Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with snack

Vegetarian Little Smokies, or Something Along Those Lines

aabbbiee — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:54:35 -0800

Need suggestions for a vegetarian appetizer similar to Little Smokies- more details inside. I am looking for a vegetarian appetizer equivalent to Little Smokies (tiny sausages swimming in BBQ sauce served from a Crock-Pot) to serve on New Year's Eve. We are doing a spread of snack foods. I would like to provide a protein-focused comfort-food-style appetizer.

We will have plenty of dip (including hummus, bean salsa, and probably something with avocado) with chips and vegetables, cheese, crackers, cookies & sugary foods, and carbohydrates in general. The food will sit out for a few hours around midnight, so it shouldn't need a lot of last-minute preparation or heating other than a Crock-Pot (if necessary). This is a group of Midwesterners who would not be up for something terribly fancy. I would really like to do vegetarian Little Smokies, or something along those lines. A heavy, junky, salty/savory vegetarian snack with protein as a main component.

I am a marginal but determined vegetarian (formerly vegan) cook and I can obtain a few specialty vegetarian items, but not many (I live in a Midwestern college town). Tofu, seitan, gluten are all welcome as I love that stuff.

Suggestions, please! And any idea of how to make vegetarian Little Smokies would be great. (I'm not sure that cut-up vegetarian hot dogs would last for long soaked in BBQ sauce. But if you've done it, please let me know.)

Three cheeseballs in the shape of a snowman?

showbiz_liz — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:51:49 -0800

I need a good, NON-SWEET Christmas morning snacky food! For years my family's Christmas tradition involved eating pumpkin pie and tons of candy on Christmas morning while we opened presents. This made everyone feel really gross. Two years ago I stumbled on the idea of having a cheese plate out in addition to the pie, and it was a revelation. Protein! Something without craploads of sugar! Amazing!

Cheese plate's a little dull, though, and also a little pricey for us. So now I'm looking for something else to make for Christmas morning.

We usually sit around on couches and the floor, and take a couple of hours to slowly open presents. A non-drippy, non-sticky finder food is ideal for this- it won't get on the couch and it won't get on the presents. Something that isn't super fatty would also be good, we eat enough fat on Christmas (that's another reason to ditch the cheese). Oh, and it needs to be makeable the day before, because Christmas is for sitting on one's ass. However, I'm not opposed to making something complicated.

Making pate palatable

like_neon — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 04:49:13 -0800

Your recommendations on how to enjoy pate. My fiance loves pate. He usually just has it on toast with butter. Sometimes on an oatcake. I am less enthusiastic but can enjoy on occasion as well. I like it with a bit of cranberry jam on top.

What other ways can we try it? If it matters, we usually buy Brussels pate but sometimes get the Tesco's Finest brand if it's on sale.

Also what is the term for that quality that defines "strong" pate?

Perfect savory/sweet recipe combos for an office meeting?

sperose — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:36:40 -0800

I've been bitten by the baking bug! I need help figuring out what combination of 2 different recipes (1 savory, 1 sweet) would be perfect for a morning office meeting of 5-6 people that will survive not being refridgerated. Also, simplicity is best since I've only just started to foray into baking. (More details inside.) I've been scouring various baking blogs and have lots of ideas for what I could do, but I'm falling short on what sort of combination would be the best for this particular problem.

My office has a meeting on Tuesday at 10am with 5-6 attendees. Our normal 'catering' has been a box of donuts and one of those boxes of coffee from Dunkin Donuts. I've baked 2 other recipes for the communal table that have gotten rave reviews from my co-workers. I've also been baking for myself and it seems to be going pretty well. I've previously made cheesecake brownies and chocolate chip cookies. I want to try and make something interesting to bring for the meeting. (Someone else is already handling the beverages.)

I've read the following previous questions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

The question (in list form): What should I make (within the following criteria?)

Must:
2 recipes with one sweet and one savory.
Able to survive without refrigeration for at least a week (longer is preferable).
Fairly simple recipe. (Detailed is okay, but only with specific instructions.)
Not require special mixers or machines. (I've got an electric mixer, but that's about it.)
Cheap to make.
Not too messy/sticky.
Easy to transport.
Include as many natural ingredients as possible (no fake butter).
No beans.
No alcohol involved (except for vanilla extract).

