The joy of a mixed-snack bowl

[Fat Guy]

A while back my son was over for a play date with some friends and their mother declared snack time. We went into the kitchen and she had one of the more impressive snack-food inventories I've seen. Mostly organic, fancy stuff -- still junk food but at the extreme good end of the junk-food spectrum. She proceeded to take out bowls and ask each boy what he wanted. My son wanted everything. So she arranged a little bit of everything -- there must have been a dozen items -- in the bowl. So enticing was his bowl that I asked for a mixed-snack bowl for myself.

Since then we have whole-heartedly embraced the mixed-snack bowl in our home. A single snack item now feels monotonous, and I've never liked snack mixes -- the mixed-snack bowl just tastes better.

Today I had an abbondanza of snacks in a mixed-snack bowl prepared by my wife. I basically had it in lieu of lunch. The overwhelming majority of the snacks were from Trader Joe's, which makes the best snacks overall I think: honey pretzel rods, potato-lentil crisps, oyster crackers, potato chips, cheese puffs. There were also some Snyder's Snaps, a nice pretzel option.

Is anybody else a fan of, or opinionated about, the mixed-snack bowl?

[heidih]

Huge fans of contrast and variety in snacks in this household. I am totally on board with the concept of chaat, an Indian snack idea. We like honey mustard bits (Snyder I think), paired with dry roasted peanuts, Calbee wasabi shrimp crackers, and wasabi peas. Some Fritos add a nice and substantial corn factor. Some cheese and grape tomatoes = MEAL!

[andiesenji]

Me too. I measure and count them out carefully when I am alone, sealing the boxes and bags and putting them away before eating anything so I will not be tempted to double-dip.

I am a huge fan of TJs - my downfall are the Calbee Snapea Crisps. However I also have great fondness for the black pepper potato chips and at Sam's Club the enormous bags of peppered pita crisps.

[KitchenMom]

Mixed snack bowls are a big hit in our house too, especially for my son who can never decide what he wants and is delighted to have a bit of everything. My daughter, the picky eater, isn't as fond of mixes. Another variation that both kids love is the mixed snack/dessert bowl, which is our t.v. watching treat. It starts with the salty snacks, usually popcorn and/or pretzels, then adds in some mini-marshmallows, chocolate chips or m&m's, maybe a small cookie, etc. If you like the mixed snack bowl, you'll love the dessert bowl. (BTW, those TJ's crunchy curls are one of my favorite snacks ever).

[andiesenji]

I forgot to mention that I still love the Chex mix (homemade) the original "mixed snack bowl" from way back when.

[Tri2Cook]

I'm a fan of the mixed snack bowl/plate. This time of year that bowl or plate usually just contains various types of cut up fruit and/or vegetables and/or pickles because cycling season is almost here again and it's time to drop the extra insulation that is courtesy of much more interesting snack bowls/plates through the winter. My snack bowl/plate in the winter usually contains assorted cheeses and meats in addition to pretzels, crackers and pickles and things of that nature. Fortunately I don't snack all that often so I don't have to get too drastic to drop the extra winter lbs.

[Lilija]

ARGH! I'm going to shrivel up and die. See: Food quirks thread.

I abhor mixed starches, mixing snack foods are a primary offender.

But, I'm happy for you all that have found joy in it.

[LindsayAnn]

I vary. Sometimes i like the mixed snack bowls, often times not though. It's interesting, I tend to eat things is order when there are mixed snack bowl. I will surely grab a handful of everything, but I will eat the X first, the the Y, then the Z....saving my favorite for last. I go in that order, least favorite to most favorite item in the bowl. I LOVE having a variety of food though....just not as much the mixed snackies. For instance, I love having a plate of various cheeses and crackers. But I usually eat in order, similar to preference as stated above. Come to think of it, I actually like mixe3d snack bowls but I would rather "cluster" the items in groups (i.e. goldfish in a lil' pile, pretzels in a lil' pile, etc...and eat in order.). Chex mix is similar, eat the pretzels, then some of the cracker sticks, then some of the dark brown rye/buffalo chips (cause those are the best part). I like the chex mix in regular (traditional) flavor most, then cheddar next. I have a bag of the original unopened in the cabinet now! HAHA.

I also like those lentil twists from Trader Joes. I am a HUGE fan of Trader Joes in general. Love their frozen foods (convenience foods, eat or bake and eat items), dried fruits and nuts, chips/other snacky items, sweets/cookies in the boxes and often packaged in the plastic clear tubs like the animal crackers, biscotis(sp?), chocolate covered items, etc....YUM!

So pass me the mixed snack bowl, and I will eat it all (usually, I am not too picky) just in groups

P.S. A good item for the mixed snack bowl - Trader Joes Peanut Butter filled pretzel nuggets. BEST PB PRETZ NUGGETS on the market by FAR!~

[gfweb]

UsAirways, believe it or not, has a great snack mix served in little bags up in First Class. It is called cranberry nut mix and has dried crazins, pecans, almonds and some sesame crisp things that look like a small...uh...turd, but are a nice contrast to the other stuff.

[pauladsous]

goodness gracious...how I envy you guys back in North America! See, I'm a French Gal living in Switzerland where Snyder's pretzel nuggets cost 7.- Swiss Francs per 125 gram pouch and salt & vinegar chips 3.95 Swiss Fcs for 150 grams... not to mention pretzels that are just a tad cheaper, cheetos or corn chips that are close to non existent and if existent just as prohibitive! Basically, only in Germany have I found the same variety about as decently priced as in the US but otherwise I crave mixed snacks or actually any such snacks! Last time I was in the US after 8 years, I bought 2 packs of UTZ's (regular + sour cream & onions), 1 of cheetos, 1 of tostitos + 1 of mixed flavour doritos (blazin chili or something + some cheezy kind if I remember well) anyway I scarfed them all down within 3 days not to mention I had more than 3 regular meals a day but I don't care! I had to get my fill considering I otherwise live in goddam Switzerland, a truely terrific country except for foodies or actually snack-loving types such as myself