Starting today, our world is colored green and white. Tonight, our UH Warriors open the football season with the first of seven home games.

For many of us, the opening kickoff signals more than a game: It's our cue to load up the car, pack up the grill and claim our spot in the Aloha Stadium parking lot for a season full of the best kind of outdoor party: the tailgate party.

And while we love the thrill of grilling on a teeny-weeny mini hibachi precariously balanced on the tailgate of uncle's truck, we also like the idea of bringing ready-to-eat food to the party.

Lazy? Not really. OK, maybe a little bit, but no one will be crying foul when you show up to the party with a tray of the best pasteles in town, or a couple of containers of blue crab poke.

Try making that from the back of a pickup.

Whether you're headed to Aloha Stadium from 'aina Haina or Hale'iwa (and anywhere in between), there's good takeout tailgate food just waiting to be picked up.

IF YOU'RE COMING IN FROM OR AROUND HONOLULU:

BUFFALO BOYS HOAGIES

Get a tray or two of authentic Buffalo-style chicken wings ($29.69 for 50 wings, 2671 S. King St., 983-3870) because what better game food than wings?

Order ahead? No.

CHAR HUNG SUT

Chinatown's go-to spot for manapua, pork hash and pepeiao (95¢ per manapua, 64 N. Pauahi St., 538-3335) is used to large orders, so no shame in asking for a big box. Plus, everything travels well and tastes good even a few hours after pickup.

Order ahead? Yes.

FUKUYA DELICATESSEN AND CATERING

A tray of Fukuya's fried noodles or chow funn ($12 for a two-quart pan, 2710 S. King St., 946-2073) is the right dish for any party. Plus, they have a full catering menu of other local faves like teri beef, assorted tempura and somen salad.

Order ahead? Yes, for large orders.

TAMASHIRO MARKET

You can get any amount of all kinds of poke at Tamashiro (802 N. King St., 841-8047), but we find that showing up to a parking lot party with a couple of containers of its signature blue crab poke ($7.95 per pound) earns extra points. Plus, get all kinds of fresh fish to throw on the grill.

Order ahead? No.

PALAMA MARKET

Speaking of throwing stuff on the grill, if you can't bear not to do some of the cooking yourself, get raw, fully seasoned and marinated kalbi ($5.25 per pound) and bulgogi ($5.25 per pound) at Palama Market in Kalihi (1210 Dillingham Blvd., 847-4427).

Order ahead? No.

THE PASTELE SHOP

Get a large order of freshly made, individually wrapped pasteles ($3.25 each) — they totally go with hot dogs and mac salad. Promise. Be sure to place large orders a few days in advance of game day (2101 N. School St., 847-6969).

Order ahead? Yes.

YAMA'S FISH MARKET

Why doesn't anyone ever bring laulau to tailgate parties? There's never a wrong time to eat laulau, and Yama's (2332 Young St., 941-9994) makes a mean chicken laulau ($3.65 each). Get them frozen and reheat them on game day, or buy them hot.

Order ahead? No.

IF YOU'RE COMING FROM CENTRAL O'AHU:

AIEA MANAPUA & SNACKS

Find contempo twists on the traditional manapua — like the pizza, ham and cheese omelette and cheeseburger manapua ($1.29 each) — at Aiea Manapua (99-149 Moanalua Road, 488-7443). The traditional char siu bao are there, too, but once you try the teri hot dog manapua, you might never eat another boring tailgate hot dog again. Aiea Manapua also sells Kukui Sausage Company's sausages ($2.99). The sausages come in great flavors like kim chee, pastele and Portuguese and are perfect for throwing on the grill.

Order ahead? No.

DIRTY LICKINS' CHICKEN

Wings lovers swear by Dirty Lickins' signature wing sauce, claiming that it's one of the best on the island. There's no better way to test their theory than to try the chicken ($15.55 for 20 wings, 99-115 'Aiea Heights Drive, 486-8500) on a group of tailgaters.

Order ahead? Yes.

SHIROMA'S WINE AND MORE

Known to its regular customers as SWAM, Shiroma's (Waimalu Shopping Center, 487-7926) has everything you need to class up your tailgate party. Find a wide selection of wines in every price range because sometimes a party calls for more than just beer.

Order ahead? No.

IF YOU'RE COMING FROM EAST O'AHU:

CAKE COUTURE

Including a cupcake shop in this list seems crazy considering the tailgate theme, but we can't think of a party that isn't made better by cupcakes. Sure, they're not typical tailgate fare, but we're willing to bet our Ballpark franks that showing up with a box of Cake Couture's amazing cupcakes ($2.50-$3.50 per cupcake, Aina Haina Shopping Center, 373-9750) will silence the critics.

Order ahead? Yes, for orders of more than 12.

