I'd start with coffee and ice tea beings this is the first time. Then when you get to know the others, you can add wine.
I've only filled in a couple times but I'd like to be in a monthly group.
Leslie

I played for about 15 years. Our group just quit a few months ago. We always had a light dessert, seemed like everyone was always watching their diet, etc so a bigger dessert was left untouched. I'd keep it simple. some of us would serve wine, but most didn't. I found that most were happy with coffee, iced tea, some soft drink and bottled water. Snacks on the table were always m&ms, popcorn or something like the chex mix you mentioned and pretzels. Have fun...it's a great game!

Angela, you are right on track, for the table treats, chex mix, m&m's, nuts anything that can be popped into your mouth.. I play with 2 different groups. One is mostly friends from high school(going back many years) so we are pretty close, we do a potluck, drinks, wine included and desert, the other smaller group we have table snacks, desert and assorted juices, assorted waters, no coffee or wine.. It does kind of depend on your group. You can have wine in the kitchen and if anyone asks serve them. Have fun, I love playing Bunco..

What would you consider a light dessert? I really have no idea.

using "light" to describe desert to me is funny, I do know what gwanny means everyone is always thinking of calories. Personally I do not know any light desert recipes.LOL
I think cookies, cupcakes, small things make us feel better about eating desert... so anything made or cut in smaller pieces is good.

Thanks happytime. Then I think the cookies will be fine. lol

Haven't played for years, but it is a fun game.

Since this is the first time for this group, keep refreshments very simple. In any group, too often someone will try to "outdo" and then things can get out of hand, even to the point where some may drop out because they don't want be burdened with having to create a big spread.

Have fun!

Sue

In keeping with a game night, I saw in a magazine, about making shortbread cookies shaped into rectangles, then using chocolate chips to make dots like dominoes. Also, using white bread and pumpernickel bread for finger sandwiches. Cut them into small squares, and arrange like a checkerboard. Or, use white frosting on a 9" x 13" cake, and cut it into squares,frost the sides, and use chocolate chips for dots on the die. Sorta fun.

I love bunco! We used to have a group that played once a month. Haven't played in a couple of years.

Everyone took turns hosting the game. If someone did not want to host it at their house they brought the food and drink to someone else's house to make it fair. We had a couple of Mom's that had a kids and just wanted to get out of the house. I hosted it more often than most because my kids were grown and DH worked swing shift and was gone in the evening.

We usually had finger foods. Veg and dip, small sandwiches, bars ect... Easy to eat and play at the same time. Our group loved wine and looked forward to each Hostess's choice of wine.

I have played off and on for years, and always had so much fun. I even answered an ad in the paper to join a group in my area! It was a blast.
I would just serve finger foods, and have a couple of liters of sodas. If anybody wants something a little stiffer, they can bring their own.
I loved meeting the new people at bunko, and even drove 2 hours to another town to sub one time.

Trin

I played for years and I just hated when I had to give it up ( due to work ). We were all good friends and sometimes we had pot luck dinners. Other times we had salty snacks and sweet snacks with colas, tea and coffee. One time we served liquor, but one of the women got drunk and ended up spending the night at the house where we played. The hostess later told me that the drunk friend was kind of obnoxious, so we didn't serve alcohol after that night.

For the most part we had a blast. I would love to get back into it.

What prices are used now for prizes? Back when I played 1972 to 1992, we had a $3, $4, $5 prize and the big winner got either a $10 or $15 prize. It seems like it would be hard to find a cute 2 or 3 dollar prize nowadays.

Linda

I have been playing for 10 years or so. We always have to pay $5.00 each month at the hostess' house. The hostess does not have to pay the $5.00. The hostess always has snack bowls on all 3 tables, dessert after the second set, and drinks from the beginning. We always have soda, water, and a couple of alcohol drinks (beer, wine, margaritas, etc,.) Everyone tallys their wins, losses, and buncos. At the end we give money out to the most wins, most losses, most buncos and last bunco. We usually have a door prize for all. It usually takes 2 hours from 7:00-9:00. I am hosting my bunco team next month. We always have the best time laughing, talking, etc. The funniest thing is the spelling of it: bunco, bunko, buncko.

Jewels

LOL...your right...Light dessert and diet don't go together. I meant some cookies, or some small sweets out on the table. If we had something that had to be served it always went untouched at ours. People would leave and not wait for it to be cut and served. Something small to grab before we left went over alot easier. Low calorie would be great...but, yeah right!