Bite Me More

This delicious dip is our go-to quick and easy snack for the dreaded unexpected “drop-by.” A few pulses in the food processor and you’ve got a creamy, garlicky, lemony blend of chickpeas, roasted red peppers, olive oil and spices. Paired with addictive baked pita chips—wedges seasoned with cumin and salt—it’s no wonder they come a-knockin’ at all hours.

Ingredients

Pita Chips
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp kosher salt
5 (6-inch) white pita pockets

Red Pepper Hummus
2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained
6 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 small garlic clove, minced
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¹/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions

1. For the pita chips, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, cumin, and salt. Split each pita open into 2 halves and brush rough sides with olive oil mixture.

3. Cut each circle into 8 triangles. Place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, oiled side up. Bake 13–15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. Once completely cooled, these chips can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

4. For the hummus, in a food processor or blender, combine chickpeas, red peppers, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, salt, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne. Process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve with pita chips.

Serves 8–10.

Lisa and Julie are the saucy sisters behind BiteMeMore.com. We love to connect with our fans daily on our YouTube channel and our website, where we share our secrets, serve up solutions, and help you answer the question “What’s for dinner?” every night of the week. Follow along on Instagram at @bitememore.

Put down the Twix, folks; next time you’re crunched for time and starving there are dozens of low calories, nutrient-dense snack foods you can snag at your local CVS. Because it doesn’t matter how packed with kale your morning smoothie is if you’re going to slip-up between meals all throughout the day.

So, to help keep your snacking habits under control, we’re shortlisting some under-$10 healthy options you can snag at CVS whenever you’re desperate for a snack and time-poor. Keep clicking!

MORE: 5 Seriously Underrated Immunity-Boosting Superfoods

As far as wine regions across the US go, the obvious destinations—Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara—will always be desirable, but exciting things are also happening in other, more unexpected areas of the country. Take for example the wide varieties of grapes grown in Washington State, or the gorgeous wines (and views!) from New York’s Finger Lakes.

Here, we consulted wine experts on six of their favorite wine regions in the country, both familiar and emerging. Consider it a primer on American wine (or a very worthwhile summer travel guide.)

California’s Central Coast

“I’m loving what’s happening in California’s Central Coast right now,” says Susan Kostrzewa, executive editor of Wine Enthusiast. “Specifically Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz … all of these are amazing destinations for wine, food, travel, and history, and I think still slightly undiscovered from a tourist’s perspective, which means you’ll beat some of the crowds and prices you face in Napa or even Sonoma.”

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The wines coming from these areas are world-class, whether you’re talking about Rhone varietals (as a single varietal or in blends), Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or experimental plantings in aromatic whites,”Kostrzewa says. “The key to the entire Central Coast region is its climactic and soil diversity and the talent and creative approaches the winemakers down are becoming known for. In addition, the scenery in the area is unforgettable … and diverse. In Paso and Santa Ynez you find the old cowboy charm and ranch vibe that speaks to the Old West; in Santa Barbara, beautiful coastline and a surf culture character, in SLO, Spanish Mission-era architecture. There’s something for everyone.”

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“Santa Barbara County, California … I can’t think of another region in this country where you can drink a wine that makes you feel like you’ve traveled to Burgundy, the Rhone, Piedmont, or even the Wachau, but still brings you back to California,” adds Megan Mina, wine director at Café Altro Paradiso.

“Over the past several years, I’ve been particularly intrigued and impressed by the innovation in Santa Barbara,” Mina says. “Aside from the refined and compelling Pinots, Chards and Syrahs, there is much satisfaction do be discovered in the unexpected like Trousseau Gris, Chenin Blanc, Gamay, Cab Franc, Barbera, and beyond.”

Kostrzewa’s favorite wineries along California’s Central Coast:

• Kynsi Winery is a family run operation focused on producing distinguished wines in limited production.  Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah and unique red blends are carefully sourced from highly regarded cool climate vineyards along with Pinot Noir from their Estate Stone Corral Vineyard in the Edna Valley.
• Daou Vineyards/ The Daou brothers, Georges and Daniel, specilize in top-end Cabernet.
• Brewer – Clifton/Terroir driven, award-winning Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
• Foxen Vineyards/Fnastic Pinot Noir and Rhone blends, plus Cal-Iyalian varietals.
• Bonny Doon Vineyard/Historic winery with playful approach to naming their excellent Rhone varietals and dessert wines.

