Good group snacks for work?
February 8, 2012 9:48 AM Subscribe
Snacks for my co-workers?
I work in a team of about 20 people, and we have a small table where large plastic jars of snacks occasionally appear - jars of pretzels and peppermint balls, CowTails, etc... they disappear relatively quickly.
I'm considering providing something to help out the Snack Fairies, but I'd like some input on what might be some good selections. I could ask my co-workers, I know, but I'd rather surprise them.
The snack should be something that would keep a while, i.e. not donuts or cookies.
I work in a team of about 20 people, and we have a small table where large plastic jars of snacks occasionally appear - jars of pretzels and peppermint balls, CowTails, etc... they disappear relatively quickly.
I'm considering providing something to help out the Snack Fairies, but I'd like some input on what might be some good selections. I could ask my co-workers, I know, but I'd rather surprise them.
The snack should be something that would keep a while, i.e. not donuts or cookies.
Jelly beans, random nuts, and chocolate covered pretzels.
posted by kcm at 9:57 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by kcm at 9:57 AM on February 8, 2012
Red Vines are very popular at my office.
posted by rtha at 9:58 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by rtha at 9:58 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
I work in an office of about forty people. I keep a large bowl of individually-wrapped Lifesavers (get them at CostCo) at my desk, and people love it.
posted by magstheaxe at 10:00 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by magstheaxe at 10:00 AM on February 8, 2012
Hershey's Kisses. They're individually-wrapped, they do not contain gluten or peanuts, and they're chocolate.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:03 AM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:03 AM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
Werther's Original
Mini Biscotti
If you wanna go crazy, go to an international store and get a bunch of russian/polish/etc candy.
posted by pyro979 at 10:03 AM on February 8, 2012
Mini Biscotti
If you wanna go crazy, go to an international store and get a bunch of russian/polish/etc candy.
posted by pyro979 at 10:03 AM on February 8, 2012
i baked some biscotti to bring to work last week. lasts way longer than cookies, and just as delicious.
posted by sabh at 10:04 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by sabh at 10:04 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Stake out the snack table and see what disappears first, then get stuff like that. Crackers, nuts, candy, whatever - if your coworkers have strong preferences, you'll see that stuff get snarfed down quickly.
posted by Quietgal at 10:21 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by Quietgal at 10:21 AM on February 8, 2012
For four years, I've kept a jar of M&M's on the front counter of our office. There's a spoon in the jar so people don't dip their grubby hands in.
About two months ago, I decided to stop stocking the M&M's. Everybody mourned as if a family member died.
I brought back the M&M jar last week, and have so far gone through two five-pound bags of the stuff. I think people are getting used to the idea that they won't go away again, but yeah, M&M's make people happy.
posted by xingcat at 10:26 AM on February 8, 2012
About two months ago, I decided to stop stocking the M&M's. Everybody mourned as if a family member died.
I brought back the M&M jar last week, and have so far gone through two five-pound bags of the stuff. I think people are getting used to the idea that they won't go away again, but yeah, M&M's make people happy.
posted by xingcat at 10:26 AM on February 8, 2012
Trader Joe's has a fine selection of unique and delicious snacks. If there's one around you, just close your eyes and start grabbing stuff and everyone will love you forever.
posted by GilloD at 10:31 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by GilloD at 10:31 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
The standard Awesome Snack Food of my college snack bars was chocolate-covered espresso beans. Available at Trader Joe's.
posted by pie ninja at 10:32 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by pie ninja at 10:32 AM on February 8, 2012
Atomic Fire Balls and Sour Warheads are perfect in my office because they're aren't candy that someone can eat a whole lot of, but are a pleasant treat.
posted by Nickel Pickle at 10:50 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Nickel Pickle at 10:50 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Kopiko coffee sweets are great, individually wrapped and have quite a kick. Delicious too.
posted by goo at 11:23 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by goo at 11:23 AM on February 8, 2012
Peanut butter filled pretzels are a great option too.
posted by brilliantine at 11:46 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by brilliantine at 11:46 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Trader Joe's triple ginger snacks, and/or their cranberry/oatmeal dunkers.
posted by rmd1023 at 11:53 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by rmd1023 at 11:53 AM on February 8, 2012
I've kept a jar on my desk for years: pretty much any indiviually-wrapped candy will do, but they snap up chocolate first and fastest; sometimes I'll get stuff like Jolly Ranchers or peppermints, but that's mostly to slow 'em down (doesn't anybody feed these people?!? It's like ravening wolves some days.....). Bubble gum is fun: it's even sometimes caused us to have impromptu office-wide bubble contests.
