What if I told you my in-person game nights are somewhat legendary and that I ALWAYS have a full table when I throw a one-off session out there? It’s true. I wish I had time to host more as I always feel like I’m the one slacking a little and am grateful to have a long line of individuals willing to invest their time to game with us.

My secret, beyond a stunning personality, is FOOD. I figured if you haven’t stumbled upon this gem of information it is on me to share it with you. And so here I am, good reader, and we’re going to make your game night successful.

One of the easiest ways to ensure that when you schedule an RPG session, your entire tribe shows up (and maybe even a few extra), is to FEED them. We are social creatures. Well. Mostly. While the RPG community might have slightly more introverts in it than others, we are STILL social people. And we love to be taken care of. One of the best ways to take care of people is to FEED THEM WELL.

It builds community, and I have found over the years that if you feed them….they will come. And stay for extraordinarily long, spectacularly inspired gaming sessions too!

This does not have to be overly complicated or expensive, no one looks at game night as the culinary event of the season (tho it can be if you are inclined to such adventures).

Pizza, chips, dip, and some sodas and/or beer can be about perfect. However, my FAVORITE setup that blends deliciousness with simplicity is the taco bar night. Seriously – there isn’t an RPGer out there who hates tacos, and these are so simple to adjust just a little if you need to meet needs around dietary requirements and preferences and crowd size. They are also not an expensive meal to create. I’ve put an easy shopping/idea list below for you to use to structure this.

Think about drinks too. Keeping guests comfortable keeps them seated and gaming for a long time. I like to put a huge jug of fruit punch or lemonade out for everyone to work on throughout the day and it’s worth doing. However, it’s not so much the juice as it is the EASY ACCESS TO REFRESHMENTS that is key.

Keep it simple with disposable plates and cups. You can even make it a little bit of a potluck and provide the main dish (tacos) and have everyone bring a side like chips, cut up fruit, veggies or a dessert.

Have fun with it – but keep it simple. The more snacky type foods, the better (fruits, veggies, dips, cheeses, and crackers). People like to nibble when they’re thinking and gaming. The lighter the food, the more everyone is probably going to stay awake.

Wintertime is a great time to put some soup on the stove (even if it’s just a number of cans from the store) and buy a couple of loaves of bread.

It's all about community and fellowship, and WE are all about that. So when you think of scheduling your next game, see if something like this not only entices easier scheduling but also lengthens your gameplay. I’d love to hear if it worked.

Standard Toppings for your Taco Bar (use as your launchpad):

Sides

• 2 sprites
• 1 frozen fruit juice
• 1 large can of pineapple juice
• If you’re feeling brave, pick up a small bit of fruit sorbet and throw it in there. People have different opinions on this. I like it and I’m the DM. the punch has sorbet.