How To Host Game Day

Whether you're a football fan, a NASCAR junkie, or anywhere in between, game-days are always the best days. They are even more fun when spent with family and friends to help you root on your favorite team or player. If you've ever hosted a game day, you know it can be stressful, with lots of moving parts. But no worries, Char-Griller has your back. We're going to layout the best way to host game day with all the fun and none of the anxiety.     

Invites:  

Because your guests are coming over to watch the game, invite people based on how many people you can accommodate in front of a TV. If you only have one TV with a few seating options, keep your game day gathering more intimate. It all depends on your comfort level. If you're a big fan and like being surrounded by similar energy, invite other passionate fans. If that doesn't matter to you, invite whoever you want to spend a fun day with. It may be fun to ask your guests to wear game-day attire, like jerseys, to keep the atmosphere festive!  

Food and Drinks:  

This is the best part of any game day! We recommend sorting out food and drinks a few days ahead, so you're not swamped the day of the big game. Your guests are certainly going to bring a big appetite, so it's a good idea to have a few options to cater to everyone's taste. Key food categories include dips, main meal (think wings or burgers), veggies, fruit, chips, handheld bites, etc. Remember, if cooking a ton of food isn't really your thing, it's perfectly acceptable to ask guests to bring snacks and sides.   

Char-Griller Recipe Recommendations:   

• BBQ Wang Thangs  

• Over The Top Chili   
• Spicy Honey Glazed Wings   
• Mac and Cheese Stuffed Meatballs  
• Leftover Brisket Nachos   
• Smoked Queso Dip  

For drinks, its best to have a cooler on hand, stocked with variety. If you have a signature drink you make, buy a pitcher for easy pouring throughout the game. We suggest giving your drink a fun name related to your team, for example, "Dirty Bird" or "Black and Gold."    

It’s important that your food and drinks stay at its desired temperature the entire game. To help you achieve this, we have a few tips. For drinks, we recommend a cooler and insulated cup. For hot food, placing a layer of tinfoil around the food will keep it insulated and warm. For anything else, keeping the lid to the container on tightly will help keep the temperature regulated.   

Other tips: 

• Consider a halftime switch from snacks to main food 
• Stager the times you place food on the table, so it doesn't all get eaten too quickly  
• If you're doing a long smoke, like brisket, give yourself a little extra time in case it needs a little longer than expected. You don’t want your guests to go hungry.  
• Consider different stations for food to avoid crowding. 

Entertainment:  

Of course, the game is the main source of entertainment on game day, but it's good to have other options for pre-game, half-time, and in case people need a break from the TV. If you have a backyard, corn hole is the perfect game if your crowd is more on the competitive side. It's a simple, easy-to-follow game that anyone can play. If you don't have a lot of outdoor space or it's raining, cards and board games are a good option too! Whether that be poker, Uno, or Jenga, having games handy is a great way to keep your guests entertained. Lastly, drawing up a square grid with monetary gift prizes is a great way to keep your group engaged with the game. Each side is labeled with a team and numbers 0-9, and within the grid, people buy a grid space and write their initials in it. At the end of each quarter, whoever chooses the grid space with the correct score wins a portion of the pot.   

We hope following this guide will make hosting game-day fun and stress-free. You can't go wrong with any of the recipes listed above, but if you’re looking for more variety, be sure to check out Char-Griller recipes on our website.  Enjoy hosting game-day like a pro!