The convenience of online casinos today makes everything from betting on your favourite sports to participating in a game of poker a breeze. In fact, some casinos accept PayByPhone and other unique payment methods to make the experience even more accessible. While online casinos used to be a novel innovation, we’ve shifted our perspectives and made visiting brick-and-mortar casinos a special experience nowadays. It’s much like how the prevalence of streaming has made going to the movies such an occasion. We get excited to watch the movie on the big screen, indulge in snacks or even VIP catering, and share the collective laughs, tears, and thrill with others.
One of the perks of going to a physical casino is the potential to dress up, socialize face-to-face, and chow down on some delicious casino eats. Most grand casinos will have a selection of restaurants and cafés serving specialty or buffet-style food that can serve as the perfect complement to your time there. However, some food choices can end up derailing your casino plans, whether they disrupt your digestion, leave you tired, or cloud your thinking. If you’re taking your next visit seriously and plan to win big prizes, you might want to avoid the following foods.
Heavy, Greasy Foods
Especially if you’re drinking on your casino trip, fried, greasy foods might seem like the ideal option. Although this combination is a classic pairing, there are scientific reasons why we crave those foods with alcohol. Because alcohol depletes our blood sugar and affects our brain chemistry, we naturally increase our appetite for fats and high-calorie foods in general. Most casinos make these foods highly accessible, with buffets and quick meals teeming with fries, burgers, pasta dishes, potato salad, and more. While these items can all be tempting, they can quickly lead to fatigue and sluggishness, impacting your performance and experience.
Better alternatives: Grilled foods will let you trade fried options for juicy ones and take advantage of a healthier cooking technique for peak flavour and less fat.
Dairy-Rich Foods
According to 23andMe, over 70% of the world’s population has difficulty digesting lactose, which is found in dairy products like cheese, ice cream, and milk. That might sound like a huge letdown if you’re particularly fond of foods heavy in dairy, like mac and cheese, milkshakes, pizza, curries, dairy-based soups, and desserts. With such a long list of foods that include dairy, it can be hard to avoid entirely. The problem with dairy is that you might end up feeling bloated and uncomfortable, which won’t fare well if you’ve got big wagers on the line.
Better alternatives: Non-dairy alternatives like vegan desserts, non-dairy fruit smoothies, and broth-based soups.
Alcohol (Beyond Moderation)
Alcohol is a common indulgence at a casino, considering there are bars and restaurants that sell drinks at even the smallest establishments. It might signal a good time, enhance the lavishness of your experience, even lower your inhibitions, and make you feel more confident in betting big. And we can’t deny it—casinos are traditionally a great place to have a drink or two, but if you go much beyond that, you might as well kiss any potential winnings goodbye. We all know that consuming too much alcohol can be a recipe for disaster, causing poor decision-making and, even worse, a lack of consciousness.
Better alternatives: Stick to drinking in moderation, and make sure to hydrate and take breaks between drinks. Opt for mocktails after you’ve capped out.
Sugary Desserts
Casino nights are often an excuse to go a little crazy on foods, like sweet treats, you wouldn’t normally fill up on. With carefully crafted mini desserts, fruit-filled pastries, and chocolate available at multiple stations, the temptation is real. You might have heard people talking about the sugar crash that children get after they’ve eaten too much candy. The reality is that adults can get it, too. Since sugar is a type of carbohydrate, eating too much of it can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar levels, thus causing fatigue, irritability, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Sugars aren’t inherently bad, but you might want to switch to healthier, energy-providing snacks after a mini cake or two.
Better alternatives: Fresh fruit, yogurt, nut butter, or energy balls.
Caffeine
Caffeine isn’t only found in coffee—it’s also common in energy drinks, some teas, and sodas. With a soda fountain and unlimited drinks available for purchase, it’s natural to want some energy to get you through the long hours you’re planning to spend at the casino. The FDA recommends a maximum caffeine intake of 400 milligrams per day, which is quite generous. It’s the equivalent of two energy drinks, four cups of brewed coffee, or 10 cans of soda.
Similarly to alcohol, you should have caffeine in moderation to avoid the dreaded caffeine crash. Once the stimulating effects of caffeine start to fade, you can experience poor mood, fatigue, and drowsiness, which are likely the opposite of what you intended.
Better alternatives: Caffeine-free tea, chicory root coffee, water.
Spicy Foods
Some people just have an affinity for spicy foods. It can add a kick to what you’re eating, remind you of your native cuisine, or simply give you the rush and sensation you want. Spicy buffalo wings, noodle dishes, curries, delicious sauces, and tacos are all yummy choices you might be drawn to at a casino. Just remember that spiciness isn’t technically a flavour but rather produces heat or irritation that stimulates pain receptors. Too much of it, and you can experience stomach pain, cramps, and irritation that won’t be so fun.
Better alternatives: Choose dishes where you can control the amount of spice and consume other foods that balance the heat.
