“Hack” was once a term shrouded in fear and deceit. A hack once exclusively referred to a malicious attack from an enemy on your computer system. Hackers would sneak into your computer, infest your files with viruses, and take off with your personal information to cause all sorts of trouble. Now, the term ‘hack’ has been repurposed. You’ve probably seen examples of ‘life hacks’ on your Facebook wall, on Pinterest pages, or an Imgur gallery. If not, a life hack is defined as a “strategy or technique adopted in order to manage one’s time and daily activities in a more efficient way”. These small but clever solutions are rarely something someone would think of alone, such as using a cleaned out ketchup bottle to make cooking pancakes easy or using nail polish to color and easily identify your keys at a glance. When you look at your tailgate table and gear, you might be wondering if there are life hacks that make your experience even better. Smart denizens of the Internet have been brainstorming and sharing their personal tips, tricks, and life hacks. At All American Tailgate, we’re 100% behind anything that makes tailgating easier or more fun. Here are some of our favorite life hacks that you can apply to your next big tailgating event.

Pre-Plan and Organize: Three Ways to Reduce Stress Before the Game

Before a big school project, your mother or father might have chided you to pack everything up and get prepared for the next school day. You might have packed your crayons or bristol board up and headed to bed, but many people fail to take those skills to the next level. The morning of a big tailgate event might be filled with chaos, where everyone runs around like crazy trying to make sure everything is taken care of. These life hacks will help make the morning of smooth and calm in comparison.

The Magic Number: Show Up Four Hours Early

Four hours early? That sounds ridiculous! However, once you try this number, you’ll be blown away at how relaxed you are in comparison. You have two hours to unpack, set up your grill, get the electronics running, and so on. Then you have another two hours to eat. Trust us, once you show up four hours early you’ll see it as being right on time.

Head Out to Home Depot and Pick Up a Toolbox

ABC’s show The Chew shows us an amazing way to repurpose a toolbox for tailgating. You can pack your tailgating essentials in this compact but efficiently arranged container. The main compartment can hold your cooking accessories, such as a spatula or basting brush, while the middle compartment can keep the practical tools you’ll need like trash bags and wet wipes. Finally, put your favorite seasons and spices in the bottom drawer. All of these things can be stored in an easily accessible and dense container.

Packing a Cooler the Smart Way

Stressed tailgaters just throw things into a cooler and head out the door. Smart tailgaters follow the rules of how to pack a cooler. LBP Manufacturing, Inc. shared this infographic on Pinterest that will revolutionize the way you pack a cooler.

Get Served: Ways to Make Dinner Time a Breeze

Feeding a bunch of hungry tailgaters is no easy task. We’ve covered ways to come up with delicious recipes before, but actually serving the food out can be a major pain. Luckily, these life hacks help keep you from getting caught up in the confusion. If you just want to get back to the tailgate table and play some games, you don’t need more obstacles in your way. Whether it’s getting everyone’s plate ready or cleaning up at the end of the day, we’ve got you covered with these clever tips.

Set Up “Stations”

For ‘multi-step’ food items like Bloody Mary’s or tacos, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with trying to get everyone’s meals ready. Instead of worrying about getting the right proportions of lettuce or alcohol, let everyone take care of their own meal. By putting out bowls of individual ingredients and letting everyone fend for themselves, you cut down on stress and allow everyone to make something they’re happy with. You get more time at the tailgate table and they get their custom meal – win/win!

Pre-Marinate and Prep the Night Before

The Weber blog is jam packed with tips for tailgaters, especially on the Kevin’s Backyard series. The Tailgating game plan video offers tons of life hacks for cutting down on prep and clean up time without sacrificing the quality of your meal. Kevin covers skewering and marinating kebabs the night before, packing burger patties, and the best way to prepare burger toppings in advance. Check Kevin’s video out for more useful ways to simplify your tailgating prep!

Enjoy More Games at the Tailgate Table With These Life Hacks

When you’re playing tailgate games, there are often little pauses in the game. Sometimes people need to re-arrange things, or set another round up. These small breaks can disrupt the flow of the game. Luckily, the life hacks below can keep the action going and stop silly interruptions.

• Keep water on hand so that people don’t have to wander off for hydration
• If you’re playing a game that involves alcohol like beer pong, drink one glass of water for every alcoholic drink you consume
• Keep wet wipes on hand so if people wander up with dirt on their hands from tossing a football or food debris they can quickly join the game without causing a mess
• Organize accessories like cornhole bags and beer pong balls in labeled containers so you can easily find them at the beginning of the day or when switching games
• If you’re not in the mood for a longer game, try abbreviated rules sets (Example: “speed pong” is a faster version of “beer pong”)

When you’re packing up a tailgate table and preparing for your next tailgating event, you might be worried about the little stuff. Luckily, the life hacks above are a great way to help minimize that stress and get ready for any problems in your way. At All American Tailgate, we strive to make every experience as awesome as possible. To order a high quality and durable set of your own, call us today at 800-263-1472 and we’ll be happy to help!