Gamer Food for Solo Gaming Sessions and Multiplayer Parties

Getting ready to sit down and have a fun-filled night with your favorite game? Before you sit down in that comfy chair in front of the screen, you’re going to want to account for food. So what’s going to be the best snack to get you through your all-night gaming session? 

A gaming diet stereotypically consists of handheld, easy-to-eat foods. In this article, we will go over some fun foods that you can eat while gaming. In addition to the popular gaming snacks, we’ll also discuss a few healthy alternatives that you can mix into the rotation. 

The most important gaming snack

Before attacking your favorite gamer food, we want to give hydration a category of its own.

1. Water

Water is critical to keeping a body from dehydrating. While sodas and energy drinks can be tasty, the sugar or sweetener substitutes in these can often lead to quick bursts of energy, followed by a crash. So add some water into your game night to prevent it from glitching!

Pantry snacks for gamers

These handy options are ready to eat with minimal prep work. Open the bag and dive into these snacks:

2. Potato chips

One of the more popular options, the flavors and brand options for potato chips are endless. Whether you prefer a traditional salted variety or a unique seasoning, this is one of the go-to snacks for gamers.

3. Corn chips

This salty snack can also be a great addition to your night of gaming.  Made from cornmeal and fried, corn chips are a popular option. These salty snacks can give a strong, roasted corn smell, adding to their appeal.

4. Tortilla chips

Taking flour or corn tortillas and frying them can be desirable. Sometimes coated in salt, lime, or chili powder, these versatile chips are often dipped into many different things. Salsa, queso, or guacamole are fantastic compliments to tortilla chips.

5. Nacho cheese chips

Gamers and non-gamers alike have a special place in their hearts for nacho cheese chips. Make sure you have a few wet naps or paper towels handy to wash the dust off your fingers before touching your gaming controller.

6. Cheese puffs

This tasty snack combines puffed corn dough coasted in cheese or cheese-flavored powders. Often coming in curled or ball shapes, cheese puffs are a delectable choice for gamers.

7. Crunchy cheese snacks

Similar to the softer variety, the crunchy cheese puff snack takes the same ingredients of cheese puffs and fries them to a hard, crunchy texture. Popular flavors include hot pepper or lemon-lime.

8. Pretzels

Originating in Germany, this dough pastry can come in soft or hard varieties. Pretzels come in many shapes and sizes and are a great way to add a salty kick to your next boss battle.

Cooked snacks for gamers

Do you have a little more time between your gaming sessions? Fire up the oven or air fryer and cook some of these delicious choices

9. Chicken nuggets

This food involves taking a boneless piece of chicken, cutting it into small pieces, and breading or battering it. After this process is complete, you can either fry or bake them to crispy perfection. If you are in a hurry, chicken nuggets are often available pre-frozen and ready to cook.

10. Pizza

If you are in the mood for a meal more than a snack, pizza is a filling option. With a myriad of toppings options, as well as crusts that can cater to keto and low-carb diets, pizza is a great gamer meal.

11. Pizza rolls

When pizza can be a bit too much to handle, pizza rolls are the next best option. The dough is cut into small, bite-size portions and then filled with a variety of pizza toppings. Often found in the frozen aisle, these can be baked or fried. Be careful after cooking these, as the rolls can retain a lot of heat and can be extremely hot.

12. French fries

These thinly or thickly sliced potatoes can be fried or baked to make a crispy snack. Dip the french fries in ketchup or ranch dressing to make a tasty combination.

13. Mozzarella sticks

This savory appetizer consists of battered mozzarella cheese. The mozzarella sticks can be baked or deep-fried to make a unique combination of textures. Add some marinara sauce for the win!

Healthy gaming snacks

Gaming typically does not involve an extreme amount of physical exertion, so making the most of your meal can help you play at your peak. Mix up your snack choices with healthier alternatives to help you get to the next level.

14. Carrots

This root vegetable is a great addition to your gaming snack rotation. Carrots contain high quantities of vitamin A, K, and B6, as well as alpha and beta carotene. Slice them into thin sticks for easy handheld eating.

15. Celery

Another versatile vegetable to eat is celery. The low-calorie vegetable is a fibrous marshland plant, and the stalks or the leaves can be consumed. Looking to add a bit more to the veggie? Add some peanut butter into the hollow part of the celery stalk.

16. Trail mix

One of the best things about trail mix is that it can be mixed and matched to cater to your tastes. A few items you can add to the trail mix are peanuts, raisins, and dried fruits. For a unique twist, add foods like pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate chips, or roasted almonds.

17. Popcorn

Movie nights and gaming nights fight for the best snack. The puffed corn kernel can take on a variety of different flavors. Some common toppings of popcorn are butter and salt, but there are many other options. Add a unique flair to your next batch of popcorn by adding lime zest or pepper.

18. Rice cakes

Usually formed into flat circular shapes, these puffed rice snacks can be considered low-calorie food. Different flavors and seasonings can be added to the rice cakes to give them a sweet or savory profile.

19. Peanuts

If your gaming night involves some trivia, here’s a quick fun fact: Peanuts are in the legume family. They are closely associated with beans and soy. This fantastic source of protein can be a great source of energy.

20. Grapes

These bite-sized fruits are widely available can be purchased by the bunch. If you’re looking for a different spin on these, try freezing the grapes.

Squad up and chow down

Grab it now on Instacart:

Lay's Classic Potato Chips, Party Size (15.75 oz)

Banquet Chicken Nuggets, Frozen Chicken (32 oz)

Banquet Chicken Nuggets, Frozen Chicken (32 oz)

Mr Ps Pizza, Crispy Crust, Combination (5.2 oz)

Mr Ps Pizza, Crispy Crust, Combination (5.2 oz)

Totino's Pizza Rolls (59.3 oz)

Totino's Pizza Rolls (59.3 oz)

Planters Trail Mix, Mixed Nuts & Raisins (6 oz)

Best Choice Clearly Organic Organic Rice Cakes (4.9 oz)

After reading these, you now know some of the best snacks for gaming. Head to Instacart to load up on a few of these treats and get into the game.

Instacart

Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.