Years ago, before I had kids, watching football wasn’t a priority for me. As the years went on, watching my kids dressed up in Ravens gear, cheering the team on, became some of the cutest and most fun memories. Previously, I pictured football as a guy’s night activity, but I recently realized that we coordinate successful football nights that everyone in the whole family enjoys. With football back on television, you can join in with the festivities as a whole family. Football night doesn’t have to be just for guys. A well planned evening can make watching football enjoyable for everyone. In five simple steps, you can create a fun event.

How to Plan a Football Night for the Whole Family

1.) Wear clothes that show team spirit.

Wear matching clothes that show team spirit. Check out the TeeSpring Festive NFL t-shirts, especially the Baltimore Ravens Teacher shirt for moms who also teach. I love wearing this shirt. The fabric is so soft, and the fit is great. Being comfortable during the game makes me a lot more relaxed and happy too.

2.) Invite friends to entertain your kids.

Having guests over makes the night more entertaining. Inviting friends can give your kids something to do so they don’t get bored. Set up simple activities, such as coloring for younger kids, to get them busy. Check out some free football coloring pages, or buy a coloring book. Set up rules ahead of time so your kids understand your expectations for the night.

3.) Simplify making the food and drinks.

Football night calls for easy snacks and drinks. What can you do when your refrigerator’s ice maker breaks right before the party? Create drinks with a portable 27-lb ice maker, the Magic Chef Countertop Ice Maker. Locate a place to plug in the power cord, and you’ve got ice. The item comes with an ice scooper and an ice basket.

Another convenient item is the BeraTek Hold & Go slow cooker. When you’re heading to a friend or family member’s house, it’s thoughtful to contribute a dish. With the Hold & Go slow cooker, you can take the meal on the road and let it continue to cook when you get there. A slow cooker can make so many delicious dishes for football night. Create buffalo chicken dip, sticky wings, beef tacos, and more. Check out these 29 snacks you can make in a slow cooker for some inspiration.

Bake a cake in a festive pan. With the Picture It on Canvas cake pan, you can personalize your cake pan to go with the colors of your favorite team. I personalized mine with one of the company’s pre-designed patterns to simplify the ordering profess. The purple looks great during our Ravens football nights. You can personalize the cake pan with any picture and use an image that represents your team.

4.) Cook appetizers with tasty, healthy ingredients.

Delicious comfort food sounds delicious during the game, but keeping the menu healthy is a concern for many. As a solution, check out Hampton Creek Just Mayo, a low cholesterol alternative to traditional mayonnaise. Just Mayo comes in diverse flavors that include original, chipotle, garlic, and sriracha. I tried them all out at home. Each was just right for different purposes. The garlic mayo was perfect on pork chops with bread crumbs for dinner. Chipotle mayo made a delicious chicken dish. Need some ideas? Check out some suggested recipes that include potato salad, french onion dip, and corn salad.

5.) Buy pre-made items so you can spend more time enjoying the game.

Cooking up a simple meal or appetizers is delicious if you have the time, but when you don’t, there are several easy solutions that also taste good. One of my favorite is Harry & David Game Day Strawberries. Getting a box of these strawberries was a great treat for my whole family. Each style of strawberry has unique, delicious flavor. With 16 strawberries, you get just enough for a group to enjoy as a half time treat after the main dish. The strawberries would also be a great gift if football night is being hosted at someone else’s house.

Another easy solution is to make it an easy night with Sandwich Bros. sandwiches. Your work week is busy enough. The weekend should be simple. Plan a relaxed evening in with frozen food. The chicken and burger sandwiches are perfect for the game. Add condiments to give the sandwich some extra flavor. If your football night goes late, the company also carries breakfast sandwiches for an easy breakfast meal.

For some easy game day snack, buy Pretzel Crisps. The pretzels come in several flavors, including sriracha & lime, garlic parmesan, and buffalo wing. My favorite is the buffalo wing flavor. My husband and I could barely stop eating them because they were so delicious. The taste is mildly spicy and very flavorful. Each bag holds a decent amount of food, so there’s plenty to feed a group.

For meat lovers, buy Charqs Smok’n Tender Jerky. Made with some brown sugar, the pork jerky has an undeniably sweet flavor. Even kids love the taste. The soft texture is incredibly tender. Since the food comes in bite size, square shapes, it is an easy snack for a football game.

Setting up a family football night can be simple and rewarding. Getting to spend time together is a special treat. Joining in and cheering on a team can help your family bond over a common cause. Make the night special with simple, healthy meals and drinks as well as pre-made items, and remember to show your team spirit. Let me know how your night goes in the comments section!

6.) Finish work ahead of time.

Put your work to the side during the game. The point of family football night is to watch the game as a family, regardless of whether football is your favorite activity to watch. What better way to get your work done than with a Swingline NFL business stapler? The stapler comes in a variety of teams, including my personal favorite, the Ravens.

You can still show your team spirit before the game starts. Finish grading papers or wrapping up your business proposal, and put it to the side during the game. Don’t even double check your work when the game is playing. Treat football time as a special time to be with your family so you can continue to build an awesome bond with each other.