A long time ago, my friends and I busted out an old card-based game that we hadn't played in a while—it was Codenames, if you're curious—and as soon as the box opened, we were hit by the heavy stench of moldy cheese and funk.
As it turns out, when oils and food particles get smudged onto cards and stuffed into a box and stowed away for months or years, an odor develops.
Has that ever happened to you? You can avoid it by cleaning your cards (too much maintenance for me) or preemptively keeping your cards clean (much easier). And it's not just for cards, either! The same holds true for board games with dice, meeples, and all sorts of other solid pieces.
Ever since, I've been far more careful about snacking during game night. I'm not an uber-strict tyrant about it, but I do try to be mindful about what kinds of snacks come out during games. No-mess snacks are ideal.
Keep reading for my favorite clean, no-mess, no-grease snacks that I've found to be pretty safe options for any game night.
What Makes a Good Game Night Snack?
The best game night snacks are ones that are bite-size, oil-free, powder-free, residue-free, and dry but not crumbly. In fact, it's easier to describe what kinds of snacks you should avoid, so let's do that:
- No snacks with powdery residue. That rules out Cheetos, Doritos, SunChips, cheesy popcorn, flavored nuts, powdered donut holes, etc.
- No snacks with sticky residue. That rules out marshmallow treats, s'mores, glazed donut holes, honey buns, most dessert tarts, etc.
- No snacks with grease or oils. Grease will permanently stain and damage pretty much any board game component, especially cards. That rules out chicken wings, pizza bites, mozzarella sticks, beef jerky, string cheese, etc. Even dried fruits tend to leave oily residue on fingers, so consider those ruled out. Oranges, tangerines, and clementines spray oily residue while peeling, too.
- No snacks that leave crumbs. It doesn't matter how careful you are—crumbs are bound to drop here and there, and they'll find their way into the game box. That rules out anything with toasted bread and flaky crusts, plus cookies, rice crackers, ice cream cones, crumbled toppings like on coffee cake, etc.
- No snacks that are wet and drippy. Saucy foods like wings and meatballs are bound to drip and splatter. Meanwhile, dipping chips into salsa might seem safe, but it only takes one accident to regret it. That also rules out peaches, watermelon, popsicles, ice cream cones, etc.
- No snacks that are bigger than the mouth and need to be bitten. The act of biting into something inevitably causes crumbs, squirts, and other issues. That rules out spring rolls, dumplings, tacos, fruit tarts, Pocky sticks, etc.
Snack Tips to Keep in Mind
All of the above might seem overly restrictive, but here are tips you can use to get around some of these issues and open up your options again:
Use utensils whenever possible. If you can eat something without touching it, you no longer have to worry about finger residue. Forks and toothpicks are great for fruits, cheese, meats, and chocolate. Chopsticks are great for chips, popcorn, nuts, and other snacks that are individual kernels.
If you want to level-up your game night—and impress everyone with a fun gimmick—consider getting a set of Snactiv Lite finger chopsticks (affiliate link).
These are actually really cool! It's like having an extra set of fingers just for picking up food, so your hands are free to keep gaming without getting dirty and you don't have the hassle of setting them down and picking them back up every time.
Snactiv appeared on Shark Tank in 2022 and successfully struck a deal with Lori Greiner and Kevin Hart for an investment of $200,000 and 20% equity. It's still popular and selling like hotcakes today!
Prep your snacks ahead of time. Most foods that are messy to eat in the moment can be perfectly fine if you take a few minutes to get them ready. For larger foods like watermelon or brownies, cut them up into bite-size morsels. For fruits that need to be peeled, get it all done before the game comes out.
Serve individually, not communally. Make sure everyone has their own plate/bowl/cup to hold their own portions of snacks. If you serve on a central tray, for example, then people will constantly be reaching for their next bite—and something might get accidentally dropped or spilled en route to the mouth.
Keep wet wipes and paper towels nearby. Accidents are unavoidable. When food inevitably ends up on cards or game pieces, it's good to have cleaning supplies on hand to wipe it off before there's any permanent staining or damage.
Maybe snack time should be separate. Snacking before or in between games is the best way to ensure that games remain uncontaminated. For long games, consider having a predetermined intermission (which is also nice for bathroom breaks).
Long story short, if you want to keep your cards and board games clean while snacking, you have one of three options:
- Don't eat anything during play.
