The Tailgate Takeout Ultimate Watch Party: Taco Bar

 Hi friends!  Today, I wanted to share a fun idea for The Ultimate Tailgate Takeout!  This is perfect for hanging out with your family while watching the game or you can set it up in your driveway for some fun distance tailgating with neighbors.  It's a Taco Bar Party that can be easily made to accommodate every kind of lifestyle.  Go here for more information about The Ultimate Tailgate Takeout.

(This post is a paid collaboration with Prairie City Crossing/Regency Centers.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

I headed over to Prairie City Crossing to pick up the ingredients and supplies for my Tailgate Takeout Ultimate Watch Party.  I was able to pick up everything I needed at Safeway!  One of my biggest tips for entertaining is to pick up items that you can heat and serve or are already ready to go.  My biggest focus when I'm hanging out with my family and friends is to enjoy quality time with them.  I can't do that when I'm standing at my stove since it faces the wall.  I like to have a mix of items that are ready to go and super simple recipes so that I can enjoy eating with my loved ones.

The best thing about this taco bar is that everyone is eating the same thing.  Often times when I make food for family that have different dietary needs or lifestyles, I end up making several different things.  I really like how inclusive this taco bar is to everyone.  This taco bar is friendly for people who are vegan, vegetarian, keto, gluten free, and even picky kids.  It does mean putting things out in separate dishes with separate serving spoons but I've collected so many little bowls over the year, it's the perfect way to use them!  

Here's a list of the ready made items I purchased:

- Chile Verde 

- Grilled Chicken

- Guacamole

- Tortillas

- Pickled Jalapeños and pickled veggies

- Sour Cream

- Shredded Cheese

- Salsa and hot sauce 

- Shredded lettuce

- Romaine lettuce 

- Tomatoes

-  Limes 

- Tortilla Chips

- Mexican Wedding Cookies 

- Mexican Sodas

- Paper Plates 

Here's a list of items I quickly prepped:

- Cilantro and onions - chopped and mixed together

- Pickled red onions - I made a brine of vinegar, salt, and sugar then pickled thinly sliced red onions for a few hours in the fridge.

- Cucumbers - I sliced the cucumbers and dressed them in lime juice, salt, pepper, and chili powder. 

- Chickpea taco filling - I took a can of chickpeas and sautéed them in a little olive oil and added taco seasoning to taste.  I used a jar of pre-made taco seasoning.  

- Taco Tater Tots - I air fried some tater tots and tossed them in taco seasoning when they came out of the air fryer.  

-  Mexican Style Corn Salad - I heated frozen corn and dressed it with lime juice and sour cream.  Then I topped it with Tajin and Cotija Cheese.  

I put together some sample plates to show off some of the different creations I came up with for different diets.  I'm especially proud of my Totco creation (aka tater tot taco.)  I'm sure it's been done but I've never seen it before and I'm pretty amused by the play on words.  

Vegetarian tacos on the left, vegan taco on the right.  The Totco can be made vegan if you leave off the cheese.

Keto friendly tacos that are also gluten free.  

Once you put everything out on the table, your job is done and you can enjoy the game with your family.  Everyone can make their own plates to suit their lifestyle and tastes.  Personally, I don't have any dietary restrictions so I just love to mix and match all the different flavors and textures.  This kind of spread also encourages my kids to try different foods and get creative with their meal.  If you have a taco bar, please tag me in a picture on social media so I can see and don't forget to check out Ultimate Tailgate Takeout!  

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