Big Game Snacks

Snacks for the Big Game

Let’s talk about SNACKS! Any D&D game you play is going to have the books, the character sheets, the miniatures, dice, etc. But don’t forget the most important part: SNACKS.

I’m going to go over some do’s and don’ts for snacks at the gaming table. Keep in mind, this is just my opinion, based on experiences I’ve had.

Maybe Skip the Cake

It’s every gamer’s prerogative to stuff their face with goodies in the heat of the moment when battle is waging and your character is on the brink of death. But cake might not be a good idea. Why? Well, frosting. If you’ve never had to scrape frosting off the pages of your Players Handbook, you might think cake is a good idea. You might think, “Well, I’m an adult, I can handle my snacks and not make a mess.” But Keep in mind, the gaming table gets crowded and things get pushed around and it only takes a second for the corner of your book to end up in your cake.

Clear the Table and Role Initiate!

Cans of Soda. I cringe, thinking of them. Bottles with screw on caps are ideal because of spills. Remember how I said the table is crowded and things get pushed around? Well so do your drinks. Believe me, you do NOT want to spill an entire can of Mountain Dew on your $50 Players Handbook. Also, many games are evolving to include laptops and tablets. Do you want an open can around your iPad? I have a friend I used to play D&D with many years ago and he had a backpack full of 3.5 books beside him, on the floor. I mean, all the core books and several complete reference books. Altogether, it was at least $350 worth of D&D books (he had a big backpack). Beside him, was can of Coke. When the DM said, “Clear the table and role initiative”, we did. His can got bumped and dumped itself right into his backpack, covering all of his books in soda. Surprisingly, all he said was, “Well that’s the worst thing that could have happened.”

The rest of the group jumped up to grab towels and we spent a good 45 minutes putting paper towels between the pages of his books and sitting them in front of a fan.

D&D & BBQ = Awesome. BBQ Sauce & PHB’s = Not Awesome

You know what’s awesome for a game though? Popcorn, skittles, chips, veggie or fruit trays (I know, sounds weird, but seriously, my group is getting old, so our snack choices are changing. We drink tea for crying out loud). Just because you’re a gamer, doesn’t mean your diet needs to consist of soda and candy. Healthier snacks help you think better anyways. In the summer, my group likes to play outside and have a BBQ where everyone brings a little something and it’s a great time. Just remember, bbq sauce will make your pages stick together.

Another note about cans of soda: If you’re playing outside and you insist on having a can, keep something covering the top of it. Nothing disrupts a D&D game faster than a player screaming because they just tried to drink a bee who wanted a sip of their Sprite.