- Eat foods that leave no residue.
- Eat foods with a utensil.
Let's say #1 is off the table. If you can, #2 is the best option, but #3 can be good if you're smart about it. Indeed, lots of foods can be safe snacks if you cut them down to size and serve them with toothpicks or forks—as long as you avoid anything that's crumby, sauced, or drippy.
So, which snacks, then? In my experience, here are the cleanest foods to snack on when playing card games and board games.
15 Snacks That Don't Need Utensils
Popcorn
Popcorn is one of the greatest snacks. They're light, they're crunchy, they're relatively low in calories compared to other snacks of its kind.
The key is to avoid popcorn flavors that are buttery or powdery (like white cheddar). But if you can get air-popped popcorn, all the better! Air-popped popcorn is popped using hot air instead of hot oil, so it's cleaner and healthier.
Hard Pretzels
If you don't like popcorn, hard pretzels are the next best thing when you want a salty, crunchy snack like chips but with none of the grease.
However, hard pretzels will produce crumbs when broken, so avoid any varieties that require biting or breaking (especially pretzel sticks). You'll also want to avoid chocolate-covered and yogurt-covered pretzels.
Hard Candies
You probably don't think of hard candies as "snacks," but they're great if you just want something tasty in your mouth while playing games. They're slow-release flavor dispensers that don't need to be touched at all.
Some of my favorite hard candies include Werther's caramel candies, Kopiko cappucino candies, Kasugai muskmelon candies, Jolly Ranchers, and Warheads. Lollipops are also good because they have a built-in handle!
Roasted Nuts
Roasted almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts. Throw them all into a bowl and have at it! But salted nuts will leave residue on your fingers, so you may want to stick with unsalted (even if salted tastes better).
If you want to take it up a level, try wasabi peas! They're crunchy, snackable, and sharp. They'll kick you awake when you're dozing off because your buddy has been wrestling with analysis paralysis for the last 15 minutes...
Roasted Seeds
Not long ago, I was introduced to roasted watermelon seeds while playing Take 5 (also known as 6 Nimmt). Not only were they surprisingly tasty, they were pretty clean as a snack! You crack the shell with your molars, eat the insides, then spit the shell out. Once you get good at it, it becomes second nature.
Turns out, there are several other "snacking seeds" you can eat this way! Roasted sunflower seeds and roasted pumpkin seeds are common options.
Jelly Cups
Growing up, I'd occasionally be treated to Asian jelly cups as a snack. Think flavored gelatin with fruit bits inside, except they come in bite-size, single-serve cups.
These are perfect for game night because the disposable cups are easy to pass around and they keep your hands clean. All you have to do is tear off the seal and pop the whole jelly into your mouth. Plus, they're delicious!
You can find them in so many varieties at your local Asian mart, but if you don't have an Asian mart nearby, you can also buy them on Amazon and elsewhere online.
Grapes or Berries
When it comes to fruit, there's no better bite-size option than grapes and berries. They're nature's most perfect snack.
The only thing to keep in mind is that you'll want to wash them ahead of time and pat them dry before serving them. Wet grapes and berries can be problematic during card games and board games.
Veggies and Dip
If you don't want to get any utensils involved in your game night, grab a bag of baby carrots or celery sticks. Or slice up some bell peppers. Or cut up slices of apple. Any fruit or vegetable that's relatively hard and dry will work.
Serve them with something tasty to dip into, like hummus, guacamole, Greek yogurt, or even peanut butter. It's insanely good! Plus, it's generally a lot healthier than bags of chips and a lot cleaner on the fingers.
Jelly Beans
I don't need to say much about this one, do I? It should be clear why jelly beans are such a great snack! But more so than other chewy candies because jelly beans have a harder exterior that doesn't melt as quickly and minimizes oily residue.
Gummy Bears
Gummy bears are one of my favorite snacks of all time because they're the perfect combination of sweet, chewy, and addictive. (Albanese Gummi Bears are the best gummy bear brand, no contest! Not only do they taste better, they're also less greasy than other brands.)
While I love sour gummy bears even more than regular gummy bears, I tend to avoid them for game night because they're covered in dust and powder.
I don't recommend eating sugar-free gummies because they can cause gastrointestinal issues like cramping and diarrhea.
