1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, then place a wire rack on top if you have one (this helps air circulate for crispier results, but it’s not mandatory).
2. Cook the bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon slices until they’re about 80% done – they should be cooked through but still slightly floppy, not fully crispy. This takes about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Once cool enough to handle, cut each strip into roughly 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
3. Prep the vegetables: While the bacon cooks, cut your bell peppers and red onion into 1-inch chunks, roughly the same size as your tater tots. Try to keep pieces uniform for even cooking. Pat the vegetables dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
4. Prepare skewers: If using wooden skewers, make sure they’ve been soaking in water for at least 20 minutes. Shake off excess water before threading.

Assemble the Skewers:

5. Thread ingredients: Now for the fun part! Thread the ingredients onto each skewer in a pattern, leaving about 1 inch at the bottom for holding. A good pattern is: tater tot, bacon piece, bell pepper, tater tot, onion (if using), tater tot, bacon, bell pepper, tater tot. You should fit 3-4 tater tots and several pieces of bacon and vegetables on each skewer. Don’t pack them too tightly – leave a little space between items for even cooking and crisping.
6. Arrange on baking sheet: Place the assembled skewers on your prepared baking sheet in a single layer. They can be close together but shouldn’t overlap. Make sure the tater tots aren’t touching the pan directly if possible (this is where a wire rack helps).

Season and Bake:

7. Season the skewers: In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Lightly spray or brush the skewers with olive oil, then sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over all the skewers. Use your hands or a pastry brush to make sure everything is coated.
8. First bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, flipping the skewers halfway through (at the 10-minute mark) for even browning. The tater tots should be starting to turn golden brown and the vegetables should be tender-crisp.
9. Add cheese: Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Sprinkle the shredded cheese generously over each skewer, focusing on the tater tots but letting some fall on the bacon and vegetables too. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes, just until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to brown in spots.

Serve:

10. Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven and transfer the skewers to a serving platter. Garnish with chopped green onions and extra bacon bits if desired. Serve immediately while hot with ranch dressing, sour cream, or your favorite dipping sauces on the side. Watch them disappear!