On game day, I’m cheering for the snacks

For me, the snacks are the game. [Today On The Spruce]( [The Spruce Daily]( [Today On The Spruce]( [Today On The Spruce] [Lemon Heading Photo]( [On Game Day, I’m Cheering for the Snacks]( [Heather Ramsdell]( Dear football fans, please take the best seats in front of the action. For me, the [snacks]( are the game. Football day is the biggest entertaining day of the year. It’s special because it’s centered around the TV, so it’s mostly enjoyed on plates balanced on laps, in bursts before and during short pauses. So, it’s helpful to serve food you can pick up with your hands, whether it’s [pretzel dogs](, [bacon-wrapped shrimp](, or [chile and cheese flautas](. When I’m hosting a game day party, I like to offer all of the food groups: [a beer drink](, something [cheesy](, something spicy enough to burn your face off (a hot, tangy mess of [Buffalo wings]( is necessary), relief vegetables, and at least one food that looks like a football, like these [cupcakes](. If your gang is really into the beer, I recommend making a lot of [popcorn]( and scattering bowls around the room to go along with it. And put some of these crispy, perfectly-seasoned [chicken skin chips]( nearby for easy snacking. This weekend is my first step from the long pier of [Veganuary](. I am torn. I don’t want to backlash too hard but a game day party is the cheesiest, meatiest, most debaucherous eating event of the year. I’m planning to wade slowly into the fray, so I’m going to offer up several deep-comfort foods made out of vegetables like this [guacamole](, deep fried cauliflower, and an XL version of this [eggplant parm]( (with half dairy and half plant cheese), tucked into an entire long loaf of Italian bread. And game day isn’t complete without [nachos](, so I’m making two trays; they make me weak. Remember to layer the ingredients so that every chip has a little bit of something on it. -Heather Ramsdell Editorial Director, The Spruce Eats [READ MORE]( [Today On The Spruce](#) Recipes We Love [Sugar]( [Classic Buffalo Wings Are a Game Day Must]( [Loaded Nachos With Ground Beef and Beans]( [Sugar]( [Mini Pretzel Dogs Beat Typical Pigs-in-a-Blanket]( [Creamy Queso Blanco Dip Is a Party Favorite]( [Today On The Spruce](#) One Thing [Heading Living Room]( [Crispy Chicken Skin Chips Are About to Become Your New Favorite Snack]( [Watch & Learn]( [Today On The Spruce]( [Spruce Eats Banner]( [Today On The Spruce](#) More From The Spruce [Mini Cheesecakes]( [40 Popular Chinese Recipes You Can Easily Recreate at Home]( [The 10 Best Meat Subscriptions Boxes of 2020]( [Trending Topics](#) [Breads]( [Slow Cooker Meals]( [All-Star Pastas]( [Seasonal Produce]( [Soups, Stews, and Chili]( [Breakfast Casseroles]( Did somebody forward you this email? [Sign Up for The Spruce Eats Newsletter!]( [The Spruce]( [The Spruce]( [The Spruce]( [The Spruce]( You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to The Spruce Eats newsletter. [Unsubscribe](page=spruce) © 2020 Dotdash.com — All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy.]( A DOTDASH BRAND 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036