FRESH CATCH

Poke, poke, poke. At Fresh Catch (3109 Wai'alae Ave., 735-7653), everything is fresh, well seasoned and 'ono. Need proof? Try the "Fireball Ahi Poke" (poke prices vary) Just get there early — they tend to sell out. If poke is too easy, Fresh Catch also sells seasoned raw meat and seafood for grilling.

Order ahead? No, just get there early.

HOG ISLAND

Get a couple of full racks of Memphis-style baby-back ribs ($24.75 for a full rack) and forget grilling altogether (1137 11th Ave., 388-7784).

Order ahead? Yes.

HUNG WON RESTAURANT

The extra meaty crispy gau gee ($28.75 for a pan that feeds 25) from Hung Won (3434 Wai'alae Ave., 732-6322) are a party staple on the east side, and we think they'd make perfect tailgate party food.

Order ahead? Yes.

KAIMUKI GRILL

Kaimuki Grill (1108 12th Ave., 732-2292) makes the best shoyu hot dogs ($4 per order), hands down. Enough said.

Order ahead? Yes.

IF YOU'RE COMING FROM THE WINDWARD SIDE:

AGNES' PORTUGUESE BAKE SHOP

Get the malassadas if you want to (no one will complain), but Agnes' (46 Ho'ola'i St., 262-5367) "Sweet Dogs" — hot dogs wrapped in Portuguese sweet bread — are the real undiscovered tailgate party star. The Pocho-style pigs in a blanket ($1.65 each) make the perfect party finger food.

Order ahead? Yes.

BLOSSOM'S OKAZUYA

Arrive early and order a couple dozen cone sushi — extra big, overstuffed pillows of local-style sushi ($1.40 each). Or get a box of sweet potato tempura ($1.50 per piece). Blossom's (1090 Keolu Drive, 263-3338) batter is less tempura-like and more pancake-like, which ensures that the deep-fried purple discs stay good even when they're not fresh from the fryer.

Order ahead? No.

KJ'S LOCAL GRINDZ

Every Windwardite's favorite fried chicken is found at KJ's (Windward City Shopping Center, 235-5799). The extra-crispy chicken ($20.42 for 20 pieces) stays crispy long after it's been cooked. Perfect for pre-game — or post-game — festivities.

Order ahead? Yes.

JJ SEAFOODS

Fill all your poke needs at JJ's (45-726 Kamehameha Highway, 236-4987). The shoyu 'ahi poke (price varies) is delicious. And if they run out (and they often do), they'll make a fresh batch while you wait.

Order ahead? No.

IF YOU'RE COMING FROM THE NORTH SHORE:

RICKY'S KAHUKU SUPER SWEET CORN

Don't just drive by those fruit and veggie kiosks on the side of the road in Kahuku. Stop on your way to the game and pick up a few ears of Kahuku sweet corn ($4 for four ears) to throw on the grill.

Order ahead? No.

FUMI'S KAHUKU SHRIMP

Since you're stopping, may as well pick up a bag of raw Kahuku shrimp (price varies) from Fumi's, (parked on Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku, www.fumiskahukushrimp.com) to throw on the grill, too.

Order ahead? No.

STORTO'S DELI AND SANDWICH SHOPPE

Sometimes all you need for a tailgate party is a good submarine sandwich. It'll make your party more like a picnic, but there's nothing wrong with that. Pick up a couple of Storto's signature massive 15-inch sandwiches ($12.50-$16.50) from the flagship deli in Hale'iwa (66-215 Kamehameha Highway, 637-6633) and call it a meal.

Order ahead? No.

TED'S BAKERY

We know all about Ted's addictive chocolate haupia pie, but the chilled dessert isn't made to hold up in heat. Try the chantilly haupia cake instead. It's a two-layer chocolate cake with haupia filling, covered in a rich chantilly cream ($15.97 for a 9-inch cake, 59-024 Kamehameha Highway, 638-8207). Sounds prissy, but it can take the rigors of a parking lot party, no problem.

Order ahead? No.

IF YOU'RE COMING FROM WEST O'AHU:

CHUN WAH KAM NOODLE FACTORY

Baked manapua ($1.40-$1.85), fried saimin, fried rice, chow funn ($24 per party pan). It's all good, and good to go at the Kapolei location of Chun Wah Kam (Kapolei Shopping Center, 693-8838).

Order ahead? No.

EN FUEGO GRILL AND POKE

Kapolei folk love En Fuego's garlic chicken and braised short ribs (590 Farrington Highway, 674-8805). Lucky for the rest of the island, both dishes come in party size (from $20.50 per pan).

Order ahead? Yes.

POKE STOP

Chef Elmer Guzman's original eatery in Waipahu (Waipahu Town Center, 676-8100) makes some of the best poke around. And he offers a super extensive catering menu of his signature dishes like his Island-style steamed fish with sausage, mayonnaise and onion ($39.95 for a pan that feeds 10 people).

Order ahead? Yes.