The #1 Tailgate Food

As you may know, Penn State enjoys one of the nation’s biggest football tailgate cultures. Since I know people read this blog from all over the world, I’ll explain that, at least at Penn State, a pregame tailgate (technically, the phrase means you serve food from the back of your car near a sports stadium—hence the word tailgate) involves great food and beverages, fun games like “cornhole,” and socializing for a few hours before the game. Each semester, I ask my students to tell me their absolute favorite tailgate food. I love to learn what’s trending. The number one answer never changes:

Buffalo Chicken Dip.

Maybe I’ll hear a variation like buffalo chicken mac n cheese or buffalo chicken nachos or buffalo chicken wraps. But by far, the number one answer is always the original Buffalo Chicken Dip served with chips (Scoops) or veggies.

There’s a history to learn. The name comes from the town of Buffalo, NY, and it’s a dish derived from buffalo chicken wings dipped in a blue cheese dressing. I had never heard of buffalo chicken dip before moving to Pennsylvania, and some of my students from the west coast have never tried it. But after a few semesters at PSU, it’s always a fan favorite.

So tomorrow for the first Penn State game, you’ll find this classic dip nearly everywhere. We’ll make some at home as we watch the game from the comfort of the couch while my daughter cheers in the stands along with the other 106,000 fans in what many consider to be the greatest student section of any university.

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