Party like a KC Chiefs Fan!

I first wrote this post in early 2020 when the KC Chiefs were headed to their big win, but these tips are fun for any game, from pre-season to the big one. I've had a KC Chiefs fan idea board on Pinterest for years but thought it might be more convenient to have some of my favorite ideas all together in one blog post. So, if you're looking for ways to party like a KC Chiefs fan this football season, check out these ideas:

Chiefs fan food ideas

For KC Chiefs football-watching food, I have two goals: one is to incorporate authentic KC flavor into my menu, and the other is to include as many red and yellow foods as I can! So with that in mind, here are some of my favorite ideas:

• Red and yellow fruit salad
• Chop pineapples, bananas, watermelon, raspberries, and/or strawberries, then add some mini marshmallows for a pop of white!
• KC Barbecue
• There are lots of options for a delicious Kansas City style barbecue entree, but a smoky, tomato based sauce is essential. 
• My personal favorite way to make KC style BBQ is to put boneless pork ribs or boneless chicken thighs in a crockpot on low all day with a Kansas City bbq sauce, then shred it about an hour before we want to eat. Add more sauce at that point if it is dry. 
• Cornbread

• Cornbread is a perfect side for barbecue, usually ends up a lovely yellow color, and is easy to make (the Jiffy mixes work well if scratch is not your style!) Try mini muffins for bite sized party food!
• Pizza
• Red and yellow are easy colors to include in any pizza recipe, so feel free to make your favorite traditional pizza, this red & gold focaccia pizza, or a bbq chicken pizza with red onions and a KC bbq sauce instead of marinara! 
• Red and yellow veggies
• Red and yellow bell peppers slice in red pepper hummus are quick, easy, and healthy for game day!
• Red and yellow tomatoes are great on salad or sandwiches
• Combine red and yellow peppers with red and yellow tomatoes, red onion, and yellow cheese for an ultimate Chiefs fan taco or fajita!
• Roasted red and yellow potatoes would also pair really well with KC barbecue--line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil, then fill it with diced chunks of potatoes (leave the peels on for color!), drizzle them with oil, and sprinkle them with garlic, rosemary, onion powder, and/or black pepper to your taste. Bake at 425 for 45 minutes or until they're soft inside and beginning to turn crispy and slightly browning on the edges!
• Mac n' Cheese with Ketchup- it's red and yellow, AND it's apparently one of Patrick Mahomes' go-to comfort foods. More of a mustard person? Try this homemade honey mustard!
• Baked Potato: if you haven't heard of the KC Chiefs potato girl, now you have, and baked potatoes are delicious, so I say let's make this a thing! Want to jazz it up like 18th & vine? Top it with some nice red bacon and some yellow shredded cheddar and bam, KC colors. If you see any greenish color, throw that potato out. We don't do green. 

Chiefs fan fun ideas

Football games can take a long time, and busy kids make it easier for parents to actually watch if they want to! Here are a few of my favorite ideas for kid's activities during the game:

• Red and yellow color change slime
• Mix Elmer's red and yellow color change glue with your favorite slime activator (I like liquid laundry starch, but Elmer's magic slime activator works well too, as does contact solution and baking soda!) The color change is UV activated and we found that the yellow is great, but the red didn't turn *very* red on a cloudy Midwest day indoors. It was still a big hit with my kids, because it is such a nice yellow and because color changing at all is pretty cool!

• KC Chiefs Spot It! Game:
• How perfect would this game be to play during the game (affiliate link)? 

Chiefs fan drink ideas

For drinks, start with a red, yellow, or white base, then add frozen red or yellow fruit, and red, white, and yellow sprinkles! There are tons of options to mix and match to make your perfect Chiefs fan drink: 

• Yellow
• drinks: lemonade, pineapple juice
• fruits & mix-ins: lemons, pineapples
• White
• drinks: vanilla milkshake, vanilla yogurt smoothie, pina colada
• fruits & mix-ins: bananas, marshmallows, shredded coconut
• Red 
• drinks: Kool-Aid, bloody Mary, strawberry lemonade, cherry limeade
• fruits & mix-ins: cherries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries

Chiefs fan gear ideas

To party like a KC Chiefs fan, it's all about the red and yellow!  Here are some ways to pull it off:

• Pair together existing yellow and red pieces from your wardrobe, like I have a yellow t-shirt and a red skirt I've never worn together before but totally could.
• Pair red or yellow pieces with neutrals like black, white, gray, and denim
• Buy some official KC Chiefs licensed apparel
• Support a KC brand! One I love is Nickel & Suede, a jewelry and fashion company created, owned, and run by KC area mom Kilee Nickels. 
• For kids, try finding a shirt with a wolf in honor of the official KC Chiefs mascot, KC Wolf!
• Wear a headband. While headbands are common across football teams for their usefulness in sweat wicking and chafing prevention under helmets, I think most people agree that Mahomes wears it best! In his honor, sport a KC Chiefs headband!

Have fun watching the Chiefs! I hope these ideas help inspire your Chiefs fan creativity!