Captain Of The Tailgate: The Food

Carrying on with the Captain of the Tailgate series -- and yes I'm a little late with this -- I'd like to cover the variety of food that we generally see before and after the game. Food is one of the key ingredients in football whether you think so or not. It can be a bbq that you conduct at home or at the stadium. Either way, good cooking can put most of us in a better mood. Here are a few, although not all, of the food ideas you can take with you on gameday.

Wieners - A good dog goes with any bbq, party, or tailgating session. They are generally cheap and easy and quick to prepare at that. The toppings can be endless and you won't find many people who dislike them. They're a finger food and you can mix and match them with almost any side. If you really want to one-up your cookout, use bratwursts. A good brat is amazing and fills an empty stomach quickly, especially with some mustard.

Meat and chicken - If you're going to grill, make sure to throw some meat on it. The meat is also easy to prepare for the average griller, but that doesn't mean you can't add your own seasoning. Customize your food and feed all of those with you. Chicken and meat markets aren't hard to find and getting your food marinated their makes it even better.  Meat is also something that most people don't mind eating with their hands, which is good if you're holding a beer in one hand already.

Pizza - If you aren't going to grill, don't be afraid to order a few pizzas to take with you to the game. That means there is little effort and more time for games and socializing. I've seen and eaten pizza before Cardinals games and felt like it was a good fit. It's also well liked by most of America, so that always helps.

Creativity - I've seen many times when someone will "create" their own foods. What I mean is if the Cardinals were playing the Rams, they would call the chicken or beef "Ram meat". It sounds simple and maybe dumb to others, but I enjoy the creativity and it also involves the fans in the game.

What types of food do you prefer when watching or tailgating at a Cardinals game?