16 Fun Food Games for Kids & Adults (+ Eating Games)

Food and fun go together, especially when food games are the source of the fun. We have eating games, food challenge games, and fun food games for kids and adults. You may wish to ask for volunteers for some of these games and allow the rest of the group to be spectators, yelling directions and encouraging players. Many of our games take very little preparation, require inexpensive materials, and are fun enough to be played more than once.

Food Challenge Games

Marshmallow and Pasta Towers

It is challenging to build a tower form marshmallows and spaghetti, and it is even more so when you race to do so. Divide your group into teams of from four to six players. Give each team a pack of spaghetti and a pack of large marshmallows. The goal for each team is to build the tallest free-standing tower in a set amount of time – five to ten minutes usually works well. Remind them when only one minute is left that the time is nearly up and the tower must be free-standing. Use a measuring tape to verify which tower is the tallest. Should two teams tie, break the tie by requiring the tied teams move their free-standing tower across the room. The team with the longest lasting tower (it cannot be repaired if it loses parts while being moved), or the one that manages to move their tower all the way across the room, wins this game.

Baby Food Guess Test

Purchase several different kinds of baby food. You will need many plastic spoons for this game, enough for each player to use a different one for each tasting. List the name – peaches, peas, pudding, etc. – on a piece of paper and number the list. Put corresponding numbers on small bowls for identification as you empty the baby food into them. Have players take turns tasting the food, guess what the food is, and write their guesses on a slip of paper. To make the challenge more difficult for older players, use blindfolds or add food coloring to each bowl. Give one point for each correct guess. The winner is the player with the most points.

Banana Split Relay Race

You will need all the ingredients for banana splits:

• Bananas
• Ice Cream – chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry
• Fudge Sauce
• Strawberry Sauce
• Caramel Sauce
• Nuts or Sprinkles
• Whipped Cream

Put all the ingredients into large bowls on a table. Divide your group into teams of up to nine people. Give each team a large, empty bowl. When someone says, “Go!” the first person on the team peels and cuts the banana and puts it in the bowl. The bowl is passed from team member to team member, with each player adding another ingredient. The team that completes their banana split first wins the game. Finishing the banana split becomes a challenge as everyone is trying to use the bowls of ingredients at the same time. Players have the fun of eating their creation when they finish.

Eating Games

Eating games are fun to participate in and watch. Plan ahead for the best time to introduce eating games, since they do create a mess. Have plenty of paper towels and water for cleaning up.

Whipped Cream Faces

Although messy, this fun game provides lots of laughs! You will need an aluminum pie plate for each player. Put five to seven M&Ms on each plate. Players kneel before their plates and on the count of three attempt to eat all their M&Ms first. The player who does so is the winner.

Spaghetti Challenge

Ask for volunteers for this game to make sure players participate with enthusiasm. Have three or four players sit at a table facing the spectators. Give each person a large bowl of spaghetti. Players must eat the spaghetti without silverware and with their hands behind their backs. The first person to eat all their spaghetti is the winner.

Donuts on a String

Simple and fun, the only equipment required is string and donuts. Hang the donuts from the ceiling and have the players eat the donut without using their hands. They must keep their arms behind their backs. The donuts swinging side to side make this task extremely difficult. The first to eat the entire donut wins this fun and challenging game.

Food Games for Kids

If you are looking for ideas for a kids’ party, why not play some fun food games. Kids love to eat and get messy, and some of our games provide both. Others simply require skill and coordination. Whichever game you choose, it will make your party, camp experience, or get-together memorable.

Mystery Taste Test

You will need a variety of different foods to play this game. Players take turns wearing a blindfold and tasting a food to guess what it is. Switch out the food each time a new player takes a turn. Allow each player to take three (or more) turns and give one point for each correct guess. The player with the most points wins. You may need to have a play-off if players tie. Try some of the following foods for this game:

• peanut butter
• instant coffee
• cheese
• milk
• sugar
• salt and pepper
• garlic or onion powder
• olive oil
• vinegar
• raisins
• bread or cracker crumbs
• herbs and spices
• flour
• cornstarch
• applesauce
• pudding
• jam or jelly
• diced fruit or vegetables

Variation: Allow the players to touch and smell the food to before making a guess.

Note: Make sure you know about any food allergies the kids may have before playing.

Pasta Relay Race

Divide your players into two or more teams of six or more players. Have the teams line up behind two large, empty pots at one side of the room. On the other side of the room, have two large pots filled with dried pasta. Provide each team a ladle or large spoon. Team members take turns racing to the pot filled with pasta, filing the ladle, racing back to the empty pot, dumping the pasta, and running back to their team. The first team able to transfer all their pasta wins the race.

Variations:

• To make the game more difficult for older children, use cooked pasta, slippery and more difficult to keep in the ladle.
• Provide each team member a large spoon or ladle and have them transfer the pasta from player to player to fill the empty pot from the full one in relay race style.

