Whether you’ve called all your friends and family over for a night of board games, multiplayer video games, or you’re cheering for your favorite sports team, one thing will bring everyone together: food. Game night isn’t complete without an array of tasty, easy-to-make, easy-to-eat snacks.
Although pizza and popcorn are the most obvious choices, it’s nice to have other options. The best, most memorable game night snacks are fun, delicious, low-effort, and keep everyone’s hands relatively clean. The last thing you want is to break in your Nintendo Switch 2 and have it turn orange from Cheeto fingers. A solid Switch 2 case will protect the screen, but your snack choices are your only chance at protecting the Joy-Cons.
If you’re looking for ideas to make your next game night a little tastier and less messy, you’re about to discover some options that are perfect for any kind of game night.
1. A cheese board
It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like cheese. Unless they’re vegan or lactose intolerant, most people love all types of cheese. It’s a good gluten-free, keto-friendly snack that doesn’t require any cooking. Making a well-assembled cheese board for your game night will look fancy while being easy to eat and clean.
Start with the basics, like sharp cheddar, pepper jack, and gouda. Then add some ripe soft brie, camembert, and at least one type of cheese people may not have tried before.
To complete the cheese board, add a side of thin water crackers, thick buttery crackers, fruits, and nuts. For instance, grapes, strawberries, and raspberries pair well with cheese. Almonds, pine nuts, and roasted pumpkin seeds are great options for nuts. Just make sure nobody has a nut allergy beforehand.
2. English muffin pizzas
Traditional pizza is tasty, but it’s greasy and it makes a huge mess. Making smaller, individual pizzas on English muffins will reduce the grease and prevent the mess while giving everyone the option of building their ideal pizza. Create a lineup of ingredients, including bases, sauces, and toppings, and then bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes and you’re done.
This is a good opportunity for your guests to try crazy or unusual toppings, like bologna, deli meat, bananas, pickles, eggs, coconut flakes, chocolate, and your kids might want to use leftover hot dogs from last night’s dinner.
3. Chip tacos
Chip tacos are one of the coolest snacks you can make. You start with a small bag of chips, like Doritos or Fritos, and add taco meat, cheese, sour cream, and any other taco topping directly into the bag. Once all the toppings are in, you stir it up and eat it right out of the bag.
4. Boneless chicken wings
Although they’re not technically wings, boneless chicken wings are a staple for any game night. The key is to require everyone to eat them with a knife and fork. If you don’t want to make your own, get takeout from a local restaurant. Chances are, there’s at least one nearby establishment that serves boneless chicken wings with a variety of tasty sauce options. If not, consider getting them frozen to cut down on cooking time.
5. Chips and salsa
As long as nobody’s dipping their chips over a game board or controllers, chips and salsa make a great snack. Choose chips that aren’t greasy, like regular tortilla chips, and put out some salsa, guacamole, or queso for dipping. If you give each guest their own little dip bowl, you’ll eliminate double dipping and minimize the mess.
6. Sweet treats
Balance out the savory and salty snacks with some sweet treats, like chocolate, candy, or bite-sized cookies. Choose items that are easy to grab with one hand and won’t require washing your hands. Some good options include gummy candy, chocolate or yogurt covered pretzels, mini sandwich cookies, or fruit skewers.
7. A formal meal
Try inviting everyone over early enough to host a full meal before you start playing. By getting everyone to sit down for a meal, they won’t be as hungry throughout the day, and they’ll be more likely to enjoy lighter, cleaner snacks. If your guests show up hungry, without a real meal, they’ll want messier, heartier snacks.
Fun food doesn’t need to be high-maintenance
The best game night foods don’t need to be gourmet or take hours to prepare. Simple, tasty snacks can do the trick. With a mix of savory and sweet, and a big roll of paper towels, you’ll keep everyone happy.
