We are big Michigan State fans in our house (and slowly becoming Detroit Lions fans as well, but I’m more of a college football fan than a pro). We have Spartan season tickets along with several other members in our family which means lots of tailgating during the fall months. There’s something so satisfying about a beautiful college campus in the fall. It makes me want to buy textbooks and pom poms. :)
One of our MSU tailgates circa 2007
Our tailgates used to be, well… just that. We’d open up the tailgate of one of our cars and throw a bunch of drinks and food onto a table in front of the trunk and we’d tailgate in the parking lot until it was time to go into the game. As we’ve gotten older, our tailgating evolved a bit. We now find a grassy patch near the stadium, put up a tent with several tables and chairs and make it a more civilized affair. Gone are the days in our 20’s where we slammed Fireball shots and canned beers out of the back of our car. In our 40's.... our worldly sophistication means we drink wine out of solo cups and not directly out of the bottle. Here are a few of our family’s go-to’s when it comes to hosting a seamless and fun tailgate.
If you've got a larger area to tailgate than just behind the back of a car, a pop-up tent is essential for both sunny and rainy days. It's also a good way to stake out your space. Bonus: it comes in several colors so you'll likely be able to find one in your school colors!
Pretty self explanatory - every good tailgate needs a couple of tables for drinks and food. I like this one in particular as it's super sturdy and has a handle which makes it easier to transport.
What is a tailgate without burgers and hot dogs? This tabletop grille only weighs 10lbs and the best part is this is incredibly easy to set-up.
Coolers seem like a no brainer but this leak-proof cooler with heavy duty wheels makes lugging it around a breeze.
We used to always just tie a random trash bag to the side of our pop-up tent which looks less than appealing. This portable trash bag holder is so much better than having a random garbage every which way! It's also collapsible which makes packing it so much easier than brining a full size trash can with you.
I realize this is a bit extra and not exactly necessary, BUT if you want to give your tailgate a bit of an elevated twist, ditch the typical plasticware and go for the gold.
Well, now that you have your fancy pants gold plastic utensils in your cart - keep them organized with this condiment caddy. It also keeps folks from setting condiments in various weird places and everything stays in its place.
I can't tell you how much I love my casserole carrier. Yes - I know my elder millennial is showing. But if it's a noon game and I want to bring an egg casserole to the tailgate or a 6p game and I want to bring lasagna, this bad boy keeps it all piping hot. Ladies, behold.
How cute this chips and dip set? I'm a sucker for themed servingware and everyone always asks me where I got this. Go ahead and treat yourself to put that awesome guac and chips in this for your next tailgate!
This portable power pack is a lifesaver. Need to plug in a crockpot? Recharge your phone? This is a lifesaver! And at a very reasonable pricepoint to supply power to your tailgate.
This cooler backpack is so convenient for walking around campus. Especially if you're not hosting our own tailgate and are hopping from party to party. Also great if you don't want to be burdened with a super big cooler (or the bigger cooler is being occupied by food).
Adorable, great price point and on theme! You can't go wrong with these football paper plates to serve up all your delicious BBQ and sides!
A great way to keep your tailgate guests entertained and kids love it! This is so darn easy to pack up and bring to any party and it's always a crowd pleaser. We actually bring two sets to have tournaments.
I don't know about you but there is nothing worse than spending time making a dip or food that needs to stay cold and after an hour in the heat, it's rendered useless. This chilled party platter is great for keeping all your cold foods edible for hours! Love love love mine!
Another great food-saving item, these food nets are genius! Sick of flies and bees landing on your tailgate food? These nets keep all bugs away from the food. They come in a 6-pack for under $10 and are collapsible for easy packing.
What is a great tailgate without music? This little speaker packs some punch with its power. It's waterproof, wireless and dustproof. Easily streams music from your phone or table or any other bluetooth-enabled tech. No brainer with this one!
This 5 gallon cooler is a must if you have a bigger tailgate or a really hot day when people need to down water (and you don't want to lug around dozens of bottles of water). Sneaky tip? Don't need excessive amounts of water? This is also a great way an awesome party punch. A win-win no matter what you put inside. :)
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