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Easy College Meals to Prepare in Advance
CollegiateParent
Football season has arrived! Even if you're not a huge sports fan, going to a game is the perfect excuse for a fall visit to campus, plus a great way to support your student's university and have quality family time.
CollegiateParent has compiled a list of tips and tricks to make this year’s tailgate the best one yet!
Don’t make the rookie mistake of waiting until the last minute to reserve a tailgating spot. Some universities use a lottery system and/or have certain parking lots that are more convenient than others.
In addition, tailgating regulations vary from school to school — check the website to review the tailgating policies and parking lot guidelines. You'll find rules about start and end times for tailgating, sound systems, alcohol, trash, charcoal disposal, catering rules, recycling and more as well as information about what you can and can't bring into the stadium.
Since the quickest way to a college kid’s heart is through their stomach, an easy approach to keep your student and their friends around is to bring your A-game with the food. Fire up the grill — chicken, steak, burgers, hot dogs and barbecue are all great tailgate choices. Include vegetarian or vegan options, too.
Side dishes and desserts can be the star of the show. Get creative! Check out these fun, football-themed examples:
Football Whoopie Pies With Cinnamon Cream
Big Game Football Field Party Dip
Embrace the school spirit and bring on the game day décor. Some universities or organizations broadcast tailgating highlights or present awards and prizes to the most spirited or best tailgate. If you want a chance to win or to see your crew on the jumbotron, be sure to deck out your tailgating spot (and yourself!) in university colors and gear.
A little pregame competition can really heighten the energy at your tailgate. Here are some fun ways to entertain your guests.
Cornhole is a classic game and the pieces allow for a great deal of personalization! You can buy a paintable all weather set and personalize it to your teams colors, buy a pre-designed set, or if you're crafty, make your own set with the help of an online tutorial. Rules are simple — teammates stand on opposite ends and toss bean bags, scoring three points for getting the bag into the hole and one for getting it on the board. First team to 21 points wins.
Like cornhole, you can buy a ladder toss/golf set or make your own. Individuals or teams can play. There are two ladders placed apart and the object of the game is to wrap your bolas (two balls attached to a rope) around the steps of the ladder. The top rung is worth three points, the middle two, and the bottom one.
This is a fun two-on-two game that's like a combination of volleyball and four-square. Games are played to 21 points and you must win by two points. Here are the rules, and you can buy the game here!
Easy and simple. Nothing beats tossing around a football on game day!
Music makes or breaks a party and you need it if you want students to stick around. Be sure to bring speakers with reasonable volume to make your presence known and help your guests get amped for the game. If strangers walk by bobbing their heads — or better yet, stop to join your tailgate — you're doing something right.
Here's a Spotify list of must-have songs that emphasize good vibes and celebration (and of course winning).
Avoid the "oops, I forgot the napkins" scenario. (Once you're on campus, last minute grocery shopping is a major hassle if not downright impossible.) Here's our list of tailgating essentials, including a link to download and print.
You've probably been missing your student and naturally want to make every second count. That said, keep in mind that they've started forming a community at school, and during the tailgate and game (and over the course of the weekend, if you're staying longer) they'll want to be with their friends and may have many other things going on. Even if you don't spend that much time with your student, they truly will appreciate you joining in the school spirit. When you represent their colors with pride, you reinforce that they are where they need to be: creating a new, independent life in college and making memories that will last a lifetime.
