Thanksgiving football food should be built ahead, so the cook watches the games too. Smoked queso, slow cooker meatballs and sheet-pan nachos cover the Thursday games, because they hold warm or bake in about 15 minutes. A pot of chili made ahead and leftover turkey sliders carry the crew through rivalry weekend on Friday and Saturday.
Thursday: games before and after the turkey
The oven belongs to the turkey on Thursday. Everything here is built the day before or cooks outside, on the stove or in a slow cooker.
- Smoked queso: build the foil pan on Wednesday and it goes on the smoker or grill Thursday morning, out of the oven's way. It holds warm on the cool side of the grill through the early game.
- Slow cooker meatballs: about 5 minutes of work. Heat them on the stove to 165°F, then the slow cooker holds them warm all afternoon while the crew grazes around dinner.
- Sheet-pan nachos: cook the beef ahead and the pans take about 15 minutes. Bake them for the night game, once the turkey is out of the oven.
Friday and Saturday: rivalry weekend
The big cooking is done. These two use what's already in the fridge.
- Big-batch chili: make it Wednesday or Friday morning, when the kitchen is free. It feeds 16, so it covers the house guests through Saturday with a toppings bar and no one on cooking duty.
- Thanksgiving leftover sliders: Thursday's turkey, stuffing and cranberry on sweet rolls, about 15 minutes to build and 30 to bake. They're the Friday or Saturday answer to a fridge full of leftovers.
For more ideas, see our tailgate food hub.
Leftovers: what keeps and for how long
A long game day is how leftovers end up on the counter too long. Here's what USDA says.
- Turkey, stuffing and other cooked leftovers: 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Thursday's turkey is good through Sunday or Monday, so the sliders fit Friday or Saturday.
- Gravy: only 1 to 2 days. Use Thursday's gravy by Saturday, or make a fresh batch.
- 2 hours out, or 1 hour over 90°F: food left out longer than that gets tossed, not saved for the sliders. Get the turkey and sides into the fridge before the night game starts.
- Reheat to 165°F: check leftovers with a thermometer, and bring gravy to a boil.
What food do you serve for Thanksgiving football?
Serve food that's built ahead and holds warm, so the cook isn't stuck in the kitchen during the game: smoked queso, slow cooker meatballs and sheet-pan nachos on Thursday, then chili and leftover turkey sliders for the weekend games.
How long are Thanksgiving leftovers good for?
Cooked turkey, stuffing and other cooked leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, and gravy keeps only 1 to 2 days. Toss anything left out more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), and reheat leftovers to 165°F.
What are good make-ahead Thanksgiving appetizers for football?
The queso, the meatballs and the nachos all work as make-ahead Thanksgiving appetizers and finger foods. Build the queso pan and cook the nacho beef on Wednesday so Thursday is just heating and serving while the turkey has the oven, and make the chili a day before the weekend games.