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If you have ever been to a tailgate, especially in a football town, you know it’s an all day event. Tailgating means getting out early with food, games, family, and friends and spending the day out there until you crawl home and into bed. For some you end the day at the game, but for plenty of others, tailgating is the event for the day.
Getting a prime setup, however, can mean getting out early in the day to get the food and games going. But we aren’t skipping breakfast around here! Here are 15 ways to beat the morning hunger with some tailgating recipes that are perfect for a breakfast tailgate.
Whether you are looking for ideas that you can prepare the day before or morning of, and cook them on site. Or you want something you can easily throw together on site and cook on the grill. Or just some options to heat up once game day has started, there are options here for you.
BREAKFAST TAILGATE ESSENTIALS
Plan of Attack
The first thing in planning a tailgate breakfast is to choose exactly what you mean by that and how much work you’re willing to do. Choose whether you want to make your dishes ahead of time and warm them up on site, or if you want to bring your food and cook it all there.
Making the food ahead of time will require more time and planning the day before or morning of the tailgate which may or may not be practical or timely. However, it will save you more time at the tailgate to set up your site and prepare the rest of the food.
Making the food at the tailgate only requires transporting the ingredients and time spent actually cooking it. Depending on when you arrive, that may work or it may make your pressed for time to get other things done. Either way, you will want to choose one or the other because aiming to do both will most likely throw your timing and planning off.
Supply List
If you opt for making your meals ahead of time, choose whether you want to allocate space on the grill to warm them up, or if you want to go for chaffing dishes or portable warmers. This will depend on your schedule and allotted space.
Once the food is ready, don’t forget the outdoor essentials such as food covers, napkins, plates, cups, serving utensils, and somewhere to dispose of your trash!
Now, what’s on the menu?
1. Mini Chicken and Waffles
Mini chicken and waffle bites are easy to prepare the day before and assemble on site. They are also a perfect meal to start off an early game day if you are feeling more up to brunch than breakfast. You can opt for premade choices and simply assemble or check out this recipe if you want everything homemade!
2. Ham and Cheese Croissant
Breakfast sandwiches won’t get much easier than this option. With only a few minutes of assembly required, you can make these in bulk. Wrap them in foil to keep them warm or rewarm them quickly on the grill.
3. Hash Brown Casserole
If you’re looking for an option that is easy to assemble and easy to dish out, choose this hash brown casserole. All you have to do is throw it together before you leave out for the day. It can also be reheated on the grill.
4. Double Chocolate Espresso Muffins
Get a two-for-one with these chocolate espresso muffins. Ok, so they may not be enough to satisfy your caffeine fix but they definitely will be a win for an easy to grab breakfast option. Pick one up and head out into the tailgate to see what everyone else is up to.
5. Breakfast Quesadillas
Breakfast quesadillas are an amazing option if you have a flattop grill. You can warm up the tortillas while cooking your ingredients and throw them together quickly so you can move on to the main courses.
6. Puff Pastry Tomato Tarts
If you want something that you can make before you head out to game day, or an option that travels well, consider these puff pastry tarts. Everyone knows the day before tailgating can be just as busy as the day of sometimes, these take little effort but deliver an amazing result.
7. Bacon and Cheese Muffins
Talk about a grab and go breakfast, these all-in-one bacon and cheese muffins are one of the best options for tailgating. You can make a big batch ahead of time and sit them out for everyone to grab from while you set up the rest of the tailgate.
8. Breakfast Burritos
Let’s be honest, breakfast burritos are usually the answer to any breakfast related questions anyway. So of course, when talking about breakfast tailgate options they have to make the list. Not only are these portable, making them easy to carry around the tailgating grounds, but they are easy to customize to each individuals liking.
9. Oatmeal Cups
Tailgating often means lots of amazing and delicious foods, but often times heavy foods. So if you want to start game day off on a lighter, healthier note, consider these oatmeal cups. They are incredibly easy to prepare, store, and carry. Bonus, they leave you full but not weighed down, leaving plenty of room for all of the food coming off the grill.
10. Breakfast Scrambler
It truly does not get much easier than this breakfast scrambler when it comes to tailgating recipes. This recipe is specifically created for outdoor cooking such as BBQing, camping, and tailgating. This options is also perfect for feeding a larger crowd.
11. Cheese and Herb Muffins
This list is no stranger to muffins, but these cheese and herb muffins could not be left out. These deliciously cheese bites are an amazing way to start the day. Small but mighty, they pack a flavorful punch and like the other options can be made ahead of time and are perfectly portable.
12. Pancake Tacos
Of course there can be no talk of breakfast without pancakes. Consider these pancake tacos for your next breakfast tailgate menu. They are easy to prepare in large batches on a flattop grill and are such a fun way to start off game day.
13. Breakfast Chili
Most tailgating takes place in the cooler months, which means even cooler mornings. There is no need to start your tailgate off on a cold note when this unique and flavorful breakfast chili recipe is waiting for you. Not only is this the perfect solution for a fall morning, it’s sure to fill everyone up for the long day of activity ahead.
14. Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
If loading up early in the morning isn’t your thing but you still want something to tide you over until it’s BBQ time, these protein balls are a one-for-all type solution. Not only are these incredibly easy to make ahead of time, they are easy to pop on the go, very easy to transport, and are full of protein to keep you full until it’s time to eat.
15. Tomato and Spinach Breakfast Sandwich
Another easy to prepare option are these English muffin breakfast sandwiches. Simply grab your ingredients and heat everything up on the grill or flattop. You can even customize your options, such as grabbing English muffins and bagels for guests to choose from.
Don’t let those early game days get the best of you. With a little planning and preparation, there is no need to skip meals with these tailgating recipes. These breakfast recipes let you tailgate all day long on a full stomach.
With a bit of planning, you can opt for meals that you make at home before heading out, or easy to put together meals that you finish up on the grill. With options for everyone’s tastebuds, nobody will lose game day.
Got breakfast covered? Check out these 21 tailgate food ideas that don’t require a grill so you can enjoy the rest of the day!
