Best "Don't h-juice my cards and chips" Home Game Foods? (2 Viewers)

[Venturalvn]

I think one of the primary reasons hot dogs are so universal at our (PCF's) games since the discovery of hot dog rollers being available outside of commercial industry is because they satisfy many requirements:

1. Always hot/"fresh"
2. Salty/meaty/fulfilling
3. Easy to stock and maintain in bulk
4. Very little mess/crumb left on the prep surface/serving zone
5. Easy to eat while playing cards
6. Hot dog bun keeps players' hands mostly clean

I struggle to think of something more appropriate to keep on hand that doesn't cover people's hands in grease/oil, doesn't require freshness for 10+ hours, doesn't cause a mess, etc., but really I would love to offer more to my players.

When I host I stock individual bags of chips and cookies as well as hot dogs, and we usually order pizza. However, when I do the pizza order I prefer to have everyone take a break at the same time, eat away from the table, smoke, etc., and this way I limit how much hooker juice ends up on my cards and chips. Still, even though I only host once every 1-2 months, every couple of games there's a noticeable decline in the handling of the cards (regardless of brand, just talking human oils), and every 1-2 years I need to clean portions of my chipsets (need is subjective.)

So I ask - what do y'all keep on hand that satisfies the criteria? BONUS POINTS if you have something that satisfies vegetarian

1. Easy to buy/stock/maintain
2. "Fresh" if it sits out for the entire game
3. Easy to eat while playing cards (no balancing a full plate with knife and fork on your knee awkwardly)
4. Doesn't bring hooker juice to the chips and cards

Image courtesy of ChipGuide

 

[tabletalker7]

Best advise for this is to get a dog. All my players know the dog will happily clean their hands after they eat

 

[Venturalvn]

Best advise for this is to get a dog. All my players know the dog will happily clean their hands after they eat

I have 2 and I won't get into what happens in the yard the day after if people are sneaking them food...

 

[bigdonkey]

I'll eat that hotdog with a knife and fork if you want, I'm still gonna be fondling hookers and fingering your chips at the table (or the other way around.)

 

[tabletalker7]

I have 2 and I won't get into what happens in the yard the day after if people are sneaking them food...

Do you know exactly how expensive fertilizer is right now?!? You should be thanking those people

 

[GoJo_Dingo]

Best advise for this is to get a dog. All my players know the dog will happily clean their hands after they eat

And the chips and cards and table?

 

[SwissChip]

We always take a break for the meal, mostly BBQ

 

[surfik]

I have a strict rule of "no food at the poker table"...
If I can eat before the game so can my guests.
Bit harsh but I am the one cleaning the mess afterwards....

 

[BPTDirector]

Cookies are great snacks and fun size candy bars. Very little mess.

 

[detroitdad]

Best advise for this is to get a dog. All my players know the dog will happily clean their hands after they eat

My dog may try to eat your hands. It has taken @WedgeRock 10 years of supplying her with treats before she would let him pet her. Even now, she keeps one eye on him.

Tonight I am cooking sausages for the pre game dinner. A few people are bringing sides. What they are bringing, no idea. Don't care. It will all get eaten.

As for snacks during the game. I buy a 50 count of the 1 ounce mixed box of chips from sams club. I also provide bourbon and water.

 

[Coyote]

Absolutely no eating while playing, or at any time at the table.

Other than that, you want something that can be eaten standing, one hand for the dish, one for the fork, no knife.
Obviously, no sauce / ketchup / mustard.

Solution: Meatballs! Grilled of fried, spicy or not, whatever their names across the globe. Also, pre-cut cheese, cucumbers, carrots, french fries (if hot) and pitta bread (no crumbs).
Plain Frankfurt sausages too, ideally the smaller "cocktail"-sized ones.

 

[doublebooyah85]

Chili

 

[WedgeRock]

My dog may try to eat your hands. It has taken @WedgeRock 10 years of supplying her with treats before she would let him pet her.

Um, I picked her up and held her last game I played at your house.

 

[detroitdad]

I'm, I picked her up and held her last game I played at your house.

I know. She loved it lol..........What did it take you, about $300's in treats?

I just learned this about MJ. You know how if you try to shake my hand she goes ape shit crazy. It is the same my kids, grandkids, ect...try to hug me in front of her. I am the only one she protects like this. You can mess with Colleen, and MJ doesn't give a shit.

My guess, she thinks I can't protect myself lol.

Gonna miss you at the table tonight!

 

[upNdown]

If I can eat before the game so can my guests

Yes! I’ll never understand the obsession that PCFers and poker players in general have with food. It’s one of the reasons I’m so turned off by home game rakes “just to pay for food and drinks.” Screw that, I’ll eat at home and I’ll bring my own beer.

All that said, I put out hot dogs and bags of assorted Halloween candies.

 

[WedgeRock]

and bags of assorted Halloween candies.

It's August, you animal!

 

[ekricket]

 

[Sal Bandini]

I have a strict rule of "no food at the poker table"...
If I can eat before the game so can my guests.
Bit harsh but I am the one cleaning the mess afterwards....

