It’s football season, and nothing goes better with football than a great tailgate party. Tailgating is all about the food, the drinks and the fun.
Enjoy A Tailgating Beverage Before the Game
As far as beverages are concerned, you want easy. Mixing and concocting drinks from the back of your truck isn’t easy, and you don’t usually have a blender handy. So, prepackaged and make-ahead beverages are the best. You can purchase ice from Emergency Ice for keeping those drinks cold, for mixing with your favorite mixers or for crushing. Emergency ice even has cocktail ice.
For those over the age of 21, beer is usually standard in the cooler, but sometimes beer isn’t your thing. That’s when make-ahead cocktails are great. The internet is full of some great ideas and recipes. One website, thedailymeal.com, has some ideas for pre-made beverages and also gives the reader some ideas for food pairings. A few ideas are Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, Vodka Cran, and Jello Shots. For the fan who needs a warm-up, have some hot water or coffee in a carafe to make some spiked hot chocolate or Irish coffee.
Let’s not forget the non-drinker. The non-drinker doesn’t have to get stuck with plain drinks like soda pop or water. There are plenty of recipes on the web or in cookbooks for non-alcoholic party drinks. Just have plenty of crushed ice or cocktail ice on hand to make a Lemon Ice Tea Mix, Orange Lemonade, Pineapple Ginger Sparkler or a fruity slushy.
Level Your Packing for Maximum Cooling
So, you are packing all of those refreshing drinks in your custom painted cooler with your favorite team’s logo on the front…maybe something your girlfriend made for you in college, or just your plain ole cooler that you take camping, doesn’t matter. What matters is that you ice it up properly. Just because it’s fall, it doesn’t mean it is cool or cold in Texas right? If you don’t organize it the right way, you may not get the best use out of it.
First, if you can, chill that cooler before you pack it up. It will keep ice longer. If you have access to a commercial freezer, leave it there overnight. If not, keep it in a cool location. It is best to chill everything you will pack in the cooler ahead of time so that it is already cold. If you can handle two coolers, you can do one for food and one for beverages. Reserve the bottom of the cooler for colder foods.
If you are taking frozen water bottles, you can use those to keep the bottom stuff cold. Store all spreads or dips in tightly sealed containers. Pack hamburger, hot dogs and all other meats individually. Zip-top bags work perfectly. Keep cooked and raw foods separate also. Fill your cooler with plenty of ice, knowing that some will melt. It is a good idea to keep a portion of ice in zip-top bags for mixing with drinks. You might want to consider taping your cooler shut for a better seal if you are traveling a long distance. Always follow the one-hour-rule: foods that need refrigeration should not sit out any longer than one hour.
Keep Your Tailgating Cool with Emergency Ice
If you are hosting a tailgating party and want it to be a success don’t forget the ice. Emergency Ice is available for delivery and at stores across the Dallas-Metroplex. Call us today to find out how to get the best amount of ice for your celebration.