Preferably:
Not cookies or brownies.
Somewhat healthy. (No applesauce substitutions, ugh.)
Not including expensive or difficult to find ingredients. (Basically, things that could be found at Giant or Safeway [within the state of Maryland].)
Uses up about 1/3 cup of cream cheese frosting.
Not needing plates and/or forks for consumption.
Doesn't make a massive amount of the final product. (I can halve recipes, but I'd like not to.)
Be a nice compliment to coffee.
American measurements (cups, not liters).

Other:
Allergies and other dietary restrictions are not an issue. I know that one person likes peanut butter. I've got pans galore.

Snacking with the Green Fairy.

1f2frfbf — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:39:31 -0800

Suggest me a hors d'oeuvre to take to an absinthe tasting. A friend of mine is having an absinthe tasting this weekend. I'd like to bring along a tasty hors d'oeuvre that can be prepared ahead of time and will allow a small group of people to snack and drink in decadence. I'm reasonably accomplished in the kitchen and have a pretty good selection of ingredients at my disposal, so hit me with your best ideas for the occasion.

I Already Thought of Bacon Muffins

Ms. Saint — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:36:28 -0800

What's a savory food item that would make a good thank-you gift? Someone I work with gave me a ton of chicken legs, soaking in spices and buttermilk, ready for frying. (They were left over from a party.) Anyway, what matters is that I want to return the bowl and plate the legs came in with some sort of thank-you item inside.

Usually I'd make some sort of muffins or cookies, but I know this person prefers savory to sweet foods.... And I really don't have any idea what kind of savory snacks might make a good, small gift. I was hoping you, O' Wise Ones, might have some suggestions. It needs to be something kind of easy to prepare (because I'm lazy), and it can't require refrigeration.

Any ideas?

Aw Mom, we ALWAYS have bagels...

Osrinith — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:02:46 -0800

MeetingFoodFilter: Help me find a healthy alternative to bagels and cream cheese for an upcoming meeting! I'm a graduate student in a mid-sized lab (16 people) at a university in the Midwest. Every Tuesday morning we have our lab meeting, during which one lab member presents the progress he or she has made on their project since giving their last lab meeting. The tradition of the lab is for the person who is presenting to provide the food. Usually people just go out and buy two dozen assorted bagels and some cream cheese and call it a day. Two problems: A) this gets boring quickly, and B) it's not very healthy.

The last time I gave lab meeting, I mixed up some non-fat yogurt with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, walnuts, and pecans and sprinkled some cinnamon on the top. It went over relatively well, with only a little bit of the usual "different = bad" grumbling from the more hidebound members of the lab. I'm not opposed to making that again, but I thought I'd query the hivemind for other suggestions for a healthy snack type food to serve my lab mates while I shower them with data (really, it's more like a vigorous trickle...). I should mention that I have a decently long commute on public transportation, so portability is key. Also, we have a very basic food preparation area with plates, utensils, and a microwave, but that's it. As a graduate student, budget is a consideration. Falling back on bagels is definitely an option, but I'd really enjoy the opportunity to provide food that tastes good and is healthy to boot. Thanks for any suggestions!

What else can I use as a binding agent?

Solomon — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:57:30 -0800

What can I use instead of honey, as a binding agent, when making my own version of these Eat Natural bars? I'm trying to cut down on the amount of sugar in the recipe, and I'm not particularly fond of honey anyway. Golden syrup is obviously a no-no.

I'm in the UK, but either a brick-and-mortar supplier or something from the web is fine. I did try maple syrup one time, but I seem to recall not liking it very much.

Given that I'd rather use something unprocessed, what ingredient could I use in it's place to hold the bar together?

[Weight Loss Filter] What foods are okay before bed?

valadil — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 06:37:51 -0800

I get really bad midnight munchies. I know I shouldn't eat before bed, but sometimes I just have to. What should I eat or avoid eating to minimize damage?

Fried livers & gizzards in Houston?

mrbill — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:03:04 -0800

Where can one find fried chicken livers & gizzards in west Houston? Growing up, my dad introduced me to fried chicken livers n' gizzards as a perfect redneck finger food/snack food, especially for fishing trips. Buy some raw to use as bait, and another box of em cooked to eat while you fish!