Fruit Snacks
Fruit snacks are very much like gummy bears, except they come in their own individual snack pouches. They have a different texture and different flavors, so if you don't like gummy bears or want a break from them, these are solid. Depending on the brand, they might even be healthier (but that doesn't mean they're healthy).
Candy Corn
Candy corn is pretty divisive. It seems like so many people hate candy corn. The thing is, there's a wide spectrum of candy corn quality—the bad stuff is pretty terrible, but the good stuff is actually really tasty. Texture can vary from brand to brand, so if you've only had cheap candy corn, consider trying one of the better brands.
Why? Because candy corn makes for a wonderful snack. It doesn't melt fast, it has a satisfying bite to it, and it's easy to pop them back between turns. But they're basically 100% sugar, so maybe mix them up with healthier snacks from game night to game night.
Individually Wrapped Snacks
Maybe it's the Korean in me, but I think snacks like Lotte's Choco Pies and Custard Cream Cakes are pretty good for game nights. Even though they're prone to crumbs if you aren't careful, they come individually wrapped—if you keep them in their wrappers as you eat, you can contain most crumbs.
If you don't have an Asian mart near you, you can still turn to Twinkies, Rice Krispies Treats, or even granola bars. Ferrero Rocher chocolates are also nice because you can pop them in your mouth without ever touching the chocolate parts. Just use the wrapper to shield your fingers from food residue and you'll be good to go!
Corn Dogs
Looking for a no-effort food that's more filling than simple side snacks? Corn dogs are super underrated. They come frozen, they can be microwaved, and they're yummy, especially when served with a side of BBQ dip.
The wooden handle might be greasy depending on the brand, but you can get around that by wrapping it in a napkin. Does it get any better than a food that comes with its own handle? I mean, come on!
Bubble Tea
The only drink featured on this list! I admit that drinks typically aren't considered snacks, but bubble tea is unique for the tapioca pearls. Sucking them up and chewing on them feels very snack-like, so if you ask me, they scratch the snack itch.
And since most bubble teas come in sealed or capped cups, the risk of spillage is reasonably low. You'll probably want coasters to soak up any condensation that might drip down, but otherwise it's definitely a clean and hassle-free snack.
5 Snacks That Should Use Utensils
Cut Up Fruits
This one's my absolute favorite but you do need to put in a little prep work up front to make it work. You have to cut up the fruits ahead of time and serve them individually, but the reward is worth it!
All you need is a fork to enjoy the deliciousness of watermelon, apples, peaches, pineapples, mangoes—it's all fair game!
Hard-Boiled Eggs
If you don't mind some prep time, hard-boiled eggs are fantastic as snacks. You'll need enough time to boil them, let them cool, and peel off their shells. Ideally, you might also want to cut them up and serve with toothpicks.
The only problem is that hard-boiled egg yolks are flaky, so if you want to take it up another level, you can make deviled eggs! To do that, mash all the yolks together with mayonnaise and mustard, then serve it alongside the egg whites.
Cheese Cubes
Cheese has been loved by humans for thousands of years. Is it any wonder that it's still one of the greatest snacks known to man?
Almost any soft cheese can be cubed up and served with toothpicks. If your group is careful, you can also serve harder, crumblier cheeses and maybe even throw in some bite-size crackers. Regardless, a little cheese can go a long way.
Ice Cream
As long as you don't use cones, ice cream is a pretty low-risk, no-mess snack. Bowls and spoons are enough to contain everything and only the sloppiest of eaters should even come close to causing any issues.
Avoid hand-held ice creams, like ice cream sandwiches or popsicles. Even with wrappers, they can get messy and are prone to accidental drips.
Yogurt
Like ice cream, yogurt eaten with a cup and spoon is low-risk and no-mess. Even with fruit or granola mixed in, yogurt is usually thick enough that nothing splashes or drips. And if you don't want utensils involved, you can always opt for yogurt tubes that are extremely portable and mess-free.
What Are Your Favorite Game Night Snacks?
Game nights are meant to be enjoyed, and sometimes that means snacking on yummy foods during play. I don't fault any game night host who has a blanket ban on all foods and drinks at their table, but I don't want to be that strict.
So, I'm fine with snacks at game night.
My personal favorites are berries, cut-up fruits (with forks or the Snactiv Lite finger chopsticks mentioned earlier), gummy bears, and bubble tea.
What about you? Do you snack during game night or do you prefer to keep food separate? If you snack, what are your favorite options? Let me know with a comment down below!