Many people are experiencing junk food gluttony remorse.
Hurricane Sandy is no laughing matter. But to those in its path, the topic of Sandy Food raised a few chuckles. In the hours leading up to Sandy's arrival, New Yorkers besieged local liquor stores, stocking up on beer, wine, and spirits (Oh, and bottled water too; why not?).
As the storm's outer edge began battering New York and the Jersey Shore, residents took to Twitter to confess that they had already eaten their Sandy snacks. As someone who lives in a storm-prone area, I can relate. It's a combination virtually guaranteed to ensure gluttony: you're stuck at home, with a house full of delicious stockpiled treats. Combine that with the anxiety of an impending large storm, and it's surprising any food remains in the house by the next day.
One of the best ways to combat this problem is to avoid stockpiling junk food. HA HA ONLY KIDDING. But it can help to buy junk food in portions that help encourage sensible rationing. For example, instead of buying one giant bag of Cheetos, buy three of the medium-size bags and mentally tag one of them for each day of your projected three-day confinement.
You can also buy even smaller sizes and try to restrict your intake that way. But in my experience this has the opposite effect, and you end up lying semi-comatose on the couch, feeling bloated and gross, surrounded by piles of tiny Fun Size wrappers. I mean, so I would imagine.
Slate asks, "Did you stock up for Sandy like a kid or a grownup?" I'll tell you what I stock up on ahead of a big storm: a nice Camembert, fancy crackers, a selection of candy bars, and fresh fruit. I also authorize the removal of a bottle of wine from my wine cellar (by which I mean the Igloo cooler that otherwise would stand empty, which I have filled with bottles of wine I buy opportunistically on sale throughout the year).
One of the best Sandy snacks making the rounds is something that I intend to try out: a corn salsa made with one can of black beans, one can of corn, and one can of diced tomatoes or salsa, plus a tablespoon of mayonnaise (or one mayo packet). Scoop it up with corn chips like salsa. Sounds delicious! This is also a great trio of canned goods to keep in your cupboard for unexpected emergencies.