I was able to buy them in high school (southwest Oklahoma) from the deli section of the local grocery store, right next to the egg rolls and stuffed jalapenos, but I've been unable so far to find any in Houston! I've tried Kroger, Fiesta, etc, and have come up empty.

So, where in west Houston (within 5-10 miles of BW8/Westheimer) can I go to buy fried livers and gizzards? Or am I out of luck, and just live in too urban an area?

Eating mostly-plain cottage cheese and tofu.

lemonade — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:22:25 -0800

How many ways can I spice up plain tofu and cottage cheese...snackwise, with no cooking? I need to increase the amount of (lowfat) protein I eat, and while I can and do eat both cottage cheese and tofu plain, it gets old really quick. What I'd like to do is have a whole bunch of mix-ins or maybe sandwich-y things, so I can more or less grab-and-go. I haven't tried these yet, but I was hoping for ideas along the lines of tofu and mustard on crackers, or cinnamon in cottage cheese? Maybe something with relish? And of course I often snack on the old standby of fruit in the cottage cheese. What else can I try?

Zapikanka?

anomie — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:26:35 -0800

Can anyone tell me how to make great Zapikanka? (snack from Poland) When I was in Krakow briefly a few years back, I enjoyed a snack called Zapikanka. (I hope I've spelled it right.) It was a large slice of bread with mushrooms, cheese, some kind of sliced meat, and something like ketchup - but not exactly the same as ketchup.

I've tried to make it again but it's never been quite the same as back in Poland, does anyone know how to make an awesome Zapi? General info about the snack is hard to find online, so that would be appreciated as well.

Please help me find my Euro Snacks

cucumberfresh — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:21:38 -0800

Where can I buy Nutella Snack and Drink online or in the Bay Area? While on vacation in Europe, I had the most amazing thing: Nutella Snack & Drink. It's little Pocky-like crackers, Nutella, and peach juice in a convenient and super cute package. (See here). Is there any place I can buy it in the Bay Area or online? Also, what is the name of the yogurt they have in England- the one in the square container with the stir-in bits in the corner? Thanks!

Small & silent snacking suggestions?

dogmom — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:10:44 -0800

What small (snack-sized), quiet (non-crunchy), neat (non-crumb making) and relatively healthy foods can I keep at my desk? My work has adopted a "if the customer can see you at your desk, you may not eat there" rule. I am not really following this rule, I am just trying not to get caught. I am a grazer, and I find my stomach growling every 2-3 hours. I bought some crunchy granola bars- those 2-to-a-pack kind- and was eating one now and one later. But they are crumbly (messy) and loud (crunchy) and it's pretty obvious I'm sneaking a snack at my desk. When my co-workers sneak a snack, it's usually a quiet plain doughnut or croissant- something they can tear a small bite off of and eat while the rest is in a drawer. I prefer something a little healthier than doughnuts, but all I can come up with that meets the small, quiet, neat & healthy criteria is cheese sticks.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

Help me stop eating raw french fries

thisjax — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:46:30 -0800

I need a healthier snacking alternative to raw frozen french fries. Help? As odd as it sounds, I really like eating uncooked, slightly thawed french fries — especially the bargain-basement uncoated/unseasoned type. I've always kind of liked them served this way, but over the past year or so I've gotten somewhat hooked on them, generally eating 2-3 bags per week. My diet is otherwise pretty healthy and low in bad carbs and fat, but these fries aren't doing my figure any favours. Is there a healthier, lower-carb alternative with a similar mouthfeel?

Snack attack!

lunasol — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:24:59 -0800

How do you deal with post-meal "hunger?" That persistent snacky feeling... I find that often, after i eat a well-balanced meal (two veggies, a protein, a complex carb), in an amount to where I feel satisfied but not stuffed, about 20-30 minutes afterwards I will start to feel "snacky." Not hungry, exactly, sort of a feel of "yeah, I could eat something." This happens mostly after dinner.

This used to not be an issue, because I would just figure I was still hungry and have a snack or dessert. But I'm working at minimizing snacks and sweets in an attempt to lose weight. I am aiming to only have sweets a few times a week, as a special treat (as opposed to the everyday phenomenon they've turned into in my life). I'm trying to make it so that the only snack I eat is late afternoon, to keep me away from the vending machine on evenings I work late.

