The following post is written by Signal Theory FoodThink team member Staci Meyer.
My work filing cabinet has three drawers. Pretty typical. The top drawer holds office ephemera, the paper clips, sticky notes and other supplies that help tame the day. The bottom drawer is full of things I’ve filed and never look at.
But there, in the middle, is the best drawer. A bit bigger than the top one and smaller than the bottom, just the right size to hold the best part of my day – my snacks.
Plural, you ask? Yes, indeed. Let’s take a look at what and how it got there:
- Tuna in water (high in protein and omega 3s, also useful in clearing rooms – there are a lot of tuna haters out there)
- Crackers (you can’t just eat tuna out of a can with a spoon, but they are whole grain)
- Trail mix (you know, in case we go for a hike or something, also chock-full of back-in-fashion nuts)
- Soy nuts (an impulse buy at the store because it said high in protein right there on the package)
- Granola bars (in case I miss breakfast)
- Pretzels (because they’re not chips)
- Chips (because they are chips)
- Nuts (sometimes almonds, sometimes walnuts, both full of good fats, fiber, antioxidants and protein)
- Dried fruit (it’s fruit!)
- Dark chocolate (this is a snack compromise since I prefer milk, but dark is full of healthy antioxidants)
- Greek Yogurt (okay, that’s actually in the fridge, but again, protein and probiotics)
Things that are missing from my snack drawer (because I ate them)
- Popcorn (the original whole grain)
- KIND® bars
- Jerky
Why so many snacks? Because I have many reasons to snack. I snack when I am bored. When I am stressed. When I am hungry and when I think I might be hungry soon. I snack instead of eating lunch. I snack to feel healthy. I snack to indulge.
I want healthy. I need indulgent. I plan my snacks. But I’m always up for something new. I love portables like single-serve guacamole and hummus. I am flabbergasted that they aren’t sold next to little packs of baby carrots and pita chips. And how about a granola bar mini?
My snacks mostly come from the supermarket where I’m not just limited to a single measly snack aisle anymore. No, it seems like aisle after aisle is filled with little tidbits. Granola here. Salty chips there. Crackers and pretzels down this way. Ooooh, look at all the new jerky choices. Plus, there’s the health food section and the bulk section, and don’t forget the candy aisle. Of course, I’m also an opportunistic snack acquirer. The chips are from last week’s boxed lunch. The apple from our company’s wellness stash.
What makes a good snack? What doesn’t make a good snack? Savory, sweet, salty, crunchy. Choosing one snack is hard. So I don’t. And I don’t think I’m alone. Because I am a part of the Snacker Nation. And I’m hungry for something new.
