The Best Game-Day Snack Ideas That Will Surely Win You the Hosting Trophy

Keep your hands free for cheering (or holding a cold drink) with this creative appetizer recipe for your game-day party. One BH&G home cook who has tried the homemade pretzel bites raves, “These are a great treat for get-togethers—everything is self-contained and no dip required!” They look like simple pretzel pieces, but everyone will be delighted to discover a melty jalapeño-spiked cheese filling inside.

Don't stand for soggy chips. Bake one layer of these loaded nachos before piling on a second helping of tortilla chips, ground beef, black beans, shredded cheese, and chunky salsa. This fan-favorite football snack definitely deserves a spot on your game-day party spread.

Nothing tops a flavor-packed, bacon-covered cheese ball while watching sports of all kinds. But this cheese ball recipe is the clear winner as a football-themed appetizer idea thanks to its distinctive shape. Just add a side of crackers and crudités and you’re sure to score—especially with the keto diet crowd. (Each serving has just 3 grams of carbs.)

We love football-shaped foods, and this sweet football-themed appetizer idea (OK, more like dessert idea) might just be our favorite! Whip up a batch of cookie dough or save time with store-bought and create sports-inspired cookie pops. Dip them in dark chocolate and add the stitching with piped white chocolate to make these winning desserts-on-a-stick.

Buy It: Kid Made Modern Craft Sticks ($2, Target)

It would hardly be game day without a sticky pile of chicken wings and cool blue cheese dipping sauce. These zesty Buffalo chicken wings get their spicy orange exterior from a double dose of hot sauce. Just don't forget the napkins with this football game appetizer!

These soft, doughy pretzels are great to make if you're expecting company and want to impress with one of our top 10 football appetizers. We recommend using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to get the dough just right. For the ultimate party-ready finger food experience, pair with bowls of queso, grainy mustard, ranch dressing, and marinara for dunking.

Buy It: Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer ($60, Bed Bath & Beyond)

Why choose between a zesty taco recipe and all-American burger when you can have both wrapped into one bold football game snack slider? Taco seasoning adds extra flavor to the ground beef, and salsa stands in for traditional ketchup. Serve between slider buns or folded inside street-taco-size corn tortillas.

Instead of ordering pizza, serve these poppable pizza cups. They’re one of our best football game snacks, because unlike with a delivery pie, you’re not stuck with just one topping combo—each muffin tin “slice” can be customized to fit guests' preferences. Try traditional pepperoni or pile on mushrooms, green bell peppers, and Italian sausage for those classic supreme pizza flavors.

Related: 10 Ways to Amp Up Your Football Snacks with Pepperoni

These ham-wrapped pickle poppers will score big points with friends and family who come to watch the Super Bowl. They're a cinch to make: Mix cheese, jalapeños, and spices together and spread the mixture on a sliced pickle. To complete the easy game-day snacks, wrap each pickle with ham and secure with a toothpick.

Related: Pickled Recipes That Go Way Beyond Cucumbers

The pigskin has nothing on these canned pumpkin-based game-day snacks. You’ll score big at your next tailgate or viewing party with pumpkin whoopie pies with buttercream frosting. To achieve the football shape, use an egg-shaped muffin tin.

Buy It: Wilton Egg Muffin Pan Mold ($36, Amazon)

https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Mini-Cake-Muffin-Metal/dp/B0000W07SS

Serve these just-spicy-enough jalapeño poppers to get the party started with a bang. Each football appetizer contains a spoonful of chicken and a dollop of cream cheese to help tame the spicy pepper and hot sauce. Bonus: Each batch crisps up in the air fryer in just 10 minutes, so you can easily refresh your spread during halftime.

Buy It: Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer ($100, Target)

This football snack idea is a tasty reminder that meatballs aren’t just for piling atop a bed of pasta. We bet there won't be leftovers when you offer fans these juicy slow cooker appetizers on their own as a snack. Serve them with toothpicks or pile into slider buns for mini-meatball sandwiches.

Buy It: Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Slow Cooker ($40, Bed Bath & Beyond)

Feed a crowd (or a few super-hungry fans) with this crunchy football snack idea. Each batch of the popcorn recipe yields a whopping 13 cups! Pretzels, nuts, corn chips, and popcorn get finger-licking flavor from a blend of Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cumin, and garlic.

