Entertaining Game Day Ideas Our Very Best Game-Day Entertaining Ideas By Rebecca Morris Rebecca Morris Rebecca is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 16, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Football, food, and friends are the triple threat of any great game-day party. Start with those three, add a few on-theme details from this collection, and you'll take a humble gathering all the way to the party hosting hall of fame. First and foremost, make sure you can actually broadcast the game! It's one of those reminders that should seemingly go without saying, but in this dizzying age of streaming, cord cutting, and cable packages, you need to confirm that you'll be able to put the game on before you invite family and friends over. Once you have that all-important task checked off, turn your focus on to the great unifier of game-day parties: the food! Keep reading for tips on how to serve dinner to a crowd during a watch party, what you should plan to make ahead, and our most fun football-themed food and garnishes. The food at game-day parties is typically set out over a few hours so guests can grab and graze when they're feeling hungry; in addition to recipes, we've included advice for what to serve so the food stays hot (and the guests stay happy). Maybe you like to take your parties on the road? Tailgating is a time-honored tradition, but it makes hosting a little more complicated since you'll have to take everything on the road. One important note? Consider including a fun activity for the less enthusiastic football fans who are tagging along. Football-themed crafts or coloring can be a great way to keep folks occupied who aren't interested in watching the game. No matter what team your guests are rooting for, with these ten tips for hosting a great game-day party, everyone will come out a winner! 01 of 10 Be "Coach" and Make a Game Plan Winslow Productions / Getty Images Your party will benefit greatly from a game plan, especially when it comes to the food. Peruse our collection of popular game-day snacks and pick out a few recipes that catch your eye. 02 of 10 Let Guests Customize their Meal Plan an entrée that won't need much babysitting, like a chili you can set out in a crock pot; this is an easy way to ensure the meal stays warm, too. Turn it into a "chili bar" and set out a few different ways that people can make it their own: nachos, hot dogs, and baked potatoes are all good options. View Recipe 03 of 10 Score Big with Signature Cocktails Linda Xiao Customize different cocktails—one for each team—that reflect their colors. Either choose drinks that naturally have the correct shade, like our Watermelon-Lime-Mint Cooler for teams with red uniforms, or go with food coloring or garnishes. View Recipe 04 of 10 Take Stock of Your Equipment Courtesy of Anthropologie From bowls made especially for chips-and-dip to coasters to slide under pint glasses, make sure you have the necessary equipment handy for game-day entertaining. 05 of 10 Get Ahead with Make-Ahead Having the home team advantage is a huge perk—favorite recipes can be made ahead, like our Pigs in a Blanket, or prepped ahead and cooked just before the game starts, like the Meatball Parmigiana Sliders you see here. Check out our make-ahead game-day recipes for more ideas so you can watch the game instead of being in the kitchen. View Recipe 06 of 10 Don't Forget to Mix It Up Chelsea Cavanaugh When planning your menu, consider serving some lighter game-day foods to counterbalance the heaviness of classic dishes like nachos and pizza. 07 of 10 Tailgate Like a Pro Thomas Barwick / Getty Images If you're taking the party to the stadium this year, read this informative article on how to host a great tailgating party. And when you're done, head to this gallery of our favorite tailgating recipes. 08 of 10 Get Into Shape Mikkel Vang Football shape, that is. Football-shaped foods add a whimsical element to a game day spread. Pigs in a Blanket naturally come out looking like little footballs, while this recipe for Grasshopper Cake has you create little footballs out of mint chocolate. View Recipe 09 of 10 Score a Touchdown with Great Dips Johnny Fogg Win big at the condiments game by following this essential guide to all things sauces, pickles, and dips. 10 of 10 Show Team Spirit Following the team's colors as a guide, get crafty by making festive pom poms to decorate the living room. Another way to show team spirit is to have guests personalize their drinking cups—set up a station near the entrance and encourage your guests to get creative. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit