In my 17 years of life, I’ve eaten A LOT of snacks, candy, and other random food combos that probably shouldn't exist. I call myself a connoisseur. My parents just silently judge me while I stand at the fridge at 1:47 AM, eating with zero shame. And many times, my parents walk in and catch me sitting at the kitchen island, binge-eating one of these top 10.
1. Fresh fruit
Let’s pretend to be healthy real quick. Grapes? S-tier. Strawberries? S-tier. Raspberries? S-tier. Blackberries? S-tier Blueberries? S-tier. Bananas? S-tier. Apples? S-tier. Peaches? You get the point. Fruit is what I tell myself I’ll “just have a few bites of,” and then suddenly the entirety of it is gone, and I’ve become a fruit vampire. No regrets, all of them are gas.
2. Rainbow goldfish
These aren’t just snacks, they’re my childhood in edible form. Somehow, they taste better than regular old Goldfish. Although it's not scientifically proven, just trust me. Something about the colors makes them more delicious. I pour them into a cup and then refill it 3 times without realizing. It’s a cycle.
3. Spooey (pretzels + icing)
Who would have guessed that the international snack of BBYO would be on this list? You all know what it is. It’s called Spooey, and it deserves its own Food Network show. Take salty, crunchy, delicious pretzel sticks, or whatever other shape you want, and dip them into cake frosting. It’s a salty-sweet gamechanger. Will it ruin my stomach? Probably. Will I care? I think not. Will I be eating it at anything BBYO-related? Yup.
4. Scoop Doritos with salsa or guac
Scoop-shaped Doritos are the most extraordinary feat of engineering that humans have ever achieved. I'm not sure how they managed to solidify them in that shape, but they did, thanks to the scientists at Frito-Lay for their efforts. They hold more dip than any other chip and taste better when used as a shovel for guacamole at 1 AM. I don’t know why. I just know I eat 1-2 tubs at night because of them.
5. Applesauce Pouches
These were made for toddlers, but who are you to judge me for eating them? No spoon, no bowl, no cleanup, no mess, nothing but you and a pouch of apple goodness (apple and cinnamon, if I'm feeling fancy). I just untwist the cap and go for it. Cold applesauce in a pouch is PEAK convenience. And it lets me pretend I’m making healthy choices, but probably not.
6. Popcorn
This is a classic for a reason. Microwave popcorn? Delicious. Chocolate or caramel covered? A little bougy, but still good. Pre-bagged? Works in a pinch. I eat one handful, and then I'm suddenly five bags in and in a popcoma. I’d say it's best enjoyed with a random movie, show, or game that I'm not even paying attention to.
7. Nugget ice (just that)
Yes, ice counts as a snack, fight me. But not just any ice, Ice from my own personal nugget ice maker. Just like Chick-fil-A’s crunchy, soft, amazing ice pellets, but right at home! I don’t even need flavor to drink with it. Just give me a giant cup of nugget ice and I’ll sit there happily chewing away like I’m at an all-you-can-eat buffet.
8. Leftover cake
Brothers birthday? Someones graduation? National Bring Your Turtle to Work Day? My family will buy a Publix cake for any occasion, no matter what. Then, once the celebration is over, the cake goes into the fridge for me the next night. A cold cake hits differently; it’s like a reward for making it through the day. I eat it straight from the package, no plate, no napkin, just a fork and my face.
9. Costco pre-cooked Chicken packets
Okay, so this one is particular to my dad and me, but if you have a Costco near you, consider buying some. These refrigerated packets of chicken are weirdly addictive. You can add them to salads, tacos, or anything you'd like to enhance with chicken, but for me, I prefer it just as it is. Just cold pieces of chicken, eaten with my fingers like a protein-craving goblin. It feels primal with its 24g of protein, but oh so efficient in terms of macros.
10. Cheez-Its (extra toasty ONLY)
Normal Cheez-Its? Fine. But extra toasty Cheez-Its? Life-changing. They’re the slightly burnt, ultra-crispy legends of the snack world. I open the box intending to have “a few,” and 20 minutes later, I’m licking Cheez-It dust off my fingers and questioning nothing.
If you have ANY concerns with this list, please reach out to me at @SnackLover5000 (Just joking please don't)
Alexander Greenwald is an Aleph from Rebels AZA #442 in the North Florida Region #52 and plays Varsity and Ecnl soccer, and serves as a Regional Aleph Godol.
All views expressed on content written for The Shofar represent the opinions and thoughts of the individual authors. The author biography represents the author at the time in which they were in BBYO.