Our Favorite Thanksgiving Tailgate Party Ideas

We love the spirit of Thanksgiving. Gathering around the table and expressing gratitude for our abundance and company. To be honest though, what gets us excited about Thanksgiving is football! Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday to throw a tailgate party. It’s a whole day to kick back with our friends and family, eat too much food, and enjoy the games. If you’re thinking about hosting a Thanksgiving tailgate, here are some of our favorite tailgate party ideas to help you plan!

Set Up A Watch Area

Before you have everyone over, make sure to set up an area to watch the game. Make sure that there are enough seats where everyone can see the television. If needed, pull out some of your tailgating chairs.

• You can also set up football-watching stations in more than one room like the kitchen and dining areas. That way if someone wants to grab another plate, they won’t miss any plays while they are in the kitchen. 

Let’s Talk Turkey

The star of Thanksgiving Day is obviously the turkey. A well-cooked turkey is savory, smokey, and juicy. However, we’ve all had the unfortunate experience of a dry, bland turkey. To help you make sure that you whip up a succulent turkey, this guide from Taste of Home can help. It has 28 tips to make sure your turkey is flavorful and moist.

If you’re heading out to the stadium, we’ve got you covered as well. Here is our list of twelve turkey recipes that you can make right on your tailgating grill. There are recipes to feed a small group or a hungry crowd. Either way, your taste buds will thank you!

Keep The Sides Simple

As tailgaters, we love going over the top when it comes to our spreads. However, no one wants to spend the entire day cooking when there are games to watch. Here are some tasty sides that everyone will love but take no time to make:

One Hour Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Sides

Using this recipe you can make roasted garlic mashed potatoes, herbed squash, and maple mustard brussels sprouts. It does not get easier than this!

Air Fryer Acorn Squash

This impressive dish takes about 15 minutes to prepare in an air fryer. You can also make this recipe with any of your favorite holiday squash.

Instant Pot Stuffing

With this recipe, you throw all the ingredients into the Instant Pot and set it for 20 minutes. Better than box stuffing, but just as easy.

Quickest Mac And Cheese

Box mac and cheese isn’t even as quick as this recipe. In just ten minutes, you’ll make the gooiest, most delicious mac and cheese from scratch!

Microwave Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie takes at least an hour to bake. However, with this recipe, you can cut time and make it in the microwave.

Apple Turnover

Apple turnovers are much faster to make than apple pies. You can save even more time by making them in your air fryer or toaster oven.   

With these recipes, you’ll serve an incredible spread without spending the whole day cooking. You can read more of our tailgate party ideas to improve your Thanksgiving spread here.

Serve Up The Tastiest Drinks

There’s nothing better than eating a big meal, then sitting back with a cold beer and watching the game. No one wants to play bartender when the game is on. Instead, serve up some seasonal beers. We have this great list of 10 seasonal beers that bring the flavors of Fall. Whether you like IPAs or stouts, you’ll find a beer that’s perfect for your thanksgiving homegate.

You can also batch some cocktails ahead of time. Here are some of our favorite batched cocktails that are perfect for any event. However, if you do feel like whipping up an after-dinner cocktail for your guests, we recommend this pumpkin pie martini. You can even use your leftover pumpkin pie filling. They are a delicious way to celebrate the holiday. 

Tailgate Party Ideas To Take The Party Outside

If you’re lucky to have great weather during Thanksgiving, take advantage of it. Fresh air and a little exercise can help you feel less full. We recommend playing some backyard games like cornhole. We have a ton of great ideas for backyard games here.

You can also go with a classic game of touch football (or tackle if your friends and family are more competitive). If you’re not really into running around, you can also set up a fire pit. Unwinding by the fire is a wonderful way to relax during the holidays. Here are our picks for the four best fire pits we recommend for both tailgating and homegating. Either way, it will be fun to get outside before and after the games.

Conclusion

These Thanksgiving tailgate party ideas will make things easy this holiday. That way you can focus all your attention on the four games we get to watch! If you are looking for more Thanksgiving tailgate party ideas, check out our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Amazon Storefront.

Let us know in the comments how you plan to spend the holiday! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!