Game Days will be a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be epic. We have all the winning wood-fired recipes and pro tips you need to bring the stadium experience to your backyard and score championship-worthy flavor all season long.

Weekly Drills

Long before you hit ignite or welcome any guests, make sure your grill is good to go on game day. Be sure to stock up on all the pellets you need, resupply on rubs & sauces, and thoroughly clean your grill. That way, you’re ready to roll smoke all weekend.

Make a Game Plan

Don’t just wing your plays on game day—make a menu ahead of time, figure out what kind of times and temps you need to juggle, and get a head count to ensure you have enough food to make it past halftime. And when it comes to deciding how much food to make, don’t be afraid to go a little overboard. It’s better to have leftovers than to come up short when it counts.

Bring the Stadium Home

Even though you’re not at the game, you can still create an awesome tailgating experience in your backyard or driveway. Take your epic game day spread a step further by choosing dishes that are local favorites in your team’s region or crafting wood-fired versions of classic stadium snacks like hot dogs, popcorn, and nachos. And if you really want to go all out, set up your TV outside under a shade tent with the home team colors and deck it out with tables, coolers, flags, chairs—basically, everything else you’d bring to your dream tailgate (don’t forget the cornhole boards).

Create a Game Day Strategy

If you’re making an MVP-level feast, then your food probably won’t fit on the grill all at once. Save yourself time, effort, and logistical headaches by making some dishes in advance. Things like sauces, salsas, and salads can all be made ahead of time and brought out at the last minute. There are also tons of dishes like baked dips, chili, and pies that can be cooked ahead of time and then simply reheated on the grill for a few minutes before serving.

Don’t Forget to Hydrate

With all those salty, spicy, and savory foods going around, your fellow fans will need something to wash it down with. And while an ice-cold lager or a crisp soda is always a good option, you can kick things up a notch by incorporating wood-fired flavor into your drink menu. We’re talking everything from smoke-kissed Old Fashioneds and margaritas to grilled iced tea & lemonades.

Go Deep With Wings

Add this triple-option of wing sauce flavors to your game plan to keep everyone on the home team happy.

Serving Size Stats

When you’re homegating, you always want to make sure you have enough meat to go around. Luckily, we crunched the numbers for you so you can always call the right play.

First Quarter Plays

Kick things off with a super quick and easy snack to hold everyone over until it’s time to break out the big plays. Simply take your favorite store-bought snacks—potato chips, pretzels, or cheese crackers would all be solid choices—and spread them out on a cookie sheet. Then, spray lightly with cooking oil and season with your favorite Traeger rub. Add to a pre-heated Traeger grill set to 225°F and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After that, just let them cool and you’re ready to score some easy flavor points.

Check out these other ways to kick off the game flavorfully.