A Cozy Chic Tailgate with McAlister’s Deli

Partnering with McAlister’s Deli today to share a cozy chic tailgate that is #tiptoptailgate approved! Plus tips for throwing one of your own! 

How to Throw a Tailgate Party | Cozy Chic Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

shirt | skirt | boots | c/o earrings | c/o watch | cuff | backpack | lipstick: crosswires

Happy Friday y’all! I am SO excited about today’s post and to share a super cozy chic tailgate I put together with the help of McAlister’s Deli. Also, when I say help, I mean, they did most of the work! You may remember if you checked out my Fall 2017 Bucket List, one of my top items was hosting a tailgate for a group of our friends. Joshua and I are HUGE fans of tailgating and with season tickets to our alma mater we are tailgating almost weekly. Therefore, I was over the moon thrilled to partner with McAlister’s Deli to put together a #TipTopTailgate! 

First, let’s all agree, the main focus of a tailgate is food, right? I mean that’s probably what I get most excited about. When a tailgate is in my future, I know I’ll have the chance to indulge and I don’t hate it one bit. What I’m not the biggest fan of, prepping all of the food and hauling it to the stadium parking lot. Who’s with me?! Well, McAlister’s Deli has a solution for you, game day catering. They have spud bars {my all time favorite}, club sandwiches, brownies + cookies {the sugar cookies are to die for}, and more. Truly everything your little tailgate heart desires! 

Cozy Chic Tailgate | McAlister's Deli Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

Cozy Chic Tailgate | McAlister's Deli Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

Cozy Chic Tailgate | McAlister's Deli Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

Cozy Chic Tailgate | McAlister's Deli Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

Cozy Chic Tailgate | McAlister's Deli Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

How to Throw a Tailgate Party | Cozy Chic Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

How to Throw a Tailgate Party | Cozy Chic Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

How to Throw a Tailgate Party | Cozy Chic Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

Cozy Chic Tailgate | McAlister's Deli Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

Can we talk about how fun a spud bar is? You grab your spud and layer on the fixings! With McAlister’s Deli there’s tomatoes, cheese, bacon, turkey, ham, green onions, black olives, and sour cream. So many options! If you want to spice it up a bit and personalize your spud bar, add an extra fixing or two. I added stovetop popcorn to my spud bar. One because I’m obsessed with it and two, I thought it was a fun addition. I mean, is it a football game if you don’t grab popcorn {or maybe peanuts}. 

With a tailgate, you HAVE to have a sweet treat! Now, I usually mix something up {aka hello Pinterest} but thanks to McAlister’s Deli, I didn’t have to this time around. I also was reminded of my childhood with their amazing sugar cookies. All of the cookies are great but I truly could not stop eating the sugar cookies. 

How to Throw a Tailgate Party | Cozy Chic Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

Cozy Chic Tailgate | McAlister's Deli Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

How to Throw a Tailgate Party | Cozy Chic Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

How to Throw a Tailgate Party | Cozy Chic Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

Cozy Chic Tailgate | McAlister's Deli Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

Cozy Chic Tailgate | McAlister's Deli Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

Cozy Chic Tailgate | McAlister's Deli Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

How to Throw a Tailgate Party | Cozy Chic Tailgate | Louella Reese Life & Style Blog

shirt | skirt | boots | c/o earrings | c/o watch | cuff | backpack | lipstick: crosswires

Let’s talk tailgating tips…

Food: As mentioned above, food is probably the most important component of a tailgate. You need to have tasty food for your tailgate guests to enjoy {you too}. Step away from the typical burgers, hotdogs, and potato chips and dive into something al title more exciting. Like a spud bar, club sandwiches, salads, or a breakfast spread if your game is earlier in the day. All of which is available at McAlister’s Deli – for pick up! Making your life a whole lot easier! 

Decor: Have fun with your decor! I sure did for this tailgate! Grab some blankets and pillows, cozy up for those chillier fall evenings. Bring a bistro table {this one is from Ikea and under $100} for people to sit down and eat at. Also, pick items in your team colors. Lucky for me, our alma mater is hunter green, gold, and white + black {last two are unofficial colors ha}. So with this tailgate, I just added pops of hunter green with some gold and white accents. One brilliant idea is to store all of your decor items in a basket, bin, or tote in a closet. Making it easy to pull out and load in the car when it’s game time! Joshua does this with all of our plates, plastic wear, napkins, etc. It’s incredibly helpful! 

Beverages: Options, options, options! You never know what your guests may like. We always stock the cooler with a variety of beer, mixers, and tea + lemonade. This way there’s a little something for everyone! It’s also a lot of fun to create your own tailgate cocktail. For this tailgate when went with spiked Arnold Palmers with McAlister’s Deli lemonade and tea + vodka. Cool, refreshing, and perfectly sweet!

Entertainment: While tailgating is all about the food, it’s also all about the games. Think corn hole, ladder golf, jumbo sized beer pong, and/or giant jenga. Also, a radio is always a great idea! We usually blast country music with Eric Church on constant rotation {Luke Combs as of late too}. 

Happy tailgating y’all! 

Thank you to McAlister’s Deli for sponsoring this post! All views and opinions are of course my own. Thank you to y’all for supporting the brands that make Louella Reese happen! 

