up a notch and amp up the crowd, then try their Atomic Buffalo Wings which are not for the faint-hearted. You can also pair the dish with some finger-licking buffalo ranch fries too.

Barbecue Burgers

Want something more filling than the finger foods mentioned above? We’ve got you covered. Check out those super-stacked and filling burgers that boast an orchestra of delectable flavors. This Dad Bod Burger is served on a toasted brioche bun, topped with goodies like smoked brisket, crumbled blue cheese, sweet grilled onions, blue cheese dressing, shredded lettuce, and sliced tomato. That sounds like a lot of ingredients, right? Well, there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to some game day food, and so what if you get a dad bod after eating this humongous Dad Bod Burger? It’s NFL season after all! Big Deal Burger offers a wide array of barbecue burgers that are smoked in a controlled temperature and humidity range. The barbecue meats are succulent, smokey and piquant which makes the burger one of a kind.