The top tailgaters, like the best athletes, are prepared for game day. Plan ahead to make the day run smoothly.

• Pack a large plastic tub with basic disposable items you’ll need for every game, such as paper plates, paper towels, aluminum foil, cups, napkins and plastic forks. Keep the tub in the back of the car or in the garage for the season, and replenish the supplies as needed.

• Take along several trash bags. You can’t have too many. They can be used not just for cleanup, but for such things as making ice beds for food that needs to be served chilled.

• Disposable aluminum foil pans are useful as well. They can hold food waiting to be cooked or prepared food, and can be used for making ice beds.

• Carry a cleanup kit with hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. If you plan to do serious cooking of meat on site, carry disposable latex gloves and dishwashing detergent and water for washing.

• Bring ice, ice and more ice, especially to those warm early-season games. If you’re carrying raw meat, place it in a separate, labeled cooler to prevent cross-contamination. Designate another clean cooler solely for ice for beverages, and keep cooked foods in a third cooler.

• If you’ll be preparing food on site, bring along color-coded cutting boards, such as a red board strictly for raw meat and a green board for veggies only. Bring separate, labeled knives as well. You don’t want to be responsible for any of your fellow fans spending the game in the ER with food poisoning.

• Don’t forget the hardware: bottle opener, can opener and corkscrew, plus flashlights or battery-powered lanterns for night games.

• Pack a first-aid kit with insect repellent, bandages, sunscreen and antibacterial cream for cuts. Just in case someone gets klutzy.

RECIPES

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Surin’s Spicy Beef Salad recipe

Chicken Rollups recipe

Veggie Rollups recipe

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo recipe

Quick Kielbasa Gumbo recipe

Sala’s Guacamole recipe

Cheesy Chili recipe

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YOUR TURN

How do you dine on game day? Is it concession stand all the way, do you bring your own, or do you try to serve food at home? Join the discussion in the Feeding Frenzy blog.