Football Season Food Favorites (That Only Take Moments to Make!)

{ By Miranda Martin }

September is on the way, and that means the start of football season is upon us! If your friends and family are anything like mine, they’re ready to watch (and eat– lots)! That said, hosting a football viewing party doesn’t need to be stressful, and these easy-to-make recipes will keep guests well-fed all night long, and give you time to actually view the game, too!

Recipe 1: “Trash-Can Nachos”

While the name might not sound appetizing, making “trash can nachos” literally just means throwing together some of the most delish ingredients in your fridge or pantry and serving them on a bed of chips. I usually make these for friends and family because it’s so simple to do, and they may look something like this:

Tortilla chips (any, even Tostitos will do!)

Shredded cheddar cheese (or any shredded cheese, really)

• Sour cream

• Pico de Gallo

• Guacamole

• Black beans

• Jalapenos

• Bacon Bits

Take all of these simple, fridge and pantry-staple ingredients and throw them together on a sheet pan covered in tin foil. Then, bake until the cheese is melted, and viola! That’s all there is to it, and they’re ready to serve in moments.

Recipe 2: Homemade Chex Mix

Though buying store-bought Chex Mix is usually fine, this homemade Chex Mix recipe my grandmother-in-law taught me literally rocks my world (and is a hit at every party I’ve ever brought it to)! It’s super simple to make, and is just made of:

• Chex cereal

• Cheerios

• Pretzels

• Roasted, salted peanuts

• Raisins

• All-spice to season to taste

… and that’s it! You simply put these ingredients all together in a big Ziploc bag, add the allspice to taste, shake it all up and serve in a bowl. It takes minutes to make and your guests can nosh on it all night long. (You can make more complicated, baked versions with more spices as well, but when I want to keep it simple this easier, life-hacked version is my go-to).

Recipe 3: Cocoa Krispie football desserts

I have to credit Good Housekeeping with this one because when I found it on their website last football season it changed everything for me. Essentially, cocoa Krispies shaped like footballs and topped with white icing (to create the football “laces” effect) take only moments to make, and simply consist of:

• Cocoa flavors Rice Krispies

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 (10 oz) bag of mini marshmallows

• 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder

• Store-bought white icing 

… and that’s all! Melt the butter in a pot on your stovetop, add marshmallows in slowly, stir in the cocoa powder, add the cereal, and let cool until you can shape them into adorable, football-shaped sweet treats. Then, once shaped and cooled, add white icing to the “footballs” and there you have it! They’re ready to devour (and super cute, too)!

What are your favorite recipes during football season? These are my go-to’s for sure, and they allow me to entertain while also having time to watch the game all season long.