Tailgating MVP? Easy with Sam’s Club
Game-day strategies from Chef Casey and the Sam’s Club Member’s Mark Community for a tailgate worth repeating
Tailgating has evolved from a weekly gridiron pastime into a season-long celebration with something for everyone, from special recipes and gear to festive paper plates inspired by feedback from our Member’s Mark Community. Explore the topics below to create a tailgate experience that will put you in the running for tailgating's MVP.
Pick Your Tailgating Topic
The Home Team Advantage: Member Insights >
Easy Tailgating Recipes
We tapped into the expertise of our Sam's Club culinary expert, Chef Casey, for quick and easy game-ready recipes, and at under 15 minutes each, they might even be worth sliding into your everyday routine.
Servings: 8 servings
Preparation Time: 15 minutes or less
Ingredients
Preparation
- Thaw the Member’s Mark Super Sweet Corn on the Cob in the refrigerator overnight.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut each corn cob lengthwise into 4 to 6 rib-style pieces.
- Place in a bowl and lightly toss with Member's Mark Avocado Oil.
- Preheat a flat top grill or griddle over medium-high heat and lightly coat the cooking surface with Member's Mark Avocado Oil.
- Place the corn ribs flat-side down on the hot cooking surface. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until the corn begins to brown and develop a light char.
- Remove from cooking surface and place in bowl again. Sprinkle Member's Mark Cajun Seasoning generously over the corn ribs and toss to coat evenly.
- Continue cooking, turning occasionally, until the corn is tender, well caramelized and coated with seasoning to your desired level of doneness.
- Remove from the grill, plate, and serve immediately.
Servings: 12 servings
Preparation Time: 15 minutes or less
Ingredients
- Member’s Mark Farm Raised Jumbo Raw EZ Peel Shrimp
- Member’s Mark Bang Bang Sweet & Spicy Seasoning & Sauce Mix
- Member’s Mark Avocado Oil
Preparation
- Follow packaging instructions to defrost. Peel and devein as desired, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Season the shrimp generously with Member's Mark Bang Bang Sweet & Spicy Seasoning & Sauce Mix, tossing to coat evenly.
- Thread the seasoned shrimp onto skewers.
- Preheat a flat top grill or griddle over medium-high heat and lightly coat the cooking surface with Member's Mark Avocado Oil.
- Place the shrimp skewers on the hot cooking surface and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are opaque, lightly browned, and reach an internal temperature of 145°F1.
- Remove from the grill, plate, and serve immediately.
Servings: 11 servings
Preparation Time: 15 minutes or less
Ingredients
- Member’s Mark Pulled Pork
- Member’s Mark Brioche Slider Buns
- Member’s Mark Sliced Cheddar
- Kinder’s BBQ Sauce
- Member’s Mark Petite Dill Pickle
Preparation
- Remove the Member's Mark Pulled Pork from its packaging and transfer it to a suitable cooking vessel.
- Heat the pulled pork using your preferred method:
- Flat Top Grill: Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through
- Skillet: Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until warmed throughout.
- Microwave: Place in a microwave-safe container, cover loosely, and heat in intervals, stirring between each interval until hot.
- While the pork is heating, lightly toast the slider buns until golden brown.
- Once the pulled pork has reached your desired serving temperature, add Kinder's BBQ Sauce and mix thoroughly to coat the meat evenly.
- Place a generous portion of the BBQ pulled pork onto the bottom half of each toasted bun. Top with a slice of cheese.
- Close the sandwich with the top bun and secure with a skewer. Add a pickle and your preferred garnish. Serve immediately.
Showing Off Team Spirit Is Easier than Ever
At Sam’s Club, members can find official, licensed items for 31 pro football teams and 159 college teams online, including 38 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) teams, to rep their favorite teams. Curious as to what states have the most team spirit? Keep reading!
The States with the Most Team Spirit
Based on Sam’s Club item sales volume across licensed college and pro football merchandise from August 2025 – February 2026, the following states came out on top.
The Product MVPs of the Season
Out of the many college and pro football items available, from inflatable mascots to tote bags and tumblers, the fan favorites across both college and professional football were beach towels and plush blankets.
Find your college team beach towel
Officially licensed team logos for showing off your team pride
Find your pro football throw blanket
Printed plush front and sherpa back
Turn Up the Volume on Game Day
While team gear helps fans show off their team spirit, sound can help bring it to life. A great sound system might infuse stadium-worthy, game-day energy into a tailgate experience. That could explain why large outdoor speakers experienced a 20 percent lift in sales during football season in 2025-2026.
The second generation Monster GI30 Pro High Power 2000W Bluetooth Party Speaker, can reach up to approximately 130 decibels, aligning with some of the loudest gamedays in history. It’s a big deal! This second-generation speaker is the latest model and features deep bass and RGB LED Lights.
