18 Game Day Appetizers That Belong At Your Football Watch Party

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Recipe
Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Game day in the South serves as a sacred day dedicated to football, friends, and the tastiest dishes around. Whether you're hosting a game day gathering in your backyard, attending a friend's party, or tailgating at the game, appetizers are a must-have for football Saturdays in the South. Whether it's a dip, a grazing board, or a sheet of nachos, food is the center of our attention.

These easy dishes are sure to please any game day crowd while they cheer on their favorite team. Some appetizers, like Alabama Fire Cracker Saltines or Spinach-Artichoke Dip, can be made ahead if you'll be busy until kickoff. Others, like Corn and Jalapeno Dip, easily come together with the help of your trusty slow cooker. Who needs a meal when you have the tastiest dips and dishes in front of you while you watch the game? Gather around the appetizer table, fill up on these delicious dishes, and root on your favorite team with these must-have recipes.

01 of 18

Bacon Deviled Eggs

Bacon Deviled Eggs
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Bacon Deviled Eggs

What's better than deviled eggs? Savory bacon deviled eggs, of course.

02 of 18

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites

Using sweet potatoes gives a taste of fall to this classic Southern appetizer.

03 of 18

Bacon Bow Tie Crackers

Bacon Bow Tie Crackers
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman

Recipe: Bacon Bow Tie Crackers

You are only two ingredients away from creating this easy appetizer. We suggest doubling the recipe because they are sure to fly off the plate.

04 of 18

Pull Apart Pizza Bread

Pull Apart Pizza Bread
Alison Miksch

Recipe: Pull Apart Pizza Bread

Serve with your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.

05 of 18

Mini Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

Mini Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas
Stephen DeVries

Recipe: Mini Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

This recipe makes enchiladas into the perfect hearty appetizer.

06 of 18

Alabama Fire Cracker Saltines

Alabama Fire Cracker Saltines
Kate Robertson

Recipe: Fire Crackers Recipe

These addictive crackers don't even require you to turn on the oven.

07 of 18

Baked BLT Dip

Baked BLT Dip
Skyler Burt

Recipe: Baked BLT Dip

The classic sandwich remade into a crowd-pleasing dip.

08 of 18

Crack Crackers

Crack Crackers Recipe
Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

Recipe: Crack Crackers

Dress up store-bought crackers with this recipe from Elizabeth Heiskell's cookbook What Can I Bring? Southern Food for Any Occasion Life Serves Up.

09 of 18

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Spinach-Artichoke Dips
Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Although this dip doesn't require any cooking, you will need to refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.

10 of 18

Corn and Jalapeño Dip

Corn and Jalapeño Dip
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Corn and Jalapeño Dip

You'll want to make sure you have plenty of chips to serve alongside this dip. Just stir together all the ingredients in your slow cooker and let it do the rest of the work.

11 of 18

Cocktail Meatballs

Cocktail Meatballs (70s)

Recipe: Cocktail Meatballs

These homemade meatballs can be made-ahead and frozen until you are ready to serve.

12 of 18

Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip

Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip
Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip

We suggest making more than one batch of these bacon-wrapped potatoes.

13 of 18

Mini Potato Skins

Mini Potato Skins
Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop styling: Claire Spollen; Food styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Mini Potato Skins

Classic potato skins are given an upgrade with a topping of bacon and sour cream.

14 of 18

Pimiento Cheese

Basic Pimiento Cheese
Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Pimiento Cheese

No party in the South is complete without a big ol' bowl of pimiento cheese.

15 of 18

Air Fryer French Fries

Air Fryer French Fries
Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Air Fryer French Fries

Skip the big pot of oil and get those potatoes nice and crispy in the Air Fryer.

16 of 18

Sheet Pan Nachos

Simple Suppers Challenge: Sheet Pan Nachos
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Sheet Pan Nachos

Feed a crowd on gameday with these easy and fast Sheet Pan Nachos.

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Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip

Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Recipe: Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip

We're calling in an assist from rotisserie chicken to pull of this super-simple recipe.

18 of 18

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings with Pepper Jelly Glaze

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Recipe
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Crispy Baked Chicken Wings with Pepper Jelly Glaze

Our homemade baked chicken wings pairs perfectly with a pepper jelly glaze that is certainly game day approved.

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