That being said, I hardly get to snack at all as a GM. I’m much to engaged with the game to get much more than a bite or two and a swig of Coke Zero to wash it down. Even when two players are bantering, I often get caught up in the fun and forget to take a bite. I’ve put three slices of pizza on my plate before and had two of them left at the end of a session.

One thing my current group has been doing, for the most part, is to take a break in the middle of the game for dinner. We have 6 to 6 and half hour sessions so this is workable for us. A shorter session might not be able to accomodate this. Even with people bringing food, taking a short eating break helps the GM to get his fill. It also facilitates player discussion about the game and that has been fun to. Some of the best strategies to come forth have been thought up over pizza or Chinese food.

Certainly some snacks are more healthy than others. When I feel that I have overdone it on chips or candy, I’m usually inclined to take apple slices or carrots and dip. Cucumbers and ranch are also a good snack. Pretzels aren’t bad but they are high in carbs when eaten in large quantities. I’m well past the days of bringing whole boxes of Twinkies to the table.

I like the idea of eating healthy on game night — it’s a great post, Adam, and sound advice — but I eat healthy the rest of the week. Game night is when I get to eat grease-laden pizza and not worry about it.

I have cut out fatty snacks during games, though, and I’ve noticed I have more energy at the table. Lighter, fat-free or low fat stuff seems to be a better fit than candy and straight-up junk food. Pretzel sticks are my new favorite gaming snack — fat-free, low calorie and they’re not messy.

My groups are also made up of all 30-somethings (some older), and with our busy schedules we’re lucky to get together twice a month on average. As such, the guys really look at it as their “poker night,” where they can kick back and just enjoy the time without worrying about real world responsibilities — including healthy eating.

Most of the time our bad habits are contained to splitting a box of some Little Debbie fat-bomb somethingorothers, plus everyone has their poison of choice. Jack and coke seems to be a favorite; I usually stick with Mike’s.

Anyway, I guess it comes down to what you’re trying to accomplish. If you have a weight problem or other health issue that can be complicated by even a single night of bad eating, then by all means, take some measures as described. But for the occasional group that meets as much for escapism as for gaming, I would bet you can go ahead and guzzle that third beer (just make sure to cut them off in time for the drive home!)

We now game more over dinner time, so I tend to organise food such as a curry or pasta sauce as was suggested. We find that way, we are much less likely to snack so much on chips and sweets.

We are also now more likely now to have only a couple of beers and then head to water. There is nothing that will put a dampener on a session more than a bunch of snoozy, well fed and inebriated 30+ year olds.

I think we all feel less of the post game day blues(read indigestion and blood sugar levels gone crazy) as well.