Yes! I’ll never understand the obsession that PCFers and poker players in general have with food. It’s one of the reasons I’m so turned off by home game rakes “just to pay for food and drinks.” Screw that, I’ll eat at home and I’ll bring my own beer.

All that said, I put out hot dogs and bags of assorted Halloween candies.

Exactly! I'm there to play poker, not gorge myself.

I also provide simple snacks, but it's probably under $30 and I don't expect to get compensated for it.

 

[Taghkanic]

I would guess the only hot dog mess would be related to condiments (loading it up with relish/onions/etc) not the dog or bun itself.

Basically slobs will find a way to make a mess almost no matter what you serve.

I have one player who is great for the game but is kind of like Pig Pen from Charlie Brown. Always dropping crumbs, getting food on his clothes, spilling drinks, etc. (Also known for falling out of his chair somehow.) Not much I can do about it except constantly reminding him to eat/drink away from the table, handing him napkins and the largest plate in my collection, etc.

 

[upNdown]

I would guess the only hot dog mess would be related to condiments (loading it up with relish/onions/etc) not the dog or bun itself.

Basically slobs will find a way to make a mess almost no matter what you serve.

I have one player who is great for the game but is kind of like Pig Pen from Charlie Brown. Always dropping crumbs, spilling drinks, etc. (Also known for falling out of his chair somehow.) Not much I can do about it except constantly reminding him to eat/drink away from the table, handing him napkins and the largest plate in my collection, etc.

Only time I’ve actually washed a plastic deck was when one of my guys somehow covered the deck with a lot of mustard. But that’s only happened once.

 

[springbox]

Yes! I’ll never understand the obsession that PCFers and poker players in general have with food. It’s one of the reasons I’m so turned off by home game rakes “just to pay for food and drinks.” Screw that, I’ll eat at home and I’ll bring my own beer.

All that said, I put out hot dogs and bags of assorted Halloween candies.

Depends on how your game goes I'd think. People playing for 6~8 hours are going to get hungry even if they've eaten before. In my case we like to start early, people don't have a ton of time after work to cook/eat so I supply food.

 

[upNdown]

Depends on how your game goes I'd think. People playing for 6~8 hours are going to get hungry even if they've eaten before. In my case we like to start early, people don't have a ton of time after work to cook/eat so I supply food.

I get it. And it’s so pervasive throughout the poker culture that I can’t say it’s wrong. It’s just not my thing.
And personally, I usually get enough calories through beer to keep me from getting too hungry. You can drink a 6-pack over 6 hours and your body will process most of that alcohol, but youve consumed at least a meal’s worth of calories.

 

[Taghkanic]

Yes! I’ll never understand the obsession that PCFers and poker players in general have with food. It’s one of the reasons I’m so turned off by home game rakes “just to pay for food and drinks.” Screw that, I’ll eat at home and I’ll bring my own beer.

It’s not an obsession (for me, at least). It’s a necessary evil to reduce late arrivals or flake-outs.

When a game starts at 6:30-7, some players have ample time to get home from work, clean themselves up, and have dinner. A lot of mine don’t.

So offering dinner gives them one more reason to play — one less reason to cancel. If they get home and settle in and start digesting, they may say, meh, actually I’m kind of tired so screw it, I’ll just watch a movie.

Also to be honest, I think my gang (which consists mostly of healthy eaters) uses my two nights per month as their holidays from being good. Once every two weeks they get to eat pizza and popcorn and beer and candy. I also offer a big homemade salad but there is always lots of that leftover. They want the junk.

 

[upNdown]

I also offer salad

I hope you mean potato salad.

 

[PseudoPsanity]

I recommend cabin snacks.

 

[QuailValley]

For a while I was doing a pack or two of hot dogs cooked in the oven for convenience. But since I have gotten a pellet smoker thats changed.

I go down to costco get a pack of pork shoulder (cryovac pack with 2 shoulders). Cook both of them at the same time (200F overnight and wrap and crank to 275 till done in the morning). Rest them, shred them, and vac-seal and freeze. On the day of poker throw a vac-seal pack in sous vide for a few hours at 170 and then put the BBQ in a crockpot on warm. Its good and ready all night.

Easy to eat either in bun or with a fork. Low fuss, easy clean up, and my group loves it.

 

[BGinGA]

Our rotating-host events typically run around 12 hours: 12 noon to 12 midnight on either Sat or Sun, and typically include two tournaments with a 45 min. dinner break in-between (occasionally we do a cash/tournament format).

Snacks are available the entire time, and have included mixed nuts, M&Ms, candy, chips, pretzels, cookies, crackers, cheese/fruit tray, brownies, donuts, various dips, usually most or all of the above. Solo cups of applicable snacks are allowed at the poker tables.

Drinks include bottled water, diet or reg Coca-Cola (hey, this is Atlanta), other soft drinks, coffee, sometimes tea. All booze is byo.

Dinner fare varies, and is provided by the host: pizza, grilled hot dogs/burgers/steaks, chili, soups, stews, BBQ, tacos/Mexican, spaghetti/Italian, plus sides, salads, and dessert (cake, pie, ice cream, etc.)
These items are always eaten away from the gaming tables.