Kick off football season with these catered tailgate options

T-minus two weeks until Kroger Field transforms into a sea of blue. UK’s football season kicks off Saturday, Aug. 31 at 7:45 p.m., and if you’re looking for a way to focus on your cornhole skills, we’re here to help with the food portion. Take a gander at these catering packages for your tailgate.

Pro tip: Be sure to contact these businesses ahead of time for pricing quotes and large orders.

Blue Door Smokehouse

Bring a taste of the South to the stadium by getting a sampling of, well, a little bit of everything. Choose meats + sides such as:

• Brisket
• Pulled pork or chicken
• Smoked sausage
• Potato salad
• Cole slaw
• Collard greens

And of course, you can’t forget a half-pint of its sweet, spicy, or tangy house-made barbecue sauces.

Bourbon N’ Toulouse

Impress everyone by bringing a Cajun setup from a Chevy Chase favorite. With three different catering options — small, medium, and large — you’ll have plenty of options for all diets and hunger levels. While offerings vary depending on the size you order, a large package that feeds 35 to 40 people includes:

• A pan of any two entrees
• Rice
• Garlic bread
• A bottle of hot sauce
• Paper serving products
• A foam cooler for transportation and buffet set-up

Critchfield Family Market

Looking for a more traditional tailgate? It doesn’t get more Big Blue than a Kentucky Proud tailgate bundle from Critchfield. Known for its meats, you can feed 10+ people with:

• Bratwurts and beef hotdogs
• Critchfield blend burgers
• Chicken breasts
• Cole slaw
• Potato salad
• Beer cheese
• Country ham on rolls

Drake’s

Wings? Check. Chips + dip? Check. Chili? Check. The Large & In Charge to-go menu from Drake’s means that everyone is happy with the options. A regular portion feeds four to six people, while the large feeds eight to 10, and both offer choices including:

• Four different types of salads
• Sushi rolls
• Fried chicken, mini cheeseburger sliders, or soft tacos
• Sides like fries, tater tots, and mac + cheese

Dupree Catering

With delivery options for both high-end and casual gatherings, Dupree has a package for however you want your tailgate to look like — but we recommend something handheld so you have a free hand to throw the football . Choose from one of its menus, that offer everything from:

• A make-your-own street taco bar with a variety of sauces + toppings, Mexican street corn salad, and a tres leches parfait
• Boxed lunches featuring cold cut sandwiches, sides including pasta or potato salad, and desserts

Ethereal Slice House

While it can be fun to experiment with different foods during the big tailgate, sometimes it’s nice to keep it straightforward too. Make it easy on everyone with Ethereal’s catering options , where you can choose from:

• Five to nine pizzas for 10% off
• Over 10 pizzas for 15% off
• Fried ravioli
• Chicken wings
• Garlic knots
• Antipasto, Caeser, Greek, or House salads

J. Render’s

Giving us another BBQ-palooza, this build-your-own feast comes with a wide range of packages for a tailgate part of any size. Pick an appetizer, main entree, sides, and a signature sauce to make it a true celebration. Options include:

• Pulled pork, chicken, beef brisket, or smoked sausage
• Baby back ribs or smoked half chicken
• A mashed potato bar
• Banana pudding or Maker’s Mark bourbon + cola-glazed chocolate cake

If you’re eager to man the grill yourself, be sure to read through some of these tailgate snack recipes from local chefs.