5 Easy Tailgate Menu Ideas Featuring Local Wisconsin Foods

There’s nothing that says fall in Madison, Wisconsin like a stroll around the Dane County Farmers’ Market and a UW Badgers football game.

In fact, a trip to the farmers’ market pre-game means loads of local goodies for your tailgate. A quick stop for some local beers or spirits and you’re set! Here are 5 easy tailgate menu ideas to get you started featuring local Wisconsin foods.  You’ll be the envy of the parking lot while supporting your farmers and producers! The ultimate tailgate ride? As you can see, the Toyota Highlander gives you plenty of room to stash your goodies–oh and your friends, too–and rides like a dream.

5 Easy Tailgate Menu Ideas:

• • • Cheese and Meat Board:Both the farmers’ market and Fromagination on the square have an incredible selection of local meats, cheeses, fruit and crackers. Our board featured goodies from Fromagination, including a selection of 5 Wisconsin cheeses (LaClare Cave Aged Evalon; Roth Siracha Gouda; Roelli Haus Select Cheddar and Dunbarton Blue and LaVon Goat Brie), Chorizo and pork worscht sausage from Underground Butcher, Potter’s Crackers and dried local cherries.

• Nachomama’s Nachos: I had no idea that nacho cheese sauce was so easy! I grabbed this recipe from Recipe Tin Eats. I used Hook’s Cheese Pepper Jack cheese. We poured that over chips, and topped it with local veggies including onion, tomato, cilantro as well as black olives. A bit of Bushel & Peck’s giardiniera added a bit of heat.

• Veggies and Dip: Well that’s a no brainer, and takes no time at all. Local sour cream, with a french onion dip mix. Chopped broccoli, red and orange sweet bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and radishes.

• Brats: No Wisconsin tailgate is complete without brats. I picked up our brats from the Willy Street Coop and topped them with mustard and Bushel & Peck’s fermented kraut, giardiniera and dill pickles. Game changer!

• Drinks: Of course we had to represent! We picked up Next Door Brewing beer (Bubbler and Livacious). And — perfect for fall — Old Sugar Distillery’s Queen Jennie whiskey with a shot of apple cider from Ela Orchard. Or wait, was it a shot of whiskey in the cider?

• There are a few key ingredients to a fun tailgate – great friends, great food, some gear and a vehicle big enough to haul it all – in style. Your local farmers’ market is the perfect place for local tailgate menu ingredients, and Toyota can help with the sweet vehicle. Good friends? Well, you’re on your own.

• Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Toyota USA. All menu items and opinions stated here are 100% my own.