18 Crowd-Pleasing Snacks for Game Day

A solid snack spread on Game Day is non-negotiable. We've got ideas for everything from bowls of popcorn to cheesy nachos to make your next football party a total success.

By
Claudia Cash
Claudia Cash
Claudia Cash
Claudia is the Community Manager for Simply Recipes and has contributed numerous articles focused on cooking on a budget, quick and easy meals, and kid-friendly foods.
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Published October 22, 2019
Claudia Cash
18 Game Day Snacks

Listen up... I feel that you should all know that SNACKS ARE LIFE. Sure, there’s a time and a place for a giant home-cooked meal, but there are times when snacks just hit the spot. Especially on game day, know what I’m saying?

When it comes to the big game, you most definitely want something fast, easy, and portable that you can munch on.

This round-up consists of simple and easy snacks that can be made the day of the game. No crazy ingredients required! In fact, I bet you will have a lot of the ingredients on hand already! What are you waiting for? Let’s get our snack on!

  • Perfect Popcorn

    perfect popcorn recipe
    Elise Bauer

    What would any game be without a bowl of popcorn?! I can’t even fathom the thought. We’ve got a simple technique that will give you the perfect batch of popcorn without any burnt kernels!

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  • Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls

    Peanut Butter Protein Balls
    Leela Cyd Ross

    These bite-sized little nuggets are beloved by all. Feel free to save yourself some time and make them before the game. They freeze beautifully!

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  • Baked Chicken Taquitos

    Homemade Taquitos with chicken
    Nick Evans

    It’s an unwritten universal rule that taquitos and sports go hand-in-hand. To make life a little easier for you, start with shredded rotisserie chicken!

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  • Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas

    Crispy Chickpeas in the Air Fryer
    Alison Conklin

    These are snacker’s delight! Season them however you’d like, pop them in the air fryer, and start munching! Using the air fryer creates the perfect crispiness and they’re ready in under 15 minutes!

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    Continue to 5 of 18 below.

  • Herb-Spiced Mixed Nuts

    Alison Conklin

    A little bit of heat, a little bit of sweet, and a whole lotta deliciousness! Mix these up right before people come over and snack to your heart’s content!

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  • Spicy Caramel Popcorn Clusters

    Homemade caramel popcorn
    Nick Evans

    You could just snack on regular caramel corn, which is a totally okay thing to do... but why not add in a little excitement with some chili powder + cayenne? You’ll score some major points with your friends with that zippy combo.

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  • The Best Nachos

    How to Make Nachos at Home
    Marta Rivera

    With a big giant plate of nachos, there will be plenty to go around! Also, with our special technique, soggy chips are a thing of the past and crispy nachos are here to stay!

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  • Copycat Chipotle Guacamole

    Best Restaurant Guacamole like Chipotle
    Marta Rivera

    Guac it like it’s hot! This copycat recipe is simple to make and definitely hits the spot! Be sure to make a double batch!

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    Continue to 9 of 18 below.

  • Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

    Chocolate Covered Pretzels
    Irvin Lin

    You really just can’t go wrong with anything sweet + salty. You can leave the pretzels dipped in plain chocolate, add a little drizzle on top, or sprinkle chopped nuts or toasted coconut flakes on top!

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  • Cheesy Bread

    Cheesy Bread
    Elise Bauer

    This more-than-fabulous recipe is one that serves a crowd. It’s a cross between garlic bread and pizza and doesn’t take any fancy schmancy ingredients to make! Score!

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  • Sour Cream and Bacon Deviled Eggs

    Sour Cream and Bacon Deviled Eggs
    Lisa Lin

    Bacon make everything better, right? That’s certainly the case with deviled eggs. These are simple to make and use sour cream in place of mayo. You still get that creamy texture, but with a hint of tang!

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  • Oven-fried Potato Chips

    oven fried potato chips
    Elise Bauer

    Oven baked potato chips are a GAME CHANGER. Get it? Game. Changer. I digress... We all love munching on potato chips at any given moment, but even more so while watching sports. Grab a bag of potatoes and get slicing!

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  • Onion Rings

    Homemade Onion Rings extra crunchy
    Elise Bauer

    Snack on a stack of these extra crispy onion rings! They’re soaked in buttermilk and coated in flour and extra cornmeal (for extra crunch) and then fried to a golden crisp.

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  • Air Fryer Crab Rangoon

    Cream cheese and crab wontons made in the air fryer
    Nick Evans

    These are the real deal and once you start chowing down, you won’t be able to stop. We give you some of our best tips and tricks to making the perfect rangoons each and every time.

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  • How to Make Candied Bacon

    Bacon Candy Recipe
    Nick Evans

    Treat yo’self! No seriously, treat yourself to some candied bacon. These would be an unexpected surprise at your next game day partay and everyone will want to be your BFF. Pinky promise.

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  • Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread

    Brazilian Cheese Bread
    Elise Bauer

    Did you know these are made in the blender? That translates to: Easy clean-up and no stand-mixer required! Did you also know that you can use a variety of cheeses when making this? Use any grated cheese you like. Bonus: They’re gluten-free!

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    Continue to 17 of 18 below.

  • How to Make Crispy Air Fryer French Fries

    Air Fryer French Fries Recipe
    Alison Conklin

    French fries usually take a long time to bake, but thanks to the air fryer, they crisp up in about 20 minutes AND you only need two teaspoons of oil per batch. Let the game day snacking marathon begin!

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  • Golden Cheddar Cheese Crisps

    Golden Cheddar Cheese Crisps
    Sally Vargas

    What’s not to love about crispy cheese? Everyone will be fighting over the crunchy critters and you may need a ref to manage the situation. Be sure to stash a few away for yourself because these will be gone in a flash!

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