It’s finally here. College football season.

I’m the guy that automates his NFL fantasy football leagues so he can spend more time reading up on redshirt freshmen and 2019 recruits. When it comes to the game of football, I’m 100% college. Dare I try to explain why? It’s the love of the game, the “our conference is the best” debates, the timeless rivalries, and the whimsy of a well-prepared tailgate. Heck, I’d give HOMAGE a down-payment investment right now for a shirt that said, “Saturday is my Sabbath.” College football is the reason why neighbors fight, sports writers write, and we can no longer trust love at first sight. “You like Michigan? Maybe we should just be acquaintances.” It’s also why people still name their kids Archie and their dogs Brutus.

We love college football. Wait, I mentioned the tailgate, right?

This weekend, my tailgate is happening at home in the luxury of my new apartment; Ohio State takes on Navy in Maryland, which means Columbus traffic is still tolerable and there’s no sense in heading down to campus (until next week, that is). As much of my kitchen is still sitting in boxes, I was coming to terms with the idea of ordering in for the afternoon; then my friend and fellow foodie, Erica Reetz, came to the rescue.

Erica recently launched Whisk Prep Kitchen, a food-service dedicated to high-quality meals and finely-crafted food, even when life has you running rampant. Based inside the recently launched Balanced Family Academy, Whisk serves up delicious meals for all of the children enrolled (and the entrepreneurs that are running the academy while maintaining families of their own). The business-model behind Whisk is ingenious; drop off your children in the morning, grab a cup of cold brew and a side of toasted almonds or granola for breakfast on the way out. You can drive away in confidence that your child is receiving wholesome, freshly prepared meals. And for those who always forget to pack a lunch or rely on the nearest fast food chain to your office, Whisk offers takeaway meals, which can be placed in your office fridge until you’re ready to enjoy.  When the day is finally over, you return to pick up your kids… and your dinner?  Whisk creates pre-made meals for families of any size, allowing you to spend more time doing what you love with the people you love.  Getting meals off your plate and onto your table. It’s beautiful. I don’t even have kids to drop off, but have played the “hypothetical” situation of stopping by every morning in my head many times, wondering what the parents would say when they see me picking up my meals.

“Look at this guy; he doesn’t even have a family yet and thinks he’s busy. Just wait. He’ll see”. – A mom, who was obviously a popular kid and a bully in middle school.

So this weekend, I’ve got a Whisk delivery to get me through the game; a generous amount of homemade guacamole and salsa with a bag of Shagbark Seed and Mill corn chips, made in Athens, Ohio. The guacamole looks as though it had been made just minutes before, with a beautiful green hue and creamy texture. Large chunks of Ohio-grown tomatoes, chopped cilantro, and diced onions create perhaps the most balanced salsa I’ve ever ingested. The prices are extremely reasonable, and certainly unbeatable, with 16 oz. of guacamole for only $7.50 and a special “Beat Navy” bean dip that includes navy beans, artichokes, garlic, and lemon for only $4.00. And while I rarely make dessert at home, Whisk Prep Kitchen came through with a sampling of an Ohio-favorite, the Buckeye Bars: a crispy, pretzel crust covered in a layer of peanut butter milk chocolate and topped with chocolate. I may have opened up the treats on Friday afternoon to get a taste… and within 20 minutes, I devoured an entire plate full of pico and guac. The “Game On” food series by Whisk is going to quickly become a new tailgating tradition.

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