For high-strung cooks, tailgating can be as stressful as the game. When you’re transporting dishes and serving a crowd, you have to relinquish a certain amount of consistency and control.
The good news? You can play around with potluck classics and relax a little as a host. No one’s expecting you to construct elaborate tablescapes. At best, you’re selecting dishes to be doled out at room temperature from the wheel well of a Subaru Outback.
Lean into the casual vibes and let stadium food be your guide. Ask yourself: Could I eat this out of a tiny baseball helmet? And then: should I?
The recipes below fit the bill. They’re also portable, practical, and satisfying—no matter how many mysterious liquids you’ve consumed in the parking lot.