The 10 Best Game Day Snacks to Stock up on This Fall at Trader Joe’s

Grab these easy favorites, perfect for football Sunday.

Football Sunday snack culture holds a special place in my heart and belly. Having grown up in a football-crazed household that also tended to be the hot spot for entertaining friends and family, you can bet your bottom dollar that Sunday entertaining always included two things: loud football games on the television (and louder banter at the players on the screen), and a delicious and elaborate snack spread that had something for everyone to enjoy.

Today, I have the gift of Trader Joe's minutes from my house, where I can stroll through the store and grab an array of game-day treats perfect for football Sunday snacking!

Here's a round-up of Trader Joe's products you need to stock up on all season long, plus some pro tips for the tastiest and most enjoyable game-day entertaining.

The Best Snacks to Serve on Football Sunday

Kalua Pork Spring Rolls

You can never go wrong serving up a platter of flavorful, texture-loaded spring rolls at a gathering. Kalua pork, a delicacy commonly served at luaus throughout the islands of Hawaii, is tender, smoky, and traditionally cooked in an underground oven. Here, crispy spring roll wrappers are packed with smoky, savory shredded pork, tender noodles, and vegetables like cabbage, onions, and scallions. They've got crunch, chew, and sweet and savory flavors. Just heat them up in the oven or air fryer and serve them with Trader Joe's Thai Sweet Ginger Sauce.

Breaded Cheddar Cheese Curds

If your guests have never tasted the soft, chewy, sharp Cheddar goodness of crispy cheese curds, with their trademark squeaky texture, they're in for a treat when it's your turn to host game day. A Wisconsinite classic, cheese curds are made from bits of extremely unaged Cheddar which are then battered in a savory seasoning, fried, and served as a perfectly sized snack for picking and sharing with a group. Heat these breaded cheese curds in the oven or air fryer and pair them with crisp citrusy or hoppy beers to compliment the sharp Cheddar flavor profile.

Parmesan Pastry Pups

Pigs in a blanket, but make them a little fancy for proper game day hosting! These promise to become a staple in your freezer for quick preparation whenever company is coming over. Mini nitrite-free hot dogs are wrapped in buttery, crisp, light layers of fluffy puff pastry, and then sprinkled with savory Parmesan cheese for intensified flavor. All you have to do is place these on a sheet pan, pop them in the oven, and serve them warm with a fun condiment flight of Dijon mustard, organic yellow mustard, and ketchup, and maybe even a melted cheese dip made with Swiss, Gouda, and Gruyere cheeses. These have crunch, chew, and tons of flavor for delicious game-day snacking.

Buffalo-Style Chicken Poppers

Once you pop, you can't stop! From wings to dips, to these fun and flavorful poppers, Buffalo-style anything is a classic game-day flavor. Grilled and diced white chicken is mixed with cream cheese, a sharp and buttery combination of fontina, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses, and a spicy cayenne pepper sauce before being folded into delicate phyllo dough and battered. All you have to do is pop these poppers in the oven to achieve a perfectly crisp, flaky, flavorful appetizer. Serve them with a side of celery and carrot sticks and ranch dressing.

Breaded Fried Ravioli

These fried ravioli have stood the test of time in the Trader Joe's frozen food aisle for a reason. Semolina pasta squares are filled with a five-cheese mix before being deep-fried and flash-frozen for safekeeping in your freezer. Crisp these ravioli up in the oven, skillet, or air fryer for a warm and gooey snack with a crispy, golden exterior, and creamy, cheese-filled center. Comparable to savory, melty mozzarella sticks, breaded fried ravioli make a timeless game-day appetizer. Serve them with a side of marinara sauce or lemon pesto sauce for dipping and it's game time!

Mac and Cheese Bites

There's a lot to love about these mac and cheese bites! You can't go wrong with their insanely cheesy filling made with a blend of Cheddar, Havarti, Swiss, and Gouda, flavorful cream cheese blend, and delicate panko-style breading that wraps this entire mac and cheese bite up in a crispy, golden, savory hug. These bites bake into gooey, crisp, golden goodness in just 20 minutes. Prepare them in the oven or air fryer, and serve them with toothpicks for easy snacking.

