Game day isn’t like most days. The stakes are high, the jerseys are on, and the living room transforms into the ultimate front-row seat to your favorite team taking the field.
But let’s be honest with ourselves for a second—while the touchdowns and interceptions are exciting, half of the people watching the game aren’t nearly as interested in the football on TV as they are in the food spread on the kitchen counter. The real MVP is the food! The feast you put on the table is what keeps the energy and morale high through halftime and down to final two minutes of the fourth quarter.
When we think of game day food, our minds go straight to hot, gooey, and greasy. We need savory and, above all else, cheesy, especially for us cheeseheads. There’s just something about melted cheese that brings people together (and maybe causes a few friendly fights over who gets the last scoop). From melty dips that cling to your chip to hearty mains loaded with flavor, cheese is the quarterback of the snack table leading the charge.
Let’s dive into a lineup of fan-pleasing recipes guaranteed to score big with your guests. We’ve broken down the playbook into two halves: mouthwatering appetizers to kick the game off strong and robust main courses that will keep everyone full until the final whistle. So, grab your apron (or your favorite player’s jersey) and get ready to impress and score big with these winning dishes.
Appetizers: The Kickoff
The pre-game warmup is crucial! You need snacks that are easy to grab and dig into during a timeout but flavorful enough to make an impact. These appetizers feature rich, melty cheeses that pair perfectly with crunchy chips and a cold beer.
Crock Pot Pizza Dip
Why order delivery when you can have all the best parts of a pizza in a scoopable, hot dip? Use your slow cooker to create a convenient dish with the irresistible flavors of an Italian favorite. It’s perfect for setting and forgetting while you focus on the pre-game commentary (and maybe watch some of those iconic Super Bowl commercials).
Ingredients:
· 8oz Italian sausage
· 2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened
· ½ cup sour cream
· ¼ cup Renard’s Parmesan
· 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
· 1 teaspoon garlic powder
· 1½ cups pizza sauce
· 2 cups Renard’s Mozzarella, shredded
· 5oz mini pepperoni
Instructions:
1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once it is fully cooked (about 6-7 minutes), drain the beef onto a paper towel-lined plate and let it cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, sour cream, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
3. Stir in the cooked sausage and the Parmesan cheese until everything is evenly distributed.
4. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the base of your crockpot and spread it into an even layer.
5. Spread a layer of pizza sauce over the cream cheese mixture. Then top with the shredded Mozzarella cheese and then a generous layer of pepperoni.
6. Place the lid on top and cook on low for about 3 hours, or on high for 2 hours.
7. Serve hot with your choice of garlic bread, tortilla chips, or crackers.
Bacon Cheeseburger Dip
Imagine a juicy bacon cheeseburger like the ones you can find in the stadium, transformed into a hot, bubbly dip. This dish is rich, savory, and packed with that sharp cheddar tang that cheeseheads (and other football fans!) will love. This hearty and hot appetizer will keep you warm during those chilly winter games.
Ingredients:
· 1 pound of ground beef
· 1 8oz package of cream cheese
· 1 cup sour cream
· 2 cups of Renard’s 1 Year Aged Sharp Cheddar, shredded
· 1 10oz can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
· 2/3 cup crumbled bacon
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a skillet, brown the ground beef, breaking it apart until it’s cooked through. Drain away any excess grease.
3. In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, sour cream, 1 Year Aged Sharp Cheddar, diced tomatoes and green chilies, cooked ground beef, and bacon. Mix until well combined.
4. Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and hot.
5. Serve hot with corn chips for dipping.
Soft Parmesan Pretzels
There is nothing quite like the smell of fresh baked bread wafting through the kitchen. These soft pretzels are the homemade version of the favorite stadium snack, a labor of love that makes great plays. The salty, nutty bite of Parmesan takes the classic pretzel from the bench to the big leagues.
Ingredients:
· 1 tube (13.8oz) of refrigerated pizza crust
· 2½ quarts of water
· 2/3 cup baking soda
· 1 large egg, lightly beaten
· 1 cup Renard’s Parmesan, grated
· ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line two 15 x 10-inch baking pans with parchment paper.
2. Unroll the pizza crust on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough widthwise into 12 strips, each about 1-inch wide. Carefully stretch each strip into a 24-inch rope. Form each rope into a “U” shape, overlap the ends, twist once, and fold the ends down to secure the pretzel shape.
3. Bring water and baking soda to a boil in a Dutch oven over high heat, stirring occasionally. Drop the pretzels, two at a time, into the boiling water for 30 seconds, submerging the pretzels completely. Remove with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Note: This baking soda bath is the secret to that classic pretzel color and texture!
4. Transfer pretzels to prepared pans, and brush with egg wash. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Combine the Parmesan and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle each pretzel with about 1 tablespoon of the mixture. Bake for 2-3 minutes longer or until golden brown.
6. Serve warm with spicy or yellow mustard.
Main Course: The Touchdown
Once the appetizers have warmed up the crowd, it’s time to bring out the heavy hitters. These main courses are designed to feed a hungry team. They’re shareable, messy in the best way possible, and loaded with premium cheeses that melt perfectly.
