As everyone already knows, whether talking about the high school, college, or professional level, football is a really big deal here in Texas. The way to make the memories of the games even longer lasting is to learn how to be a tailgating king or queen.
The secret to becoming tailgating royalty is not in how much you can take, frustrating yourself into never wanting to do it again, but by creatively planning ahead to make your moveable feast look effortless. Here are a few tips to set you on the right path to becoming unforgettable in a parking lot.
Pre-plan For Success
Fun tailgating needs to be a low stress event for the host. Don’t throw everything together at the last minute, or choose dishes that are too complex to make in a parking lot. You might have the best backyard BBQ in the state, but do you have the time and the gumption to use it in the lot to make ribs? The space required to pack big cooking gear and mesquite would be better used for a gas camp stove, canopy, folding table or kitchen stand, and some camp chairs.
Think Outside The Box For Food And Drink
The easiest thing to make on a stove in the parking lot is boiling water. The thing you never seem to have enough of is ice. By being creative, you can use both of these facts of life to great advantage.
Bratwurst, hot dogs, smokies, and the like can all be frozen and used like ice packs until you want 
to take them out and cook them. Ears of corn do the same. Buy it in season, cut them in half and freeze. Now they are ice packs. Finally, punch is lighter than filling a cooler with bottles and cans. Buy half gallons of sherbet and keep them tightly wrapped in plastic shopping bags. When you are set up, empty them into a large bowl with some two liter bottles of lemon-lime soda. Now you have punch that cools itself.
Have The RIght Vehicle
If you have been to many football games at all, chances are you have seen lots of tailgating. How many times have you seen anyone setting up a substantial party out of the back of a hybrid? The first step to becoming a tailgating king is to have a vehicle from which to throw a party.
In Texas, for the best selection of SUVs suitable for your tailgating, you owe it to yourself to seek out the Jeep Dealer McAllen TX, and take a look at their inventory. They will likely have something that fits your budget.
Citations:
- Photo Credit: title=”005 Athletics Tailgate Party on Sept. 9″ by University of the Fraser Valley, on Flickr
- Photo Credit: title=”an iconic man” by sashafatcat, on Flickr
Attached Images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
Helen Hoefele is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow her at: @For_You_To_Know.