Mini Cheeseburgers

Sliders are a simple and savory game day menu must! These mini cheeseburgers make it easy to prepare burgers for your guests. You may need to buy a few boxes depending on your crowd, as each box contains three juicy, seasoned, fully cooked beef burgers topped with a slice of Cheddar, and sandwiched between two halves of sweet Hawaiian-style rolls. The burgers are even adorned with a dollop of tangy sauce. The entire job is done, and all you have to do is heat them up in the oven or microwave, and dig in! If you want to upgrade these mini cheeseburgers, add to your toppings with some caramelized onions, crisp lettuce, and pickles, and serve the burgers with a side of mustard sauce, BBQ sauce, or sweet potato fries.

Jamaican Style Beef Patties

Jamaican beef patties are a celebrated treat in many parts of the Caribbean. Diversify your game day spread with these vibrantly flavorful Jamaican-style beef patties. Ground beef is seasoned with spicy and savory flavors, then folded into a flaky and crispy pastry crust that has a gorgeous golden hue, thanks to earthy turmeric. Prepare these in the oven, air fryer, or microwave for serving perfectly sized hand pies that are hearty, comforting, and promise to satisfy your game day appetite. These beef patties definitely bring the heat, so serve them with sweet juice, fruity wine, or a chilled citrusy beer.

S'Mores Bars

Savory tends to be the name of the game when it comes to football Sunday entertaining, but you can't forget to break out the sweets too! These S'Mores bars are the answer to your game day dessert questions. A neater and more compact version of the gooey, melty campfire classic, these bars contain all the goods: crunchy graham crackers, rich chocolate, and toasted marshmallows. You can let these thaw from the freezer and serve them at room temperature, or if you're not worried about chocolate on your couch cushions, heat them up for a few minutes in the oven or air fryer to enjoy the ooey gooey goodness of this timeless nostalgic classic.

Snacky Clusters

Bring your whole spread together by placing a bowl of these sweet and salty clusters covered in rich milk chocolate. Trader Joe's Sea Salt Potato Chips, Corn Chip Dippers, and Mini Pretzel Nuggets are roughly crushed and mixed with melted milk chocolate before transforming into bite-sized, dangerously delicious clusters. The taste of creamy and sweet chocolate is immediately followed by a punch of salty, crunchy goodness. People will be popping them into their mouths all Sunday long! Pro tip: Store these in the freezer for whenever the craving for a crunchy, sweet, and salty snacking strikes.

Tips for Upgrading Your Favorite Game Day Snacks:

• When in doubt, air fry it! When it comes to crispiness, the air fryer won't let you down. When your Trader Joe's product instructions suggest heating something up in the oven or air fryer, opt for the air fryer to achieve maximum crisp, crunch, and even cooking.

• You can never have too many condiments. If you're looking to add more flavor options to your game day snack spread, place bowls of different condiments in a central dipping location for hungry guests to step up their snacking game based on whatever they prefer! Ideas include Magnifisauce, sweet chili sauce, BBQ sauce, spicy Zhoug Sauce, truffle aioli, and whole grain Dijon mustard (all available at TJ's of course).

• Keep the oven and/or air fryer on call. Football Sunday is a long day, so the need to reheat may arise. Keeping your oven on a low or warm setting, or having your air fryer warmed and ready is a quick and easy way to reheat any snacks throughout the day, and it will help you avoid tossing any untouched snacks just because they're cold. Reducing food waste is always a win!

• Bring sweet and salty to the table. Everyone has their own palate preferences for snacking. Although Sunday Funday treats tend to be on the savory side, it never hurts to add some sweets to the mix, as well. Find suggestions above, or visit your Trader Joe's bakery section for freshly prepared and ready-to-serve sweet treats like cookies and cupcakes.

• Make 'em mini. Bite-sized is always best for game-day snacking. It's all about different flavors, easy grabbing, and portability for being able to sit and enjoy on a chair, bench, couch, trunk, or even the ground. Luckily, Trader Joe's has mastered the "mini" game when it comes to perfectly sized snacks. Just take a walk through the frozen food section and you'll find tons of options for Football Sunday entertaining!
  

Read the original article on All Recipes.