The key, no matter what you get, is to get it individually wrapped. The only exceptions are homemade goodies like brownies or cookies.
posted by easily confused at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012
The key, no matter what you get, is to get it individually wrapped. The only exceptions are homemade goodies like brownies or cookies.
posted by easily confused at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012
Anything that you can NOT get via the Office Depot catalog (which seems to stock mostly grandma candies: Tootsie Rolls, Werther's, Lifesavers) is greeted with tremendous enthusiasm at my office. Chocolate is an excellent choice. On Feb. 15, don't be shy about buying a few boxes of half-off Valentines Day chocolates. Someone brought in freakin' Christmas chocolate last week and it was fantastic.
posted by chowflap at 12:07 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by chowflap at 12:07 PM on February 8, 2012
I had a candy dish on my desk at work. Kit Kat and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups always seemed to disappear fastest.
posted by SisterHavana at 12:22 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by SisterHavana at 12:22 PM on February 8, 2012
Seconding Girl Scout cookies. I'm becoming somewhat pro-GS, so I think I might copy this idea (and maybe make and include donation envelopes...).
Also - maybe some protein? I mean, are you really doing your co-workers a favor by giving them more candy? Nuts, definitely, and maybe (at least) something involving peanut butter.
posted by amtho at 12:30 PM on February 8, 2012
Also - maybe some protein? I mean, are you really doing your co-workers a favor by giving them more candy? Nuts, definitely, and maybe (at least) something involving peanut butter.
posted by amtho at 12:30 PM on February 8, 2012
I kept Smarties wrapped candies in a candy dish on my desk, (I always promised people it would make them smart) and they were very popular.
posted by sandyp at 3:48 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by sandyp at 3:48 PM on February 8, 2012
Once thing that goes really fast at my office (that most of us would never purchase for ourselves) are those big jars of long pretzel rods coated in salt. You can get them pretty cheap at a place like Costco. Also - Trail Mix and Trail Mix bars.
posted by sarahnicolesays at 5:47 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by sarahnicolesays at 5:47 PM on February 8, 2012
Everyone likes those danish butter cookies in the blue tins. You can get then on amazon even when they are not in stores for christmas.
posted by steinwald at 7:19 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by steinwald at 7:19 PM on February 8, 2012
People like Jolly Ranchers in my office because they are strong-flavored and last a long time (i.e. it's hard to binge on them).
posted by elizeh at 7:31 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by elizeh at 7:31 PM on February 8, 2012
Seaweed snacks. All the startups around here stock 'em among the acres of sugar products.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 8:23 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 8:23 PM on February 8, 2012
2nd-ing Trader Joe's. Also, I just got some awesome PB&J Trail Mix at Costco that I'd highly recommend.
Other than that, I bake for my coworkers reasonably often and really, anything disappears.
posted by maryr at 8:25 PM on February 8, 2012
Other than that, I bake for my coworkers reasonably often and really, anything disappears.
posted by maryr at 8:25 PM on February 8, 2012
We have a treat table like this at work and while it is most often laden with candy and cookies, folks (myself included) get pumped as hell when there is fresh fruit or nuts. Deliciously snacky but not shame inducing like eating half a pound of fudge (although no regrets, it was delicious). Pineapple, grapes, and berries are all good choices to sit out all day without losing their appeal. But if your definition of lasting awhile is more than a day or two, then cashews would probably make you quite popular.
posted by troublewithwolves at 9:00 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by troublewithwolves at 9:00 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
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