MINNEAPOLIS — You won't find many football fans more dedicated than the Viking World Order.
The longstanding tailgate club boasts more than 600 members, so who better to teach us a thing or two about feeding a crowd on a budget?
"You gotta have a good breakfast,” Viking World Order member Marianne Jasinski says.
Breakfast may come as a surprise, but a lot of games are early in the day, so why not?
"I just bought a frozen bag of precooked sausage, eggs, cheese and English muffins and you just whip them up on a flat top grill if you have one and it's easy," Jasinski says.
A quick breakfast sandwich that will fill people up for cheap.
"I mean, for this, I brought enough for 24 people and I spent less than $50.”
Jasinski says they also do hot dogs and burgers on the grill, which you can easily save a lot of money with by buying bulk.
"They also do walking tacos or breakfast burritos or something simple and easy so people can just grab and go as they're going,” Jasinski says.
You can also save a lot with certain types of meat.
"Wings are always good. Wings right now are actually pretty cheap and if you don't want to do wings, even less expensive is drumsticks. Drumsticks are a fraction of the price of most other meat and they work just as well on a grill or oven for sauces and spices and things like that,” Adam Randall from Adam’s Soul to Go says.
Randall says smoked meat is also a good way to go, but he says some cuts like ribs and briskets can be expensive.
"The other option also is pulled pork. Pork butts or pork shoulders are really inexpensive. Generally you get a really large piece and it goes a long way,” Randall explains.
And pairing your meat with cheaper sides will also make your meal go further.
"When you're doing pulled pork you gotta do coleslaw. Baked beans are always nice. Rice and beans are good. If it's cold out it helps to keep some warmth within your body."
But most football fans are more focused on the game, so they'll eat whatever you give them.
With that in mind, don’t be afraid to try something new and mix it up.
“It’s fun to go with what you like, go with what you know, or go with something you’ve never tried before. Have fun with it,” Randall says.
Editor's note: This story is part of a full, 30-minute special called, "How to Host a Football Party on a Budget."
The episode will be on Your Money, our new money-saving show on the KARE11+ streaming channel. It will air on Monday, Oct. 2, and will be available 24/7 on-demand.
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