Easy-to-Make Baseball Party Food Ideas

Crowd-Pleasing Appetizers to Kick Off the Game

Set the tone for your gathering with these tasty starters:

Soft pretzels

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• Coarse salt or sea salt
• ½ cup baking soda
• 9 cups water

Whisk yeast and sugar into warm water until frothy, then cover and let sit for one minute. Mix in butter, salt and flour until the dough is tacky. Knead in a mixer or by hand for three to five minutes, adding flour if the dough sticks. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes, preheat your oven to 475⁰ and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine baking soda and nine cups of water, bring it to a boil and allow it to cool to a lukewarm temperature. Section your dough into eight pieces and roll them out into ¾-inch ropes. Shape them into classic pretzel knots or cut them into pieces and soak in the baking soda bath for two minutes. Lay them on your baking sheet and sprinkle with salt while they’re wet. Bake for up to nine minutes or until they’re golden brown.

Sliders

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of mini burger buns or Hawaiian rolls
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium onion
• ½ teaspoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Sliced or shredded cheese

Preheat your oven to 350⁰ and grease a baking sheet. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat before adding the onion and ground beef. Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder into the mixture while you brown the beef. Tilt the skillet to drain excess fat into the trash. Never empty grease into your sink. Cut the buns in half and line the lower half with cheese. Cover with ground beef and top with more cheese before placing the tops of the buns. Brush with melted butter and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Popcorn bars

Ingredients:

• 12 cups popcorn
• 1 ½ cups M&Ms
• 1 cup peanuts
• 8 ounces mini marshmallows
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 cup vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Combine M&Ms, peanuts and popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. Place the mini marshmallows, butter and oil in a pot and mix over medium heat until the ingredients melt. Remove from the heat and add vanilla extract and salt, pouring the mixture over the dry ingredients. Spread over a greased baking sheet and let it set for a few hours before cutting it into bars.

Nachos

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 12-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup corn
• ¾ cup instant rice
• 1 package of taco seasoning
• ½ cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• Tortilla chips

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat for six to eight minutes, then drain the fat. Stir in the tomatoes, corn, water, rice, seasoning and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is tender, mixing intermittently. Once you’ve removed the skillet from the heat, sprinkle in the cheese and cover until it’s melted. Divvy up your tortilla chips on plates and spoon the beef mixture on top.

Ballpark-Inspired Mains You Can Make

Bring ballpark classics to your apartment with these recipes:

Brats

Ingredients:

• Uncooked bratwurst
• 3, 12-ounce cans of beer
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
• Bratwurst buns

Place the bratwurst, beer, onion and fennel seeds in a skillet. Cover and simmer for eight to 10 minutes, then drain the liquid. Grill the brats covered over medium heat for eight minutes or until browned, turning occasionally.

Chili dogs

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• ½ cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Mix ground beef, tomato sauce, ketchup, water, chili powder, salt, pepper, sugar, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce in a skillet. Break up the beef and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. The chili should thicken in about 20 minutes. Drizzle over hots and top with cheese, jalapenos, onions or sour cream.

Kid-Friendly Options for the Whole Team

Try these finger foods for younger guests:

Corn dog bites

Ingredients:

• 1, 16-package of hot dogs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup vegetable oil

Preheat your oven to 425⁰ and grease two 24-cup mini muffin tins. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Mix the milk, egg and vegetable oil until the batter is smooth, then fill each cup. Cut the hot dogs into eight pieces, placing each in a cup and covering with more batter. Bake for about eight minutes or until the muffins are browned.

Mini pizzas

Ingredients:

• 1 package of pizza dough
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Optional toppings: Pepperoni, olives, ham, sausage, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, basil

Preheat your oven to 425⁰ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it with cooking spray. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface and cut into small circles with a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass. Combine the melted butter, garlic powder and salt before brushing the mixture onto the dough. Spread a few teaspoons of pizza sauce onto the circles and cover with mozzarella cheese and toppings. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Easy-to-Make Mocktails and Beverages

Top off your baseball-inspired spread with refreshing drinks:

Soda floats

Ingredients:

• Ice cream: Vanilla, chocolate, sherbert
• Soda: Cola, root beer, apple cider, cream soda, orange soda
• Toppings: Whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel syrup, cherries, nuts, coconut shavings, sprinkles

Place a few scoops of ice cream into a frozen glass or plastic cup. Pour your choice of soda over the ice cream, allowing the fizz to settle. Add your choice of toppings.

Lemonade iced tea

Ingredients:

• 7 cups cold water
• 2, 10-ounce packages of black tea
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice

Bring five cups of water to a boil, then remove from the heat. Steep the tea bags in the water for 10 minutes, then discard. Pour the liquid into a pitcher, stirring in two more cups of water, sugar and lemon juice. Allow the sugar to dissolve before serving over ice.

Make Your Baseball Party a Hit

With proper planning and preparation, you can enjoy great food and even better company. Ardent Communities has a variety of apartments and townhouses around Columbus, Ohio, that are perfect for hosting guests. View our locations and contact us to schedule a tour.