I've looked around on the internet, and read some of the relevant AskMe questions about this, but most suggestions seem to revolve around low-calorie snacks to meet this need. I'm looking for a way to get away from feeling like I should have a snack after dinner. Or else the person asking is trying to deal with real hunger, but this is not really a feeling of ravenous hunger, it's more a desire for a snack.

To answer questions that might come up: I eat about 1600-1800 calories a day, with 4-7 servings of fruits/veg each day, ample protein and fat to keep me sated (at least I think so). I drink lots of water, and it helps a bit. Also, I've only been trying this snack-minimizing regime for a few days, so it might just take some getting used to.

Making crunchy bean goodness?

leahwrenn — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:02:26 -0800

Suggestions for recipes for crunchy, spiced snacks using Chickpeas? lentils? other bean-type stuff? I have a memory from when I was little (1980s, not that it's relevant) that my parents made some sort of spiced (cumin? spicy? salty? I don't remember) crunchy snack using some kind of legume---maybe chickpeas, or lentils, or something like that; maybe using green peas...my recollection is that it didn't need deep-frying (it was cooked in the oven). They only made it once or twice and don't have the recipe.

Anyway, the general idea sounds really tasty and hopefully moderately not unhealthy. Any ideas where I might find this sort of recipe?

Healthy chips and dip?

XMLicious — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:24:31 -0800

Healthy chips and dip? Lo, long have I quested thro' the dales and deep, like Bilbo for the One Ring, seeking chips that art not crap for my diet. (That would be “crisps” for you heathen Brits. And yes, I know Tolkien was British.)

Recently I happened upon Snyder's of Hanover sunflower and corn chips. They have a very nice texture but the flavor is meh.

In dip news, I like Middle Eastern food in general. I like حُمُّص بالطحين but besides putting it in falafel I've never found much else to use it with, much less dip in it.

But… Whoso putteth these chips in this dip, shall be the King of the Britons! There's a snacktacular gestalt between these two things, creating a Nietzschean Über-Snack, that I find delicious. And looking at the nutrition facts the combination doesn't look too bad health-wise: no trans fat, not too much fat overall, average carbs and below average sodium for a snack food. Definitely better than potato chips and onion dip, in any case.

So I ask you, me droogy droogs, what sort of healthy chips / crisps do you know of that I could put in my hummus, or healthy dip that I could dip my Hanoverian sunflower chips in, or other healthy combination of chips and dip?

Processed food, only I'll process it myself, thank you.

libraryhead — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:12:38 -0800

My family loves fruit-filled breakfast/snack bars. How can I make my own? My husband is a big fan of Kelloggs NutriGrain bars -- unfortunately they're largely made of high fructose corn syrup. Our 2-year-old daughter gets the similar Earth's Best Snack Bars (now, with more Grover!), which are healthier but, like, a dollar a piece. I'd like a recipe to make similar bars at home. They should be: soft, fruity, not as sweet as a cookie, not too time consuming, work with a variety of fruit (ideally with options for fresh or jam/preserves), and keep well for up to a week and/or freeze well. My regular recipe sources are coming up empty.

What are some low fat snacks I can keep in my suitcase while travelling?

shelleycat — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:31:16 -0800

What are some low fat snacks I can take with me travelling and keep in my suitcase to eat when dinner or other meals weren't suitable? Little to no preparation at time of eating is preferred but I can make or buy stuff before I go. I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Gastric Reflux (with high stomach acid and fairly often gastritis). I manage both really well by diet alone these days and don't take medication but still live mostly symptom free. However, when I'm staying with people I often lose some control over my diet and there are certain places I go where the food just isn't suitable and I end up either sick or hungry (or both) pretty much all the time. This is totally my problem, I'm thrilled that these people put me up for free and feed me and look after me, I don't want to change their whole life around because I'm fussy. I'm genuinely grateful for the effort they put into cooking for me and all that they do to make me welcome. But I still need to eat correctly, particularly as being hungry is physically painful, so this involves taking along my own food.

