We usually do the big pot of chili, fritos, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc…- or taco soup with tortilla chips. I like doing the big one pot type meals, keeping the pot on low so that if someone wants more during the 3rd and 4th Q, it’ll be warm. You can also do a sub sandwich bar.
Our kids likes popcorn chicken with dips and a vegetable tray. I take chicken breast strips (marinated in buttermilk over night) and cut them in bit size pieces. I’ve used crushed Honey Bunches of Oats as a breading, which is their favorite. I’ve even used crushed Lays sour cream and onion chips as the breading. Just use the regular flour/egg dredging and bake them. Serve with bbq sauce, honey mustard, or ranch.
We are all tired of burgers and dogs too. We’ve done the beer and cheese Johnsonville brats with slaw (shredded cabbage, mayonnaise, pepper) or kraut. We’ve taken chicken leg and thigh quarters, wrapped them in bacon w/toothpick, and soaked them in Dale’s or Moore’s (has less sodium) then grilled them. We’ve put a bag of frozen vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, and broccoli) and seasoned them with parmesan cheese and pepper and grilled in an aluminum foil pouch.
We’ve done a complete appetizer spread. We get about two pounds of the Cajun steamed shrimp. We’ll make a taco layers dip (refried beans, salsa, sour cream, cheese..). We’ll do chicken wings with ranch or bleu cheese. Broccoli salad. Sausage balls. Bacon wiener wraps. Meatballs (those frozen ones) with bbq sauce. We make pickle wraps- you take a piece of thin lunch meat (corned beef, roast beef or favorite) spread a little bit of softened cream cheese, put a pickle spear in the middle and roll it up. Sound gross, but good. Chex mix, Ruffles with the hidden valley ranch packet mixed with sour cream. A homemade trail mix…..