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!
Thanksgiving Football Schedule
Before we get started here is the Thanksgiving Day football schedule for the NFL and NCAA games:
● Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, MI airing on CBS at 12:30 p.m. ET
● New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX airing on FOX at 4:30 p.m. ET
● Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in University, MS airing on CBS at 6:00 p.m. ET
● New England Patriots vs. Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN airing on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET
If you’re homegating, make sure to get these on your calendar. If you’re planning to tailgate at any of the stadiums, we’re jealous! All of these games are going to be a great time. Here are some fun tailgate party ideas that you need to try.
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:
Five Thanksgiving Sides, One Sheet Pan
Using this recipe you can make cranberry sauce, biscuits, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, and scalloped potatoes on just one sheet pan. It does not get easier than this!
Five Thanksgiving Sides in One Sheet Pan
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 – 7.5 Oz Tubes Refrigerated Mini Biscuits
Cranberry Sauce
- 12 Oz Frozen Cranberries
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Orange Juice
- 2 Tbsp Cornstartch
- 1 Tbsp Turbinado Sugar
Sweet Potato Casserole
- 1 1/2 Lbs Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 Cup Whole Milk
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/2 Cup Mini Marshmallows
Green Bean Casserole
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 5 Oz Sliced Cremini Mushrooms
- Quarter Small Onion, chopped
- 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
- Salt and Pepper
- 12 Oz Frozen and Cut Green Beans
- 1/3 Cup Crispy Fried Onions
Scalloped Potatoes
- 3/4 Lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan
- 1 Small Clove Garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves, chopped
- Salt and Pepper
- 1/4 Cup Shredded Gruyere
Notes
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.
Air Fryer Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Acorn Squash, seeds remove and cut into 3/4 inch thick half moons
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Raw Honey
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Pecans
- 1/4 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese (optional)
Notes
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.
Instant Pot Stuffing
Ingredients
- 12 Oz Dry Cubed Seasoned Stuffing (1 bag or box)
- 1/2 Cup Butter
- 1 Cup Onion, diced
- 1 Cup Celery, diced
- 1 Tsp Rubbed Sage, dried
- 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 Tsp Pepper
- 2 Cloves Garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 1/2 Cups Turkey Broth
- 1 1/2 Cups Water
Optional
- 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries, unsweetened
- Raisins
- 1/2 Cup Walnuts or Pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/2 Cup Apple, diced
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Mushrooms
- 1/2 Cup Bacon, cooked, chopped
Notes
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!
Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Oz Cream Cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 Tsp Garlic Salt
- 1/2 Cup Grated Sharp Cheddar
- 2 Slices American Cheese
- 3 Cups Cooked Cavatappi Pasta
Notes
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.
Microwave Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- 1/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 2 Tbsp Whisked Egg
- 2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
- 3/4 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 2 Tbsp Erythritol Granular
Notes
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.
Apple Turnovers
Ingredients
- 5 Medium Apples
- 1 Lb Puff Pastry
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Egg
Notes
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.
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!