48 Comments

  1. Shelby Back wrote:

    This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! I love the idea of a potato bar! and I officially want to come tailgate with you!

    xo!
    Shelby
    http://www.glitterandgingham.com

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Ah yay! I am so glad you love it gal. I adored yours! Yes, give me all the potatoes haha. I feel the same about tailgating with you. Y’all’s tailgates always look like an extremely good time.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  2. Anna English wrote:

    This is the cutest little tailgate set-up!

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Thank you lady! So glad you like it! I had an absolute blast putting it together.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  3. Nataly wrote:

    This looks like the ultimate tailgate party! I love McAilsters!

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Thanks gal! It was a fun one for sure. McAlister’s Deli is the best!!

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  4. maria wrote:

    looks like the perfect day!!

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Definitely was! So much fun and beautiful weather. Plus great food! Doesn’t get much better!

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  5. Margret wrote:

    Girl this is seriously so cute!! love it!

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Thank you lady! So thrilled you love it!! It was so much fun putting everything together.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  6. Nicole wrote:

    What a delicious tailgate setup! Love the post!

    Posted 9.29.17
    • It was quite tasty! I couldn’t get enough of the spuds or cookies. It kind of turned into a problem haha.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  7. Amy Lim wrote:

    This is So stinkin cute! I’d totally go to that tailgate! Also, love your skirt, perfect for a 49ers tailgate!
    xoxo,
    Amy | Pastel N Pink

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Thanks Amy!! Would love to have you sometime!! The husband scooped that up at J.Crew Mercantile for me. I’ll probably be wearing it to almost every game haha.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  8. What a great tailgating set-up, love the idea of a baked potato bar!

    birdie shoots

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Thank you Kelly! Isn’t it brilliant?! McAlister’s Deli is genius.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  9. Laura, you are adorable!!! And that picnic is a dream!!! Such talent to put this together, wish you were my NEIGHBOR!!!

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Aw thank you lady! You’re so sweet. I really, really appreciate your comment. Wish you were too! We’d have a blast.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  10. Morgan wrote:

    Not much of a sports fan, but I love me a good tailgate! Yours looks so cozy! great idea with the spud par .. I’m sure you’re guests would love it!

    -Morgan
    How 2 Wear It [] http://how2wearit.com

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Tailgates are always a good time, right?! You’ll definitely have to come to one of ours this football season.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  11. Courtney wrote:

    I love the cute tailgating setup. The food looks really good!!
    http://sugarcoatedbears.blogspot.com/

    Posted 9.29.17
  12. JESSICA wrote:

    love this tailgate! So my style!
    xo Jessica
    http://www.whatsfordinneresq.com

    Posted 9.29.17
  13. roxy wrote:

    So this is the second post I’ve seen today about mcAlister’s, and now I really need to find one of these places and try it out! And possibly also go to a tailgate, lol. great post!

    Posted 9.29.17
    • You definitely should gal! Their food is so tasty! Also, can’t go wrong when attending a tailgate! Always a good time. Thank you lady!

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  14. Love McAllister’s and all tailgate food really! and girl, gorgeous hair!!

    xoxo brandi
    http://www.brandisoileau.com

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Right there with you! Bring on all the food haha. Thanks so much gal! It’s super blonde in these photos for some reason but I don’t hate it haha.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.29.17
  15. Rach wrote:

    this tailgating spread is AMAZING!!! SO CUTE! GIRL, I WANT TO TAILGATE WITH YOU!

    http://www.rdsobsessions.com

    Posted 9.29.17
  16. Kileen wrote:

    Such a cute post girl!! Looks so yummy and your outfit is SO Darling!!

    Kileen
    cute & little

    Posted 9.29.17
    • Thank you love! The food was beyond tasty! Thanks so much, had to wear green to represent my school.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 9.30.17
  17. Ashley Pletcher wrote:

    This is the cutest tailgate i ever saw!

    Posted 9.30.17
  18. Liz wrote:

    This is the cutest tailGAte ever!! defiNitely saving this post!

    Liz
    http://Www.lizzieinlace.com

    Posted 10.1.17
    • Aw thanks so much gal! Hope you use it as inspiration to plan a future tailgate.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 10.1.17
  19. I love a good deli sandwich!

    Posted 10.1.17
  20. What a chic tailgaTe!!! And the food looks just as delicois

    Posted 10.1.17
    • Thanks love! It was so much fun to put together and style. Oh the food was yummy! McAlister’s Deli did an incredible job.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 10.1.17
  21. Annie wrote:

    Looks so cozy and yummy! Tailgates are the best!

    Posted 10.1.17
  22. Whitney wrote:

    This is sooooo cute! What a fun setup. We love mcallisters so much.

    Posted 10.1.17
    • Thank you so much girly! They’re the best, aren’t they? I truly cannot get enough of their spuds.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 10.2.17
  23. Alex wrote:

    What a darling setup! I love the idea of a spuds bar!

    Posted 10.1.17
    • Thank you Alex! The spud bar was so much fun and surprisingly really easy! Definitely a great tailgating option.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 10.2.17
  24. Azanique wrote:

    You look amazing girl! I love this beautiful set-up šŸ™‚

    -xo, Azanique | http://www.lotsofsass.com

    Posted 10.2.17
    • Aw thank you Azanique! You’re so sweet gal! I thrilled to hear you love the set up. I had the best time putting it together.

      xo Laura Leigh

      Posted 10.2.17

Comments are closed.