Bringing The Healthy To Game Night: How To Make Snacks Good For You

Who isn’t already aware that healthy eating should be top of our list these days? Who doesn’t know that they could do a bit better in this regard, especially during their downtime? We all recognize we should put down the mozzarella sticks, chips, sodas, and candy… A lot of us, though, find that we go off the deep end when it comes to game night because after all, we’re relaxing and having fun, right? We’re looking to enjoy ourselves, and we often associate sugary, fatty foods with downtime. It’s a reward, a break – why wouldn’t you chow down on some ice cream?

Well, you know why – the waistline, the heart health, the overall sense of guilt, and the slightly sick feeling after. And, after all, when you’re already gaming, whether it’s cards or video games, you’re probably sitting still for at least a few hours, so the exercise factor isn’t exactly there. That means bumping up the health factor as much as possible. Let’s get straight into the healthy snacks you can bring to the metaphorical gaming table!

Seafood Smorgasbord

Who doesn’t love seafood? And one of the real joys about it is the variety! Whatever flavor seems right for you, you can find it and toss it on your menu – whether it’s clams, mussels, oysters, smoked salmon, crab, tuna, or something else. It’s also very simple to make a seafood salad that everyone can enjoy, and you know you’re getting a super nutritious meal when you opt for this. It’s a good idea to also add some portions of oily fish like mackerel in for the ultimate health boost, as these kinds of foods are a primary source of omega-3 fatty acids – helping those nerves to function.

Of course, seafood’s drawback is that it’s not the neatest food to eat in many forms, so if you’re running a game night, it might not seem ideal. Who wants greasy fingerprints all over their nice new cards when they’re playing blackjack, after all? However, if you get a little creative, you can easily turn seafood into finger-friendly snacks, say by adding smoked salmon into sliders, or providing toothpicks to spear shrimp with. Whatever approach you take, you can guarantee seafood is a delicious way to make game night healthier.

Crudite Crescendo

Raw veggies don’t get the credit they deserve, but there are few ways to go healthier than with a big plate of carrot sticks, celery, cucumber rounds, pepper slices, and even raw onion circles. The secret here is to add some dip options so that everybody can enjoy the crisp crunch of these vegetables while still getting their favorite flavors. Hummus is one amazing dip that’s easy to make yourself and super tasty, as well as healthy, but you can also opt for other dips if you prefer – like a sour cream and garlic one, sweet chili, or anything else.

The other great thing about veggies is that they’re low grease, meaning that they can be treated as finger food even if you’re hosting a casino night. You can all be gathered around a great blackjack game, watching the dealer dish out the cards, waiting to see how lucky you’re going to get, while enjoying these delicious bites. If you give everybody their own portion of dips, you’re less likely to get spills on the table – especially if somebody gets over-excited when they manage to win. Blackjack makes an amazing party game and with some fresh vegetable accompaniments, it’s perfection! It’s also ultra-low effort, so for the lazy host… we’d consider this a “win” before the games even start.

Fruit Platter

We’ve done the veggies, so move over carrots – it’s time for the fruit. If you’ve got a sweeter tooth, this is a brilliant alternative to that vegetable plate, and just as aesthetically appealing. Buy some fresh grapes – red, green, and black, we want it all – toss in some tangerine segments, slice up strawberry, dissect a bit of kiwi, even sprinkle it over with pomegranate seeds if you want to make it particularly beautiful.

Fruit is famously good for us, and if you pick from the healthiest options, you’ve got a wonderful snack just waiting for you. It’s also perfect for grazing and is easy to eat without getting too sticky (at least most of the time: we’re looking at you, oranges). Provide a few napkins so your guests can wipe away any escaping juices before they pick the cards back up, and you’ll be golden.

You can also bump up your fruit platter with some different cheeses – cheese is good for us in small quantities, and there are tons of options that will make your fruit plate positively sing. Cube some cheddar, Edam, Parmesan, blue cheese, gouda, emmental, gruyere, Jarlsberg – you name it, or even let your guests decide. You can pretty much guarantee that with this on offer, you won’t need to worry about leftovers because everyone loves a fruit plate. And the best part? You won’t feel heavy and sick at the end of the night – you’ll just feel comfortably full and very satisfied, and your casino games nights will soon be the most popular in town!

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