Everybody loves snacks. They do. Just ask anybody what their favorite snack is, and they’ll have an answer. A lot of people won’t even have to think about it, they’ll just instantly say what their favorite snack is. Except me. I don’t necessarily have a favorite snack as much as I have a favorite snack type. Salty.
Yup, I love the salty snacks. Chips, nuts, popcorn, pickles, even Saltines if that’s the only item available. Smear some peanut butter on those crispy squares and I’m in heaven.
Snacks come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties: sweet, salty, crunchy, squishy, healthy, and the more popular, not-so-healthy. I love healthy snacks but find the problem with them is they usually have to be prepared. That’s not what snacking is all about for me. No sirree. I need my snacks to be of the grab-and-go variety. I like to snatch that bag of chips, rip it open and commence to crunching despite my rising cholesterol and ever-increasing waistline.
I try to have some pre-prepared snacks handy, but I don’t always have the time to do the pre-preparation. Washing celery and cutting it into sticks takes time. I sometimes buy the pre-packaged healthy snacks but find them to be not so wallet-friendly. I like the convenience, but I don’t want to pay for it. I’m cheap that way. I also love dried fruit, salami, and beef jerky, which make awesome snacks, but I’ll go broke stocking up on them. Just hand over the chips.
But, sometimes, I cut the celery into sticks, have the baby carrots and snap peas ready to grab from the fridge, but I still need to take the time to scoop out the hummus for dipping or to spread the peanut butter or ranch dressing, or whatever. I know, third world problems, right? (Is that phrase still acceptable today or is it taboo now as well?)
Anyway, every time I tell myself it’s time for a snack, I just react. I get up, go into the kitchen, open cupboard doors, the refrigerator, the snack jar, whatever, and grab something. I rarely tell myself, “self, you should probably take the time to prepare a delicious and nutritious snack.” Nope. I don’t have that kind of time. When it’s snack time, it’s snack time. There’s no time to piddle around and make decisions or prepare the sliced cheese and grapes. By then snack time will be over.
You see my problem? Snack time encompasses a very narrow window. A lot of days I barely even have time to go to the bathroom, so when snack time arrives, I must grab – something salty – stuff it in my mouth and carry on with the next project. There’s no time for chopping or slicing. (sigh) And, if I pre-slice my apple in the morning, in preparation for my snack later, it’s all brown and yucky looking. Chips don’t turn brown.
When I take the time and plan ahead, I’ll boil eggs, cut up celery sticks and other veggies and pre-slice or cube cheese, but on those other days . . . hand me the goldfish crackers or somebody’s getting hurt. And stay outta my way when I’m on course for the pantry . . . where the chips are. No, I will not share. (That’s why I don’t buy chips any more. My family has weaponized them.)
How do you approach snack time? What’s your favorite snack? Do you take the time to actually pre-prepare your snacks? Give me some suggestions for healthy grab-and-go snacks that don’t cost an arm and a leg.
Word of the Day: Zibeline
Fun fact about me: I could snack all day and never have an actual meal, except for the fact that I’d probably never eat anything healthy ever again.
Original post by Jansen Schmidt, August 2021. Images by Google, Pexels and giphy.com
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I’ve found that while writing, snacks are a necessity. One needs a break from the words every so often, right? I have a writing room, and if I’m working on my daily word count, I need that snack break. I’m not particular with the snack – what I grab depends on my mood – but I do need to stuff my face between writing sprints. It’s like an energy bar for the author. 🙂 My favorite snack of all time are Cheez-Its…which I can’t eat now (gluten, hmph). I could eat an entire box of those critters in one sitting.
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I try to keep some nuts (the edible kind) on or near my desk because they are small so I only need put one tiny kernel in my mouth at a time, but I’m afraid my sodium intake is getting out of hand. I think what I need is a full-time assistant to prepare me delicious and nutritious snacks throughout the day. That might be cheaper than buy the pre-packaged snacks.
Thanks for stopping by. I’ll see if I can contact the Cheez-It people and ask them to create a tasty gluten-free cracker. That’s the kind of friend I am.
Have a great week.
Patricia
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(sigh) I could have written this post – except celery is a no-go for me, whether or not it’s pre-cut. Unfortunately, I also like sweets too much. But salty & crunchy is my go-to for snacks. And yes, I do have the occasional day when snacks are all I eat!
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Give me a charcuterie plate and I’ll be happy all day long. They look so healthy with their fruit and cheese, but are they really? And who has time to prepare them? As I said to Coleen above, I need an assistant just to prepare and serve me snacks during the day. I wonder if such a person exists.
Thanks for visiting. Here’s to the salty snackers in my life!
Patricia
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I totally agree with you about the salty snacks! They are always the best for me too. We just all came back to our office after working from home for 1.5 years…so I am no longer used to having the free snack cupboard at work! I try to forget it exists or I will put on so much weight!!
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Oh yeah, that snack cupboard that’s always open, I have one of those too. I have to hold myself back when I’m at the supermarket or my basket would be full of chips and crackers.
And yes, the weight gain is another motivator to stay away from the salty snacks. Of course, all the hiking you do, keeps the waistline slim.
Have a wonderful week.
Patricia
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There once was a lady named Schmidt
Whose passion for snacks never quit
Her taste buds weren’t faulty
She craved anything salty
And I’m just the same, I admit.
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Al, you should write jingles for products. You’d make a fortune. Get someone like Sam Sheppard, with his deep sexy voice, or maybe Matthew McConaughey, to announce them on TV and it would be a winning combination. Of course, I’ll need my 30% cut right off the top of all earnings, but still, you’d be a rich man.
Thanks for chiming in. I always love to “hear” from you. Have a great rest of the week.
Patricia
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Let’s negotiate. 15% off the top for you and we get free rooms at Baer House.
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22 % and you get 3 free nights at the Baer House.
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25% and you put us in your will (and the free nights).
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