In our opinion, no sporty party—especially one in the South—is complete without pimiento cheese. Two cheeses, jalapeño pepper, light mayo, and carrots come together to create this light version of the classic cheese spread. Pack this, one of our best game-day snacks, into miniature sweet peppers for a texture touchdown.

Related: The Cheesiest Recipes That Ever Happened

Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, fritters are what appetizer dreams are made of. Give the pillowy bites harvest flavor with mashed sweet potatoes—once fried, they almost look like little footballs! To serve these, one of our best football snacks, pile the warm fritters next to a bowl of cool homemade yogurt-chive dipping sauce for dunking.

Go hot or cold with this game-day appetizer: It’s delicious made up to a day ahead and chilled overnight or served bubbly, warm, and straight from the oven. This twist on traditional spinach-artichoke dip gets its savory flavor from roasted peppers and green onions. Pair the melty appetizer with a hefty dipper like baguette slices or toasted pita wedges.

Potatoes aren’t the only thing you can “chip!” Not only do the bold flavors of salami chips and mustard dip make perfect teammates, but they're a snap to prepare too. Simply bake thin slices of salami in the oven until browned, prep the dip, and devour this big-game appetizer recipe.

Treat your football fans to a sweet dessert that is guaranteed to score big points on your football snack table. Creamy vanilla frosting creates the distinctive laced look. (In a hurry? Feel free to use boxed brownie mix or even boxed cake mix to speed up the process.)

Guests will go wild for this amped-up baguette. Get a head start on this top-rated football snack idea with a loaf of frozen bread dough. Thaw it out, then stuff it with bacon, cheddar cheese, and a touch of mustard. Like a combo of a stromboli and BLT, the ooey-gooey slices will disappear faster than a picked-off ball.

Creamy crab dip gets a delicious update when made with sweet corn, onions, and spicy cheese. Try it on broken tostada shells, crackers, crudités, or slices of your favorite bakery or homemade bread. The flavorful football snack idea teams up well with all of the above!

This slow cooker superstar features several favorite game-day foods in one low-fuss, lusciously creamy package. Bacon, cheese, and beer flavor this football game snack fave. A little hot pepper sauce and chili powder turn up the heat.

Like a deconstructed seven-layer-dip, this big-game appetizer recipe makes for an MVP pairing with tortilla chips. Lime-and-jalapeño guacamole lends a kick to layers of refried beans, cheese, tomatoes, and onions. Hosting some olive-averse fans? Simply offer olives in a separate bowl on the side so each fan can call an audible.

Related: Our Best Mexican Appetizers and Sides (They Go with Everything!)

Add some fun to your game-day snack menu with these fast-food-inspired mini cheeseburgers. Instead of buns, we call for serving them on or between waffle-cut fries. Top with your favorite cheese and a cherry tomato slice to round out the bite-size burger recipe.

Crumbled bacon and blue cheese add a hearty component to this classic football appetizer. (Actually, this classic anytime appetizer!) Have plenty of crackers and chips on hand; your guests won't be able to stop with just one scoop—and we can’t blame ’em.

These crunchy cornmeal-based bites are so delicious, they will create a hush across the room the moment you set out a platter of them! The cheesy corn-and-pepper hush puppies get their crispy yet light texture from beer. The party-perfect beverage’s carbonation gives the game-day appetizer batter a flavorful, airy crunch.

Related: 21 Brilliant Ways to Cook with Beer

Give your sports party a little Southwestern flair with this mash-up mini meal. It features everything you love about grilled cheese sandwiches, barbecue chicken, and Mexican food in a handheld wedge. Tender shredded chicken, zesty barbecue sauce, chili peppers, green onion, and lots of cheese fill these grilled flour tortillas. Pair with sour cream and salsa to cure game-day snack attacks.

Hot wings are a classic game-day snack, but if you're hosting a game-day party, you don't want to spend the whole day in the kitchen. So turn to these hot wings that taste just like the ones you’d order at the sports bar (maybe better!). You can make the recipe up to a week in advance and keep them in the fridge until party time, then all that’s left to do is heat and serve.