Fun fact: 129.8 decibels is the same level of recorded stadium noise during the memorable Louisiana State University – University of Florida game at Tiger Stadium in 2007.*
Whether you are focused on the sound, the game watching experience, or a rapid charging experience for your devices, Sam’s Club has game-day ready tech options.
*Bri Amaranthus, Where Autzen Stadium’s Decibel Level Ranks Among Nation’s Loudest Venues, Sports Illustrated, Last modified: July 27, 2026, si.com
The Home Team Advantage:
Insights from the Member's Mark Community
At Sam’s Club, we co-create Member’s Mark brand items with our Member’s Mark Community, and according to them, we can save the pomp and circumstance for special occasions. For celebrations like tailgating, "easy" was a recurring theme, whether we were talking about lawn chairs or appetizers, and for good reason. The more turnkey a tailgate is to set up, host and clean up, the more time people can spend together and the more likely they are to do it again the following weekend.
Member’s Mark Community Findings by the Numbers
- If magic were an option, 36% of members surveyed said they would offload post-celebration cleanup.
- Easy didn't have to mean utilitarian. More than 1,000 members surveyed requested a festive tailgating-themed paper plate with a design that adults would appreciate.
- Nearly half (49%) of members surveyed said they pay attention to how a host reacts when they bring food or a gift to an event.
Member's Mark Made Without Commitment™
We also discovered that members wanted tasty crowd-pleasers they could feel good about serving to their families. Among the most valued attributes were organic ingredients, protein-rich options, and products free from artificial ingredients. We have been listening and responding.
Over 40 unwanted ingredients, including high-fructose corn syrup, synthetic colors and artificial flavors, have been removed from Member’s Mark products through the Member's Mark Made Without Commitment™. All Member’s Mark food and beverage products2 now meet our Made Without Commitment™ standards. And all Sam’s Club members are welcome to join the Member’s Mark Community to help influence and test what goes in the club.
Build a Championship-Worthy Tailgating Spread
If easy, crowd-pleasing, and even a little show-stopping is your kind of tailgating spread, explore the options below to help round out your game-day lineup. The list is made up of top-rated, tried-and-tested, Community-approved favorites.
Explore the products below to discover some of the member feedback that helped inspire and refine these items.
Top Member’s Mark Tailgating Essentials
We've also selected a few key Member's Mark items to help make tailgating in the elements easier. With over 1,100 members surveyed, explore the member feedback below that helped inspire and refine these products.
The Big Takeaway
Over the years, we've worked with the Member's Mark Community to better understand what our members value. As those insights take shape in our products, are tested by members and refined through feedback, we've discovered that value can come in many forms. Sometimes it's a time-saving and ingenious feature that solves a problem or a festive print that sets the tone for an entire event. Other times, it’s queso.
The biggest takeaway of all is that Member's Mark product development is truly a team sport, and every member can be part of it.
Tailgating Essentials Checklist
From setup to cleanup and everything in between, use this checklist to plan a gameday gathering worth repeating.
The Tailgating Spread
Main Dishes
- Burgers/Sliders
- Burger/Slider Buns
- Kabobs
- Sausage
- Sausage Buns
- Chicken Wings
- Meatballs
- Pizza
- Pinwheels
Condiments
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Ranch Dressing
Sides & Snacks
- Fruit & Cheese Tray
- Veggie Tray
- Assorted Snack Chips
- Queso Dip
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Hummus
- Guacamole
Desserts
- Cookie Tray
- Brownie Tray
- Cupcake Packs
Hydration & Drinks
- Sparkling Water
- Still Water
- Electrolyte Drinks
- Sodas
Set Up
- Canopy/Tent
- Folding Chairs
- Folding Table
- Table Covers
- Cooler
- Ice
Food Prep
- Lighter
- Aluminum Foil
- Meat Thermometer
- Propane/Charcoal
- Grilling Utensils
- Coolers & Ice
Team Spirit
- Team Drinkware
- Team Décor
- Team Blankets
- Team Gear
Serving Essentials
- Serving Utensils
- Serving Trays
- Chafing Fuel
- Plates
- Cups
- Napkins
- Cutlery
- Skewers
Safety & Comfort
- Sunscreen
- First Aid Kit
- Bug Spray
- Hand Sanitizer
- Wet Wipes
- Outdoor Blankets
- Hand Warmers
Tech
- Portable TV
- Portable Bluetooth Speaker
- Portable Power Station
- Batteries
- Phone Chargers
- Power Banks
Cleanup
- Trash Bags
- Disinfecting Wipes
- Broom & Dustpan
- Paper Towels
- Food Storage Containers
- Storage Bags
- Plastic Gloves
- Cordless Vacuum
1. Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.
2. Excludes Sports Nutrition and OTC products. Products may contain ingredients such as ascorbic acid, citric acid, D-L malic acid, and phosphoric acid.
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