Chopstick Challenges

• Pass the Food. Provide each player a pair of chopsticks, a small bowl filled with small food pieces, such as raisins, cereal, mini marshmallows, or M&Ms, and an empty bowl. Set a timer for two to five minutes, depending upon the size of your group and their ages. The kids attempt to transfer the food from the filled bowl to the empty bowl. The kid who has the most pieces in their bowl when the timer goes off is the winner.
• Chopstick Eating Challenge. Choose a food that is difficult to eat with chopsticks, such as cooked spaghetti, pudding, or slippery fruit, such as peach slices. The goal is to see who can eat their small bowl of food the quickest.
• Chopstick Pass. Each kid receives a pair of chopsticks after joining a circle either sitting on the floor or standing. One kid is give a small item, such as a nut or small, gummy candy. One child begins the game, passing the object to the next child with their chopsticks. Any child who drops the item is out. The last person left is the winner.

Note: Some players may be able to use chopsticks already. Try having all the players use their non-dominant hand (right handers use left hand, and left handers use right hand) to make the competition even.

Food-themed “Musical” Chairs

Have the players form a circle with one chair removed. Choose four or more kinds of food (fruits or vegetables) and go around the circle with each player having the name of a food, for example beets, potatoes, corn, and squash. When the person in the center calls out the name of a food, all the players designated with that name must change seats. Each time a chair is removed and the last person remaining wins this game.

Recipe Mix Up

Divide the kids into teams and give each team the same recipe with all the ingredients and directions on separate slips of paper. The goal is to arrange all the ingredients and directions in the correct order. You can provide a blank sheet of paper and either tape or glue to make the process easier. For older kids or to make the game more difficult, cut the words apart and ask the teams to arrange them in the correct order. If you wish, you can provide the ingredients and let the teams make the recipe. Cookies or cupcakes work well at a kid’s party.

Food Games for Adults and Couples

Pass the Cereal Circle

You can use any type of circular breakfast cereal for this game for couples and adults. Divide your group into teams of six or more players. Each team lines up and each team member receives a toothpick. The first person in the line places the cereal circle on their toothpick which they are holding in their mouth. They pass the cereal piece to the next person, who also has a toothpick in their mouth. If the cereal falls, the team must start over with the first person. The first team who manages to pass the cereal piece down the entire line wins this game.

Licorice Challenge

Pair up your players or have couples form two-person teams. Give each team a very long strand of licorice. Each pair of players places one end of the licorice string in their mouths. At the “Go!” signal, the couples eat the licorice until they meet in the middle. The couple who reaches the middle first wins this fun game.

Variation: No licorice? Use slightly (still firm) cooked spaghetti noodles.

Whistling and Burping

This game for couples or paired adults guarantees laughs! Couples receive a can of soda and five soda crackers. One person on each paired team will eat the crackers and the other person will drink the soda. The person in each pair who will be eating the crackers goes first, and the soda drinker goes second. On the “Go!” signal, the cracker eater consumes the crackers and then must whistle “Yankee Doodle Dandy” or another pre-selected song. Then the soda drinker must chug the soda and burp loud enough to be heard. The first two-person team to complete this challenge first, wins.

Variation: Have three or four couples play this food game in front of the rest of the group.

Filled Doughnut Feeding

Pairs of players sit across a table opposite each other, but within arms’ reach. Place a plate with three filled doughnuts in front of one of the players. Blindfold both players. The goal is to feed one’s partner the filled doughnuts in the shortest amount of time. If you wish, you can set a timer for three minutes, and the team with the most eaten wins.

Variation: Blindfold the person feeding the donut to their partner and then have them stand behind their seated partner and feed them the filled donut.

Wheelbarrow Race

Pairs of players, one the “wheelbarrow” and one who pushes it, race to the finish line in this unusual fun race. One player balances on their hands while the other player holds their legs. The goal is to finish the game first. Food enters this game as on the way to the finish line, there are piles of food one must eat. Prior to playing, small foods – candies, nuts, chopped fruit, etc. – are placed on clean papers along the course. Provide a cup for the “wheelbarrow” player to hold in their mouth as they run on their hands. They must put at least one food item from each pile in their cup as they race to the finish line. The pair of players completing the course with their items in the cup wins this race.

Quick Food Game Ideas

• Food Piñata. Make or purchase of a food-themed piñata and fill it with goodies – candies and small toys – for your party or get-together.
• Scavenger Hunts
• Hide cooking ingredients and utensils necessary to complete a recipe and have players find them in the order in which the recipe lists them.
• Hide cookie cutters for players to find and then let them cut sugar cookies and decorate them after they bake.
• Peas and Straws Game

Players must transfer peas from a plastic cup to a plate using drinking straws.

Whether your group consists of kids, teens, single adults, or couples, we have a fun food game for every occasion. Make sure you check for any food allergies before playing and be prepared for cleaning up the play area and those participating. Have fun!