As the high school and college football seasons get into full swing, fans find that tailgating can be the best ticket to good food for a Friday night or Saturday game.

Easy-to-prepare items that can be safely transported is the goal.

That means keeping cold foods cold and hot foods hot in insulated containers, whether you nestle them in the trunk of your car, the bed of your pickup, or the rear of your SUV.

If grilling is your game plan, a portable propane-powered or charcoal grill with grilling utensils is needed. Besides the grill and the insulated cooler with ice and cold packs, basic equipment includes a picnic basket filled with picnic utensils and a collapsible table. In moderate sizes, all should fit in a car trunk.

Brats have become synonymous with tailgating. Transport frozen meat on ice in the cooler or buy fresh meat in the city where the game is played. The secret to grilling juicy brats is slow cooking with medium heat, which takes about 30 minutes.

While some cooks parboil fresh pork sausages such as brats in a pan of beer or wine before browning over hot coals, parboiling is not necessary.

For grilling, choose a safe, level area with enough room away from the vehicle and fire up the grill with charcoal (wait until the coals become gray and covered with light ash) or propane fuel.

Place brats on the grate with each link running parallel to the bars of the grate. Grill fresh brats slowly over medium heat, turning every few minutes. To prevent piercing the casing and retain juices and flavor, use tongs instead of a fork. Grill until the internal temperature is 180 degrees. You want brats that are toasty brown - not charred or burned - on the outside and done on the inside.

Meanwhile, place some sliced green pepper rings and sliced sweet onions in foil. Add salt and pepper, seal the ends of the foil, and place the packet in a corner of the grill to cook. This cooking method uses steaming, and it works without pans.

If there's room on the grill, when the brats and onions and green peppers are almost ready, place the cut side of the brat rolls on the grill to toast. Serve the brat with onions and green peppers on the warm rolls.

You can take condiments such as ketchup and mustard, but the flavor of the brats and veggies is satisfying enough.

For a hearty side dish, Red Beans and Rice Salad is a favorite. It's made with cooked rice and crisp, fresh vegetables. Don't omit the small amount of hot pepper sauce in the recipe; it provides just the right amount of zest. This salad can be made a day ahead and carried in a sealed plastic container in the cooler.

For cooler fall days, carafes of hot soup are welcome. I've made all kinds of soups for tailgating, and have found that drinkable soups are the easiest to enjoy. Chili is great, but juggling a spoon and a bowl is sometimes difficult in a parking lot.

Among the easiest soups to handle is tomato soup, whether you use canned soup or make your own. If you have tomatoes in your garden, make Fresh Tomato Soup. Garnish with purchased croutons. Pack the carafe, cups, and spoons.

Carafes are also great for carrying hot chocolate and coffee. Don't forget creamer and sugar.

For dessert, take something easy to eat. Avoid sticky frostings or fruit fillings that drip. A pound cake can serve 12 to 16 people. Either make it from a box mix or from scratch.

Use a package of orange cake mix, add 1 package of vanilla instant pudding mix (4-serving size), 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup water, and 4 eggs. Blend all ingredients in a large bowl with mixer; then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Do not overmix. Bake in a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes until the center springs back when touched lightly. Cool right side up for 25 minutes, then remove from the pan.

Or try Nick Malgieri's Orange Sponge Cake, a recipe from Perfect Cakes (Harper Collins, $37.50) using fresh orange juice and orange zest. Although he recommends an Orange Glaze, I omit that for tailgating. Lightly sprinkling the baked and cooled cake with powdered sugar is about the least messy decoration. Anything more melts in the sun and can attract bees.

Also delicious are Oatmeal Apricot Linzer Bars, which are buttery oat streusel-topped bar cookies. The nutty flavor of whole-grain oats combines with ground almonds or pecans in the shortbread-like cookie crust. The pairing of tart-sweet apricot filling and oat streusel topping makes these cookies delicious for tailgating - or with a genteel cup of coffee at your dining room table.

You can make the same menu of favorite tailgating foods week after week or you can create a new lineup of foods each week.

If you get tired of grilling, prepare sandwiches ahead or make hero sandwiches. Instead of a cold salad, serve veggies and dip. Try a different soup, such as chicken noodle or vegetable with small diced veggies. Skip the pound cake and opt for cider and doughnuts.

Don't forget to pack bottles of water and cans of soft drinks. Include trash bags, paper towels, aluminum foil, and wet wipes in your picnic basket. Bring your sunscreen, rain gear, and bug spray. A first-aid kit, aspirin, and comfortable shoes also are handy. If you have camp stools, take those.

But most of all, remember your parking pass and your game tickets. Now you're ready for a delicious tailgate.

First Published September 2, 2003, 11:38 a.m.