We’re inside, we’re cooking, ya-da ya-da. What about the times the team isn’t busting out our respective pasta rollers or baking trays? We turn to the humble snack, one of life’s greatest pleasures. In case you are experiencing culinary burnout and need to turn to something of the snack variety, we’re rounding up our favourites.
Jess Blanch
Editor-in-Chief
I’ve always had a special knack for turning a snack into a meal. The ingredients are usually the same; Ortiz anchovies and butter on fresh bread or pretzels from The Organic Bread Bar in Surry Hills, Sicilian olives, pate from Churchill’s Butchery, pecorino and double cream Brie from Simon Johnson’s cheese room (scarily only walking distance from my house) and, in the words of UB40, red, red wine.
The only diet rule is to never eat more than you can carry.
Natalie Petrevski
Fashion Editor
Hommus with inexpensive crackers, Lebanese bread or fresh carrots to dip in and boom, hello delicious and satisfying snack. I understand this sounds blissfully boring but it’s so tasty and with the added bonus of not being unhealthy. I always think one of these days I will get sick of the taste of hommus but it just doesn’t happen. I will continue to finish a family size tub of Yumi’s till I die. I’ve also been known to dabble in some Harvest Snaps baked pea crisps every now and then. These bad boys are incredibly addictive and once you start, you literally cannot stop. I opt for the lightly salted or wasabi flavour. Be warned.
Mia Steiber
Digital Content Director
Unlike some of my colleagues, I love snacking and I certainly have the foresight to ensure I’m prepared. With so few activities “allowed” during isolation, my favourite Sunday activity has been a trip to either Palm Beach Wine Co. for a Provence Rose or the Harris Farm in Manly, Sydney. If you love fancy food, you’ll never want to leave this Harris Farm. Every week, I discover something new. Last week it was Iberian jamon that I’ve been eating on toast. The week before was salted caramel waiffers. But my standard HF snack rotation usually includes tomato arancini, spicy salami or just plain bread with Pepe Saya butter.
If I’m in the mood for something sweet, I always have a batch of kanelbullar (swedish cinnamon buns) stashed in the freezer. I make them in bulk and freeze them so I can have a fresh, oven hot treat whenever I’m in the mood. I like snacks.
Andrea Tchacos
Deputy Editor
My planning has been poor. I’ve not so much been snacking as eating bowls of pasta at 11am and 3pm. But one item I’ve returned to my weekly shop is my old-favourite Greek yoghurt. Which I drizzle with honey, and nuts if I’ve remembered to stock up, then pretend I’m on a Mediterranean island with waves softly lapping, and old men in fisherman’s caps, and families yelling “Ela!” For me, it’s Farmers Union or nothing.
Gabriela Hidalgo
Brand & Art Director
Perhaps it’s the Swiss in me, but I have never been overly committed to the notion of a full meal at dinner time, opting for a light snack or ‘picnic-style’ meal is more my cup of tea. And so, my snacking game is strong, very strong. My options range from healthy to bold, sweet to savoury. For when the sweet cravings kick in, a ‘healthy’ thickshake is my go-to. The protein powder range by ‘RAW’ are by far the best and don’t leave your tongue numb with the aftertaste of stevia. The vanilla cinnamon flavour tastes like the iced chai latte of your dreams, only it’s actually filling. On a less health-considered note, I have recently re-discovered banana chips (hello flashbacks to the school tuckshop era), only this time they’re savoury(?). Banana Joe does a Hickory BBQ flavour that will most likely change your life.
Ella Jane
Production Coordinator
I will say I’m not very good at having the foresight to buy snacks, which means I often miss out. However, my local convenience store has recently started stocking flaming hot lime Cheetos which is extremely important news. These are my favourite, and most masochistic snack. Within minutes your mouth will be basically numb, but there is just no stopping. I eat mine with chopsticks to avoid cherry red crusted fingers (the colour is truly horrifying). Many people have accused me of doing this to ‘manage’ the amount I eat, which is grossly misguided if you know how I feel about restriction culture. It is but a simple trick to avoid having to rinse bright red gunk off your fingers, because who wants to get off the couch to do that?
Megan Nolan
Digital Operations Manager
Snacking for me isn’t so much about the food entering my body but more about keeping my hands busy. After years of trial and error I’ve finally concluded that popcorn is the perfect snack (Cobs Natural Sea Salt to be exact). Whilst I am all about buttery popcorn for a movie, for every day WFH snacking salty popcorn is where it’s at. Eating popcorn for me kind of feels like I’m eating air and therefore the calories don’t count. Plus corn is a vegetable so it’s justified and I can snack all day - don’t fight me on it.