BBQ Chicken Nachos
The ultimate snack food, these BBQ Chicken Nachos bring a sweet and smoky twist to the table. By using both Cheddar and Marble Cheese, you get the perfect balance of sharp flavor and creamy melt, just like the perfect offense and defense for a winning team.
Ingredients:
· 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
· 1 cup barbecue sauce
· 14.5oz bag of tortilla chips
· 1 15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
· 1 cup corn kernels
· 1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
· 1½ cups Renard’s Medium Cheddar, shredded
· 1½ cups Renard’s Marble Cheese, shredded
· 1 tomato, diced
· Optional: Sour cream and guacamole
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil.
2. In a bowl, toss the shredded chicken with the barbecue sauce until everything is well-coated.
3. Arrange half of your tortilla chips on the baking sheet.
4. Over the tortilla chips, sprinkle half of the barbecue chicken, black beans, corn kernels, red onions, and mixed cheeses.
5. Top with the remaining chips and repeat the layer of toppings.
6. Place in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and hot.
7. Remove from the oven and top with fresh diced tomatoes.
8. Serve with sour cream and guacamole on the side, and more barbecue sauce if desired.
Disco Fries, Jersey Style
If you haven’t heard of disco fries, you’re in for a treat! Think of them as the funky, ‘70s version of Canadian poutine. Crispy steak fries covered in rich gravy and melted Sharp White Cheddar? It’s the ultimate comfort food play.
Ingredients:
· 2 16oz bags of frozen steak-cut French fries
· 2 cups beef or chicken gravy
· 15oz of Renard’s 2 Year Aged Sharp White Cheddar, sliced
· 1 cup parsley, chopped
· Montreal steak seasoning to taste
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. On a baking sheet, pour the contents of French fries and bake according to the package recommendations. Note: Leave them in a minute or two longer for extra crispiness to stand up to the gravy.
3. Remove the sheet of crispy French fries from the oven and pour the gravy evenly over the fries.
4. Cut the white cheddar slices into ¼-inch pieces and portion them evenly over the gravy-coated fries.
5. Place the sheet of disco fries back into the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. When the cheese is melted, remove them from the oven and sprinkle chopped parsley over the fries. Sprinkle with Montreal steak seasoning to taste.
Jalapeno Cheese Pull-Apart Bread with Dipping Sauce
Packed with savory chorizo, spicy jalapenos, and creamy Havarti cheese, every pull of bread is a burst of flavor. The homemade dipping sauce takes it into the endzone for the touchdown.
Ingredients:
· 9oz chorizo, crumbled
· ½ cup jalapeno pepper, diced and seeds removed
· ½ cup cooked bacon, crumbled
· 5 tablespoons butter, divided
· 1/3 cup red pepper, thinly sliced
· 3 cloves garlic, crushed
· 16oz Renard’s Havarti Cheese with Jalapeno, shredded
· 2 tubes of refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
· 2 tablespoons milk
· 1 tablespoon sour cream
· 1/3 cup medium salsa
Instructions:
1. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté crumbled chorizo until fully cooked. Stir in 1/3 cup jalapeno peppers and 1/3 cup bacon bits and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from pan and place in a bowl to cool.
2. In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add remaining jalapenos, bacon bits, and 1/3 cup red peppers. Cook 3 minutes to soften. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Melt remaining butter in the skillet with crushed garlic and cook until it begins to brown. Set aside.
4. Add 2/3 cup Havarti Cheese with Jalapeno into the cooled chorizo mixture and stir to blend.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Press or roll dough for one biscuit into a 3½-inch circle. Place 1½ tablespoons of chorizo mixture on one half of the circle. Fold the other side of the dough over the mixture and press the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining biscuits.
7. Coat a bundt pan with cooking spray. Dip 8 of the chorizo-filled biscuits into the butter/garlic mixture, turning to coat, then set them in the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan. Evenly sprinkle half of the pepper mixture and 1/3 cup of cheese over the biscuits. Coat the remaining biscuits with the butter/garlic mixture and place on top of the bottom layer of biscuits. Sprinkle with remaining pepper mixture and 1/3 cup of Havarti Cheese with Jalapeno. Bake on the lower rack in the oven for 18-23 minutes or until lightly brown and cooked through.
8. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove pull-apart bread from the pan, keeping bread right side up (do not turn over the bundt pan to remove the bread). Serve warm.
To make the dipping sauce:
1. In a microwaveable bowl, combine remaining ½ cup of Havarti Cheese with Jalapeno and 2 tablespoons milk. Microwave for 25 seconds, then stir until smooth.
2. Stir in the sour cream and salsa.
3. Serve with the pull-apart bread.
Why artisan cheese makes the difference
Artisan cheese takes your game day appetizers and main courses to the next level, elevating them from simple pleasures to fan favorites. While mass-produced cheese might get the job done, artisan cheese melts smoother, tastes richer, and brings a complexity of flavor that turns ordinary snacks in the nosebleeds into gourmet experiences in the luxury box.
When you use a high-quality Sharp Cheddar or specialty Havarti from Renard’s Cheese, you’re adding a key ingredient that’s been handcrafted with care. It turns a standard game day spread into something your guests will be talking about long after the final score.
This football season, don’t just watch the game, win the party! Try one (or all!) of these recipes and let us know which one scored the most points with your crowd!
