What To Eat (And Not Eat) To Have The Perfect Game Night

Game nights are back, and with the fun, the competition, and the crowning of champions comes something nearly as important as picking the right character class.

Picking the right snacks.

Choose wisely, and it won’t matter if your characters are weak in Charisma and Intelligence because you’ll be making up for it in Dexterity and Strength.

(In other words, you’ll be avoiding sticky fingers and dipping energy levels.)

No matter the game you’re playing, whether it’s Dungeons & Dragons, poker, or the latest, greatest Kickstarter launched game, the right snacks will make your night… and the wrong ones will make your quest all the more challenging. 

So read on to see how you can choose wisely for your next night!

These Snacks Shall Not Pass

You’ve got to pull off your best Gandalf the Grey impression to stop the following three, supremely tempting snacks that will only slow you down. 

• Flaming Hot Cheetos: Unless you’re considering pulling out the chopsticks to delicately select one Flaming Hot Cheeto at a time, you’re setting yourself up for a world of hurt. Not only are these the kind of too-delicious snack that keeps you coming back for more (and boy, does that heat hit once you stop), the need to hit the baby wipes after each snack to keep your cards or characters clean will take you out of the zone.
  
  
• Soda: While it pairs great with pizza, soda is a slippery slope for any marathon game night. It might give you that short-term sugar boost you need to finish a round strong, but what happens when you start to crash and your 11th level paladin needs your focus? Better to stick with water and get your energy from something a bit more substantive.
  
  
• Nachos: Look, we love nachos. Piling ‘em high. Stretchin’ that cheese. Finding that perfect soggy chip. But talk about a snack that takes you out of the game - and then gets mushy within minutes. While this might be okay if you’re taking a complete break, this is the kind of temptress that’s taken many a good gamer down for the count. 

The Snacks To Rule Them All, And In Game Night, To Feed Them

But just like Gandalf the Grey was all about blocking baddies, Gandalf the White was about leading the charge into battle and helping turn the tide toward the good guys. Go ahead with these three, and we’re sure your path to Game Night Glory is set.

• Wrappable Foods: Get serious about your gaming with self-contained foods like burritos, wraps, gyros and other sandwiches that stay in one piece. Not only are they handy for one-handed action, they also keep your hands clean and your head in the game. And if that wrap happens to have a veggie in it? Well, what more could you ask for?
  
  
• Nuts: Trust an esports gaming site to bring you the hard-hitting nutritional news? Then you’ll see why we’re going with esportshealthcare’s suggestion to keep almonds, cashews, pistachios and other nuts in the rotation. They’ll give you the energy you need to fuel your gameplay without the spikes and drops from those sweeter, sugar-heavy snacks.
  
  
• Jerkies: With plenty of hip brands featuring all sorts of proteins, flavors, and preparation jerky has come a long way from Slim Jims. This gives you plenty of options for your group to get a quick dose of protein when the game play gets heated and you can’t step away. Plus, it’s a surprisingly healthy option, but it’s not in your face about it (look, we’re not asking you to snack on boiled lima beans here).

Ultimately, the priority of any game night is great game play among friends. After all, that’s why hosting a real-time game night is a worthwhile achievement - it builds bonds that other types of gaming simply can’t. 

So enjoy your next game night for the great time that it is, and let us know what the go-to gaming snacks are for your group!