Fetch’s Favorite Game Day Tailgate Snacks & Food Ideas

Win over your friends at the next football game with these tailgate snacks to buy. Don’t know how to tailgate? No worries—we’ll cover that, too.

What is a tailgate party?

Tailgating, aka a tailgate party, is a social gathering usually in a stadium, arena, or venue’s parking lot before the big game. It’s a time to get energized with friends and fellow super-fans with fun music, refreshing drinks and of course: good tailgate food!

Tailgating is such a popular pastime that it has a national holiday. But did you know you can even tailgate at home? It’s true. As long as you’ve got the right food and great beverages, you can host the most epic tailgating party in your living room or backyard.

How to earn rewards on tailgate snacks with Fetch

If you’re planning to snap your receipt in the Fetch app for points, that’s a good start. Here are a few more tips to earn rewards on the best tailgate snacks to buy with Fetch:

• Favorite Offers: Choose the brand of chips or hot dogs that earns you more points. Favorite the offer to make yourself a list.
• Boosted Brands: Some brands will be boosted for extra points! The bigger the flame next to the offer, the bigger the boost.
• Fetch Shop: Get your tailgate shopping done right in the Fetch app to earn points on each dollar you spend.

How to order groceries online using Fetch Shop

Taking advantage of offers and boosted brands is just the start. If you shop for the best tailgate snacks in Fetch Shop, you’ll earn points for every dollar spent. Not sure how to use Fetch Shop? We’ve got you covered:

1. Open the Fetch app and tap the shopping cart icon (it’s to the left of your camera icon).
2. Scroll through retailers to find the one you want to shop from.
3. You can cover your bases on food and non-food essentials with Sam’s Club and Target.
4. Shop in the Fetch app just like on the retailer’s site.
5. Watch the points roll in!

What makes a good tailgate snack or food option?

You’re going to want tailgate snacks that travel well. That means you should think outside the refrigerator. All of these tailgate snacks should travel well to your destination, just be sure to keep cold tailgate foods in the cooler with the drinks until you’re ready to dive in. 

• Chips and dip: Tortilla chips and salsa, potato chips and dip or pita chips and hummus are all great choices for tailgate snacks.
• Nuts or pretzels: Peanuts, cashews and pretzels are all easy tailgate foods that need no cooking, perfect to grab a handful of and munch between plays.
• A six-pack (or a case): What’s a tailgate party without some drinks? And if you’re having a party with more than a few friends, you’ll want more than a few drinks.
• Cheese and sausage tray: Make your own or grab one from the deli to have quick and easy tailgate snacks.
• Hot dogs and burgers: By far the best tailgate food, is it even a party without burgers and hot dogs? Getting to the party early? These tailgate party foods travel well frozen.
• Vegetarian/vegan options: whether you’ve got a strict vegetarian or just want healthy tailgate foods, it’s always smart to have something meat-free on-hand.

Best tailgate food ideas

What if you don’t have time to plan? “Hot dogs and burgers” doesn’t tell you what to buy from the store (or what to put into your cart in Fetch Shop). Here are our best food ideas for a tailgate party by brand, so you can focus on every other part of your party:

• Applegate hot dogs and sausages
• Greenfield lunch kits for the kids
• Pre-made hamburger patties
• Impossible or Beyond burgers
• Ball Park Buns for your hot dogs and burgers

Best tailgate snacks

There are tailgate snacks, and then there are must-have munchies. Lucky for you, we’ve got a list of the best tailgate snacks right here, and you can add them to your cart in Fetch Shop right now:

• Chex Mix or Gardetto’s snack mixes
• Tostitos tortilla chips and salsa
• Stacy’s pita chips
• Cheetos or Doritos
• Rold Gold pretzels
• Peanuts or mixed nuts
• Famous Amos cookies
• Oreos
• Lunchables

If you’re looking for easy tailgate foods with no cooking required, you can build a tailgate party out of snacks and drinks, too.

Best tailgate drinks

Did you notice a lot of salty (but delicious) essentials in our tailgate snacks and food ideas? We did, too. You’re going to want the best tailgate drinks to wash it all down with; here’s what we suggest:

• Brisk iced tea
• Bubly sparkling water
• Gatorade
• Pepsi or Coca-Cola
• Mug Root Beer or Dr. Pepper
• Miller Lite or High Life
• Simply Spiked mixed drinks
• Topo Chico or Vizzy seltzers
• Blue Moon or Redd’s Apple Ale

We aimed for mostly light drinks since you’ve got a pretty full day ahead of you, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring a Guinness if it’s what your party needs.

Quick! Nab those tailgating deals with the Fetch App

You know those must-have tailgate party foods we mentioned above? You can find offers for many of them in the Fetch app, earning you more points. And more points means more rewards, which means better tailgate deals and an even better tailgate party next time!