Ultimate game day & game night snacks showing layered rainbow sandwiches, mini chicken pies and fish emapanda. - 1

What makes the perfect game day or game night? Besides your favorite board game or card game or football game on TV? It’s the snacks, of course. Some easy, healthy, flavorful game day and game night snacks are the difference between an ordinary, forgettable night and a memorable, habit-forming experience.

Stacks of mini chicken hand pies, cocoa brownies, fish empanada and rainbow sandwiches. - 2
  • Puff pastry snacks
  • Dips and spreads
  • Desserts
  • Drinks

We have our fair collection of board games that we have accumulated over the years, but we never made a consistent habit of game nights until one night a few years ago, I put together a game night special of a charcuterie board with cheese, crackers, veggies, dips, meats etc . You know, the whole enchilada. In fact, I also made beef enchilada.

The game night lasted over six hours, the food lasted a few more days, and the memories still linger. Of course, we don’t go all out with a smorgasbord of food every game night. That would be wildly amazing, but also not very practical. But we do make one or two of the following collection of game night snacks and appetizers for a once-a-week game night, and it’s ridiculously fun!

So whether it’s the Super Bowl or a Snack Bowl, or a championship or your showmanship on the line, you will LOVE these fun, delicious, unique game night snacks, recipes, and ideas!

1. Jalapeno bacon bites (Fried cheese balls)

Fried cheese balls on a white plate with one broken in half to show cheesy jalapeno bacon filling inside. - 3

2. Chicken puffs (Chicken bouchees)

Chicken bouchees Social media - 4

3. Fish empanadas

Sri Lankan Fish Patties - These fish empanadas are epic! A spicy fish filling inside perfectly flaky buttery crust. Perfect for snacking. Step by step instructions to make these Sri Lankan Patties. Freezer friendly too. - 5

4. Sweet and spicy pigs in a blanket

Stack of pigs in a blanket with cocktail sausages on a wooden serving platter. - 6

5. Cocktail meatballs

Cocktail Meatballs - juicy, flavorful meatballs coated in a honey sriracha sweet and spicy sauce. Perfect appetizer for parties or as game day snacks.  - 7

6. Indonesian beef meatballs

38 Best Game Night Snacks (Recipes & Ideas) - 8

7. Mini chicken taquitos

Mini Chicken Taquitos - Crispy mini taquitos filled with a creamy, tangy chicken and cheese filling, perfect as appetizers for any party. Make these as a snack, appetizer or even as a meal.  - 9

8. Savory cheese cookies

Stack of savory cheese cookies with a bite taken from one cookie on top to show crisp, crumbly texture. - 10

9. Baked fish croquettes

Baked Fish Cutlets - A healthier alternative to deep-fried fish cutlets (fish croquettes). A spicy fish filling coated with a crispy and golden breadcrumb coating. Perfect for snacking.  - 11

10. Fried jackfruit croquettes

Jackfruit croquettes social media - 12

11. Focaccia

Close up focaccia slices with airy, open crumb, served on a white plate. - 13

12. Scallion pancakes

Scallion pancakes on a plate, overhead view. For featured image. - 14

13. Rainbow sandwiches

Ribbon sandwich square image. - 15

14. Curried beef roti

Several curried Sri Lankan beef roti served on a sliver platter. - 16

15. Curried beef buns

Sri Lankan Curried Beef buns - These Sri Lankan meat buns are so versatile and flavorful. Pillowy bread stuffed with curried beef. Great on the go breakfast idea, lunch or snack.  - 17

16. Grilled cheese sandwich with curried beef

Curried Beef Grilled Cheese Sandwich - A combination of comforting curry flavors with creamy, gooey cheese! This is one epic grilled cheese sandwich! - 18

17. Salt and pepper shrimp

Szechuan Salt and Pepper Shrimp - Crispy and crunchy on the outside, soft and juicy on the inside, these are packed with flavor, and a little kick from the roasted szechuan pepper salt! Serve with sweet chili sauce - 19

18. Popcorn chicken

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19. Baked mushroom fries

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Puff pastry snacks

Puff pastry appetizers are just meant for entertaining. Parties, potlucks, game day, board game night… whip up a quick puff pastry snack, and you’re guaranteed to hit it out of the park!

While homemade rough puff pastry is infinitely better than store-bought, and I personally always make my own, it is an extra step and you don’t necessarily have to go that route. You can use store-bought puff pastry sheets, and it’ll still be a slam dunk! Super flaky, buttery, delicious puff pastry snacks.

20. Easy sausage rolls

Easy Sausage Rolls with just 3 ingredients - You can customize these sausage rolls easily with your favorite flavor pairings, and they can be made ahead of time and frozen for later too. Easy pork sausage rolls that are perfect for holiday entertaining, as an appetizer or as a brunch or lunch snack! - 22

21. Mini cheesy chicken pies

Three mini chicken pies stacked, with the top pie cut in half to show the creamy chicken filling. - 23

22. Savory palmiers

A plateful of puff pastry savory palmiers showing the berry jam and cheese filling on top. - 24

23. Vegetarian curry puffs

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24. Mini French onion pies

Two puff pastry French onion pies on a white plate, with one broken in half to show the onion filling. - 26

Dips and spreads

A great dip or spread is the alley-oop to a slam dunk game night snack. Sometimes the snacks are only as good as the dip. Sometimes they play second fiddle, sometimes they take over game night.

We get serious about sauces and codiments for game day and game night. Besides, that veggie platter won’t be nearly as appetizing without a zingy dip to go with it!

25. Spicy sweet chili sauce

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26. Yogurt curry dip

A carrot stick being dipped in the green curry yogurt dip that is served in a bowl. - 28

27. Smoked salmon dip

Sumac Smoked Salmon Dip - The BEST smoked salmon dip ever! Easy recipe and better than store bought because you can actually taste the smoked salmon! Plus, it's a perfect appetizer and spread for morning bagels! - 29

28. Mango chutney

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Desserts

Like many things in life, it’s always best to have a balanced hand, even with your game night snacks. And that means a jalapeno popper bite in one hand and an indulgent brownie or a cookie in the other.

While I do have an extensive collection of delicious desserts on the blog, here are a few of my go-to sweet snacks on game day and game night. Just in case you’re craving something a little more indulgent than a platter of fresh fruit.

29. Fudgy chocolate brownies

Stack of three fudgy cocoa brownies on a white plate. - 31

30. Chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate chip cookie with melted chocolate chips and sea salt flakes on a white table top. - 32

31. Dessert nachos

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32. Cream puffs

Cream puffs social media - 34

33. Chouquettes (French sugar puffs)

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34. Buckeyes (peanut butter balls)

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Drinks

We don’t always make a drink to keep the snacks company, but if you really want to bring it home and hydrate your spirits with something a little more interesting than H 2 O, then dare I suggest a spicy margarita?

35. Spicy margarita

Spicy Margarita cocktail square image. - 37

36. Apple lemonade

Square image of apple lemonde served in a glass. - 38

37. Pineapple chia fresca

Vanilla Pineapple Chia Fresca - a fruity, refreshing, and surprisingly filling drink with the added nutritional value of chia seeds! - 39

38. Parisian hot chocolate

French hot chocolate (Chocolat Chaud) served with whipped cream on top and an eclair on the side. - 40