Ever stood in a parking lot and enjoyed a meal with friends before the game? It’s kinda magical! All the fans in team colors. Grills blazing away in a sea of parked cars. Tables spread with vast arrays of food from the chilled to the grilled.

Tailgating means different things to different people. For some, it’s all about team spirit and getting ready for the game. For others, it’s party time! A chance to eat, drink, and have fun! It might just be the collective experience of massive numbers of people doing it together outside  in a giant parking lot that makes tailgating so special.

Either way, tailgating can be as simple or as fancy as you want. Just bring a cooler of prepared food, drinks, and team colors and call it a day. No worries. Or plan it out for days, even weeks ahead of time, outfit a huge RV for the game, set up tents, bring a big grill or smoker, and make it an event! It’s your call. No matter how you play it, here’s a truckload of plant-based tailgating recipes to help make your next party in the parking lot the best ever. Pro tip: Make as much as you can ahead and just finish it off at the game!