Tailgating Fun with Totchos

What is it about the summer that sends our FOMO fever into overdrive? FOMO, you may already know, stands for “fear of missing out,” and I’m particularly prone to the bug. There’s nothing worse than scrolling through my social media feed only to find friends having fun without me after I’ve turned down an invitation in favor of staying home. For that reason, I make sure to practically live outdoors during the thick of the hot season; I attend every street festival, volleyball match, parade and fireworks show I can find. If there’s fun under the sun to be had, I’m there! Come fall, I’m relieved to finally slow down the pace, relax on the couch and invite a few friends over to watch football or a movie.

But a night at home isn’t complete without a few appetizers.

I collect tailgating recipes and appetizer ideas specifically to use after the arrival of fall. Once upon a time, I was convinced that nachos were the perfect couch cuisine—and don’t get me wrong, they’re amazing. Laid back, versatile and easy to make, nachos are tough to beat. But there’s a new “-acho” in town, and it’s quickly taking the lead. Meet the “totcho”!

Totchos are like nachos in that you can cover them both with similar ingredients. What totchos have that nachos don’t, however, are tater tots. Tots make all the difference! Imagine the crispy crunch and melted cheese of your favorite appetizer but with the added savory flavor of tater tots. Not just for couch potatoes (ha!), totchos make a delicious, crowd-pleasing appetizer no matter the setting.

Your next night at home, why not try a fun DIY totchos bar. Simply heat up a bag of tater tots and lay out an assortment of toppers for guests to choose from. I suggest starting with sour cream, bacon, cheese and scallions.

Don’t miss out on the totchos trend! Here are a couple more easy dinnertime recipes that cross an old favorite, tater tots, into the nacho realm.

2 Amazing Totchos Recipes

Love a loaded baked potato? You haven’t seen anything yet! This recipe for Totchos: Loaded is just as flavorful as a potato topped with sour cream, chives and bacon! Gather around this dish that’s practically made for football and Sunday afternoon.

Go for the unexpected. Totchos: Chicken Enchiladas are topped with tomatoes, peppers, chicken breast strips and cheddar cheese. It’s a crispy, cheesy tex-mex lover’s dream.

How will you make your totchos this weekend?