I have one of these trips coming up very soon (i.e. over Christmas). I already take my own breakfast cereal, take muesli bars to snack on during the afternoon, and happily have sandwiches for lunch, but eating all that again for dinner isn't much fun. There must be something else I'm not thinking of! So I'm looking for food I can sneak when I'm hungry, generally after a fat-filled dinner of which I could only eat a few bites, that will fill me up and make me happy.

A few things to keep in mind: fat makes me ill, particularly animal fat, so no fried snacks or instant noodles (ramen) or the like. Nuts also make me sick, probably because of the fat. Overly salty food gives me high blood pressure and tastes bad. I need to avoid acidic food like tomatoes and oranges. While fresh fruit is plentiful at this time of year (note: is summer here) and is great, eating too much of it will make me ill and it's not very satisfying anyway. That's all though, everything else is fair game (I think).

Whatever I take needs to be stored in my room, so no refrigeration, and needs to last up to a week. While I can use the kitchen where I am to some extent I'm trying to be discrete as family politics are generally involved. However, I do have my own fully stocked and set up kitchen here at home so something I prepare and cook before I go is fine. I can make a supermarket run for ingredients but exotic stuff is probably too much hassle at this time of year.

Lastly, I'm really only looking for food suggestions here, I've got the people side covered as well as I can and am not looking for relationship or how-to-be-a-guest advice. Thanks!

Homemade crunchy snacks

bigmusic — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:56:49 -0800

I would like to make crunchy snacks from scratch. Please give me recipes. (Slicing up a vegetable or a fruit is not a recipe)

Help me identify what fruit snack I was addicted to as a child.

misled — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 07:31:45 -0800

What is the name of this fruit snack? When I was younger, roughly around the ages of 7 to 12 years old (I am 24 now), I used to love these fruit snacks sold at the Von's grocery store in Southern California. I completely forgot about these great little snacks until I was recently reminded about them when a woman I know brought up how much she loved them as well. The problem I am having is with trying to identify exactly what fruit snack we are talking about here.

This is what I remember about them:

- The snacks themselves were shaped like small beans
- They came in at least grape and strawberry flavors (or is it cherry? they were red - I know that much)
- They wouldn't really be considered 'gummy' like most of today's fruit snacks
- The snacks came in a rectangular shaped (maybe 2 inches x 4.5 inches?), thick paper wrapping inside the box
- The outside of the wrapping was white with writing printed diagonally across the paper in the color of the snack you chose (for example, I believe that grape had the writing in purple)
- The inside of the wrapping was silver like tin foil

I am sorry that I am unable to give any more information as to what snacks these are. I was super little and I remember having to beg for them in the grocery store. I remember that they were located in the produce section of the Von's grocery store in Southern California - although they were obviously sold elsewhere since the woman I was speaking to grew up in Reno, NV where there are no Von's grocery stores.

Hopefully this small tidbit of information is enough for one of you metafilterer's out there to give me a name for this product. It would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Anyone know about obscure Portuguese snacks?

imperium — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 07:28:40 -0800

When in Portugal recently, we ate a snack food which looked like a bean, tasted like a bean, and which we were told, to our surprise, was some kind of sea produce. Any ideas? It began with a "b", I think, and had to have a very thin clear hull removed. Roughly square, rounded corners, with a small circular hole in the hull at one corner, and yellow-brown. Delicious, but possibly not vegetarian?! And purchased in the town of Tomar. The internet has not answered this for me.

I want paprika potato chips!

edjusted — Thu, 17 May 2007 11:03:42 -0800

Paprika chips: are these available in the U.S.? I was in Europe last year and it seemed like every country had paprika potato chips from different brands (even Pringles). I can't seem to find any store/brand in the U.S. that has these. They're so good! Yeah there...I just used my ask mefi question on potato chips.

Mmmmm...monthly potato chips

plinth — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 13:58:53 -0800

Comestible of the month club? On a lark, I had our company signed up for Anchor O'Reilly's Chip of the Month, which turned out to be very popular here. We really did enjoy the novelty of a half dozen bags of unique potato chips showing up each month. CotM is going out of business and I'm looking for a nice way to fill that snacking void at a reasonable price.

I'm NOT looking for the results of "of the month club" search on Google.

I am looking for specific first-hand recommendations for or against similar services. I think we'd also be happier with savory over sweet.