Every Christmas season my family, friends, and I look forward to playing a lot of games together. Over the years, we have learned that when people are hangry, competitiveness can rise to an unhealthy level. Therefore, whenever we host a game night, there has to be a plethora of snacks to keep everyone in a good mood. For extra fun, why not have themed snacks for a game night?
Not all snacks are created equal, however, because nobody wants to be handed a card covered in Cheetos dust. I tried to keep that in mind as I created this list, but I highly encourage napkins at the game table regardless — or a roll of Bounty paper towels in case someone’s dramatic dice roll knocks over a drink (speaking from personal experience). Whatever a game night looks like for you, the perfect snack helps set the mood, so here’s a list of the best themed snacks for each game you might play this holiday season.
Catan: Charcuterie & resource-inspired sugar cookies
Christmas break never passes without my family playing a few rounds of Catan. I always thought my family was Catan-obsessed until I saw a few families on TikTok with their custom Catan accessories — so if you’re an overachiever and your family is obsessed with Catan, these snacks I pulled from TikTok are for you:
Charcuterie boards are beautiful and customizable, and they should have enough protein and carbs to keep everyone sane during what can be a very long game.
The other ambitious Catan-inspired snack I found was these gorgeous resource sugar cookies from TikTok content creator @iced.by.em:
Her new batch of sugar cookies are detailed beautifully with the various layers of royal icing and they certainly do the game board justice. I think the sheep tile is my favorite. I will definitely be trying to recreate those sugar cookies for my family’s next game of Catan.
Clue: Honey-mustard pretzels, plum upside-down cake, & red wine
Game night doesn’t get much more nostalgic than Clue. In honor of Colonel Mustard, honey-mustard pretzels are a must. You can make them yourself or buy some at your local store. If Colonel Mustard isn’t your go-to character (or killer) opt for this delicious plum upside-down cake for Professor Plum. The murder takes place in a mansion, so there’s no choice but to get classy with a glass of red wine that also represents the infamous Miss Scarlet. With these snacks you’re sure to feel like a character in a murder mystery movie.
Disney’s Villainous: Popcorn, Sour Patch Kids, & Red Hots
The first time I played Villainous was in college and I was pleasantly surprised. As this game was made by Disney, it seemed appropriate to go with movie theater snacks. Whether your popcorn is made in your microwave, stovetop, or bought pre-popped, you can spruce it up with these toppings. Sour Patch Kids are my personal favorite movie-theater candy, but it also fits well with the villain theme — and possibly referencing Disney Channel’s Descendents. You can also spice things up with Red Hots because Disney villains almost have a fiery moment in their movies — Hades, I’m looking at you.
Jackbox Games: Pizza & cozy cocktails
Jackbox Games are responsible for some of my favorite party memories. One of my friends had a BYOT (bring your own topping) homemade pizza party and we played Jackbox while we waited for all our pizzas to cook. Pizza is easy, versatile, and liked by most people, so it’s perfect for your Jackbox game night. To add more fun to the evening, these cozy cocktails are the perfect compliment to any party. Mixing drinks is also a good activity for the Jackbox interlude when people’s phones have to recharge. Just be prepared for Quiplash to get even crazier.
Monopoly: Chips & dip, pizza rolls, veggies, & snickerdoodles
Apparently, milk chocolate Monopoly exists — alongside about 100 other variations including the latest: Costco Monopoly. I have played Monopoly games that go on forever and ever, so I decided that comfort foods are necessary to have on hand. This includes, but is not limited to, chips and dip, pizza rolls, a veggie tray, and snickerdoodles. Pick whatever kind of chips and dip you like best, whether it’s potato chips and french onion dip or tortilla chips and Buffalo chicken dip. The nostalgia you will feel from eating a pizza roll is probably close to the nostalgia you feel playing Monopoly — it’s a match made in heaven.
To balance out the table, build a veggie tray around a bowl of ranch or hummus. Bonus points are awarded if you have a vegetable or fruit for each color of the rainbow to represent the properties. Lastly, snickerdoodles are on your table because a lot of snickering happens when you land on someone else’s property for the fourth time in a row (those stupid dice are rigged, I tell you!). Those warm cookies will certainly comfort you during the financial stress of the game.
Scrabble: Alphabet Cookies, chex mix, & coffee
As an English major, Scrabble is the game I force my family to play with me at least once a year. I know alphabet cookies are a throwback to the elementary school days, but they are surprisingly addicting and definitely on theme for Scrabble. Chex mix is another favorite snack my family makes over Christmas break to devour during games. Maybe it’s a stretch, but chex are square-shaped, so they also fit the theme. If your brain is tired after spending five minutes trying to figure out how to use your “x,” there is no shame in brewing some coffee. Coffee and crosswords are a classic combination.
Sushi Go: Sushi & Purin (Japanese pudding)
Obviously, the perfect snack for Sushi Go is sushi. What kind of sushi you serve, however, is up to you. If making sushi from scratch is too much of a hassle, there’s candy sushi, easy quinoa sushi, and even breakfast sushi. Or you can simply order sushi from your favorite location. In honor of those controversial pudding cards, another snack option is Purin, which is the Japanese caramel custard pudding shown on the card. It is similar, if not the same, to what Americans know as flan. However you like your sushi, it’s sure to make a few rounds of Sushi Go better.
Ticket to Ride: Drinks served on the trains in popular movies
Ticket to ride is a classic train-building game with different map variations you can buy. While it isn’t a game about the Hogwarts Express, you can serve fresh pumpkin juice anyway. And I always love a good excuse to drink a mug of butterbeer, even if it’s technically not on the trolley. Another train-themed and holiday-inspired drink is the nostalgic hot cocoa from The Polar Express. Lastly, if you’re a fan of Murder on the Orient Express, you can brew a nice pot of English tea and serve some biscuits on the side. Hopefully these drinks will fuel you to victory.
Wingspan: Jordan almonds, trail mix, & gummy worms
Anyone who has played Wingspan before knows that those little eggs look delicious. If you grew up on Cadbury’s mini eggs, you know what I’m talking about. Unfortunately, you can’t buy those around Christmas — but what you can buy are Jordan Almonds! They even have the same tooth-shattering crunch that the Cadbury eggs and Wingspan would have. Just don’t mistake your bird eggs for Jordan Almonds.
Trail mix is also a great idea for any game night, but it’s especially perfect for a game involving birds. You can wing-it and add whatever you like to your mix or try one of these recipes. Birds eat sunflower seeds, so why not add some to the mix, too? But if your luck strikes and your dice rolls never give you the right bird food, you can have a bowl of gummy worms to console your bad luck.
7 Wonders: Charcuterie, grapes, & champagne/sparkling cider
When you play 7 Wonders, you want to feel powerful by dining like royalty. You can build a normal charcuterie board with lots of fancy cured meats and cheese, olives, and any other Greek-inspired food — or you could go even more over the top and construct a charcuterie tree. That edible masterpiece is a wonder in itself. In my mind, if you’re a king or queen, you get fed grapes on the vine, so why not serve some for the game? Lastly, a glass of champagne or sparkling cider is about as fancy as it gets for in-game dining. Cheers to your victory!