Gaming "snacks" -- ideas?

[philreed]

Also, if you want cola, but not the caffiene, try some root beer

Yeah!

Best thing I've been given this year: Two glass mugs from A&W. The manager gave them to me and I promptly stuck them in my freezer. Nothing's better than root beer* in a frosted mug!


* Okay, lots of things are better. But this is one of my little pleasures in life.

 

[The Lost Muse]

Water and vegatables! They will keep you going in ways that chips and pop could never dream of. Just be creative and mix it up - too much of one thing gets boring.

 

[Stormrunner]

You want to avoid anything that will make fingers sticky/greasy, or else be resigned to buying new books frequently. Cheetos are right out! (For non-American readers, they are corn puffs covered with bright orange cheese powder, which dyes your fingertips and gets all over everything.) Potato chips/crisps are out too. Corn chips are not too bad if you get the baked kind rather than fried.
Coated candies like M&Ms, Skittles, etc. are good but you wanted to avoid junk food.
Bread works well, especially some sort of herb/spinach/spicy bread. Avoid tube biscuits, croissants, and similar pastry, as they can be even greasier and messier than potato chips.
Carrot sticks, celery sticks, strips of green pepper, broccoli or cauliflower chunks... there's a tropical root called Jicama ("hee-cah-muh") which is good, moist like a cucumber but firm and crunchy like a carrot, peel it and cut it in strips. In the store, it looks like a large brown turnip or mutant potato. Apple wedges or orange wedges (pre-peel the oranges, or the oil from the peel will make hands messy).
Have an actual meal before you sit down to play - this keeps snacking to a minimum, and gives folks time to wash their hands after eating without missing play.

 

[Bloodsparrow]

Hey all,
I'm DMing a game today and I'm not going to have a lot of sleep beforehand. I don't want to load up on Red Bull (et al.), caffeine, sugar or junk food to keep me awake -- you know, stuff that's a tease to the body to make it THINK it's alert until the rush wears off, making the body very cranky.

Any thoughts on decent pick-me-up foods and/or drinks to get me (and other gamers) through the day?

I like Low-Carb Monster Energy drink. Just like, one to get me going.

If you have a Trader Joe's near you, they have these peanut-butter filled pretzel nuggets my group likes to call "Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Gluttony".

Last night I made Meatloaf "Muffins" with baked pre-cut french fries for my group. That seemed to go over well. If you have time to cook that is. This recipie is pretty fast though. I added half a cup of chopped spinich and left out the icky red pepper.

Veggies and fruit are always good. Apples and oranges in particular if you're looking for energy. Strawberries if you can get them as well. (Nature's candy.)

I am a huge proponent of Jicama (see below), it's slightly sweet and very refreshing. It has a similer texture to watermellon, but not quite as... Well, okay, it's almost completely, but not quite, unlike watermellon. Jicama is a tuber while Watermellon is a... mellon...

Beansprouts are also actually pretty good. Just a bowl full of beansprouts with a little salt, pepper, maybe some finely grated cheese, and a fork. YUM... Yeah, I'm a freak.

For caffeinated drinks besides energy drinks I suggest Oolong Tea. This tea has quite a lot of natural occurring caffeine, but it releases over time. (As opposed to coffee, soda, or energy drinks.) It's a slower burn that helps to sustain you rather then peaking and crashing. It's also easier on the tummy then harsh energy drinks.

 

[MonkeyDragon]

When I'm really short on sleep, I find that I'm constantly hungry for hot food, and have a hard time keeping myself warm. So nothing is better than soup for me, especially if I can get some good chicken noodle or spicy ramen.

Energy-wise, what's gonna keep you well-fueled is protein and complex carbs. So eat a light meal before gaming, and think about snacks with meat, cheese, peanut butter, etc. then eat brownies just because they're delicious.

My problem with greasy food isn't so much messing up books, as I keep my hands as clean as possible and wash them before picking up the books (we take a break for dinner on game days), as it is that heavy greasy food makes me sleepy. Eating too much means that your energy goes to digesting it.

Avoid really cold food, especially since it's chilly now. If you eat ice cream, the energy it takes to warm up the stuff inside you comes from you. Yay for hot food and drinks. Tea is good. Green teas have less caffiene most of the time. I like green jasmine. I'm also a fan of irish breakfast and ceylon tea. Nothing beats good hot chocolate, though it makes some folks sleepy.

Then eat brownies just because they're delicious. (It bears repeating)

Hey, waitaminnut. I'M cold and sleepy right now! and I have green tea in the kitchen. zoom!

 

[diaglo]

Beer & Pretzels.

the only way to game.

 

[Aaron L]

Beer & Pretzels.

the only way to game.

I've only ever done that once, actually.


I got drunk.

 

[Justin D. Jacobson]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned this yet, but nuts are a great energy snack. They're very snackable and the have a long-term energy release that sustains your energy level for a longer period than starchy snacks. But don't take my word for it; listen to the good people of Diamond Foods. My personal favorite: Smokehouse almonds.

 

[The_Universe]

Food items aside, go run around the block - literally. One of the reasons people drag when they're gaming is because they're not typically *doing* anything. Your body is just sitting, so it isn't going to burn its energy stores for you. On the other hand, if you can fool your body with some vigorous physical activity (are you married? Have a girlfriend? There are other vigorous activities besides running, of course...) before or during your normal play time, it will continue to assume that you need energy, and will continue to provide it naturally.

But deli meats and crackers are probably a good idea, as well.

 

[bloodydrake]

hint of lime white corn chips and some hot salsa mixed with crushed pinapple
best chips and salsa ever! trust me