By Beth Peralta
Whether you are cheering on the Fighting Illini or another local sports team, tailgating can be a big part of the game and fan experience. There are many ways to make it fun and safe for family members of all ages.
Games &Activities
Old favorites like ring toss, ladder golf, and bean bag set are fun for all ages. For larger groups of kids, coordinating games of duck-duck-goose and tag can be a fun way to burn off some extra energy.
Since not all children are interested in competitive games, having other activities is important to keep them having fun, too. Painting faces with school colors or having a coloring table set-up are a few ideas.
If it’s a hot day, having them decorate homemade fans can be a great way to beat the heat and get crafty. These can be easily made with light-colored cardstock, crayons or markers, masking tape, and large craft sticks. Have cardstock cut into 5”x7” sheets and tape a craft stick securely between two sheets to use as a handle. Cardstock can then be decorated using crayons or markers.
Food & Drink
Tailgate foods and beverages are not always healthy, so have fun with some new items in addition to your traditional fare. Making fruit salad using school colors (blueberries and orange segments are great for Illinois!), using plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in your favorite dip recipe, and making up treat baggies with trail mix are several easy ways to get started. For beverages, make sure to have plenty of water, 100% fruit juice boxes, and ice-cold, fat-free single-serving milk jugs on-hand to please a variety of palates.
Safety
Though this should be understood without saying, make sure that alcohol consumption is kept to a minimum for the adults and there is always at least one completely alcohol-free adult for driving. Keep coolers and any adult beverages out of the reach of children.
Food safety is also important – no one wants to get sick during or after the game! It’s important to keep cold foods cold, hot foods hot, and to keep raw meat away from items that are ready to consume. Check out this link for help making sure your tailgate food is tasty and safe.
Beth Peralta is a die-hard Illinois fan, wife to Andrew, and mother of quickly growing infant Natalie. She is a registered dietitian and self-proclaimed food safety nerd. Football season tickets have been in her pocket for years and she is enjoying introducing her daughter to family-friendly tailgating traditions in Champaign-Urbana, complete with wearing lots of orange & blue.