Washington State

“I could make a case for any of the major players [as] Napa, Sonoma and Santa Barbara are consistently consistent, albeit pricey,” says Jessica Norris, Director of Wine Education for Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group. “The lesser known regions in Central & Southern California are staking their claim to international varietals such as Grenache, Syrah, Sangiovese and Zinfandel, furthermore gaining speed and popularity by throwing grapes into kitchen-sink style blends.
Oregon’s Willamette Valley is making great strides and gaining international marketplace & recognition. While a comprehensive tour through New York’s Finger Lakes is top of my list, I find my gut response to “Who is the Best?” is Washington State…you know, that wet, evergreen tree covered, tons-of-wide-open-space, state in the far corner of the Northwest.”

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“Washington wines taste like none other,” says Norris. “One foot firmly in the ripe, fruit-driven New World camp and one foot equally planted in the earth-driven, layered depths of the Old World. Over 80 varieties grow there. Including: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Sangiovese, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Marsanne/Roussanne, Odd Portuguese grapes like Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesca. SO much grows well there.”

Norris’ favorite wineries in Washington State:

• Walla Walla valley is one of my favorite places. Gramercy Cellars, K Vintners/Charles Smith, Cayuse, Figgins, Leonetti, Woodward Canyon, and there are also a ton of new kids on the block.
• If you don’t want to head out to the actual vineyards you can stay close to Seattle and visit Chateau St.-Michelle or nearby Woodinville with tasting rooms galore (Mark Ryan, Chris Gorman, Avennia, Betz to name a few.)

Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes

“One of my favorite wine regions is Seneca Lake, located in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York,” says Conor McCormack, the lead winemaker at Brooklyn Winery and their new restaurant, BKW. “The Finger Lakes were formed by glacial carving, and Seneca lake is one of the deepest lakes in the United States. From a wine perspective, this is very important, as it is the key element that allows Vinifera grapes to survive the harsh winters, acting as a warming mechanism for the grape vines that hug the nearby steep hillsides.”

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“It’s a cool climate growing region that highlights bright and lively white wines, such as Riesling, Chardonnay, and Gewurztraminer, while showcasing leaner style reds such as Cabernet Franc and Lemberger in a beautiful light,” says McCormack. “Apart from my experience with making wine in Brooklyn with grapes from the Finger Lakes region, it is one of my go-to regions when I want to visit wineries for fun. The atmosphere is laid-back and rustic, yet elegant and beautiful.”

McCormack’s favorite wineries to visit in Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes:

• Lamoreaux Landing
• Standing Stone
• Hector Wine Company
• Hermann J Wiemer
• Anthony Road Wine Co.
• Red Tail Ridge

 Willamette Valley, Oregon

“I love the wines of the Willamette Valley. Oregon is still very rural in a traditional sense – with pockets of mixed agriculture interspersed with wilderness, where cattle rub shoulders with vines and where, as Joe Pedicini from Montebruno Wine told me recently, “you can go places and still hear the wolves call at night,”‘ says Isabelle Legeron MW, Founder of RAW WINE.

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“Biodiversity and wildlife are so paramount to the making of great, terroir-driven wine, that combined with the Willamette Valley’s suitability for cool climate grape growing, it’s really no wonder it churns out world-class pinot noirs,” Legeron says. “The best examples combine elegance, vibrancy and focus, and while ripe also have an old-world savory quality and freshness about them that makes them long-lived and highly, highly drinkable.”

Legeron’s favorite wineries to visit and wines to drink in Willamette valley:

• Kelley, Joe and Brianne of Brianne Day Wines are all genuinely lovely people that I met at the 2014 London edition of RAW WINE. They make tipples with chiselled tannins and a purity of fruit that is testament to Oregon’s deliciousness.
• Kelley Fox Wines, Maresh Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2013 Showcases grapes from the Maresh family farm. As Kelley says “Jim and his late wife, Loie, had the foresight to avoid vineyard monoculture”. There are hundred-year-old Royal Anne cherry and walnut trees on site and “their daughter Martha keeps homes for violet green swallows and bluebirds on the trellis posts that fly all over the place in the spring and summer”.
• Montebruno Wine, Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2013 – Showcases grapes from the largest certified Biodynamic vineyard in Oregon located in the McMinnville AVA in the foothills of Oregon’s coastal mountain range.

Sonoma County

“I may be biased, having grown up there, but Sonoma County is one of the U.S.’s most remarkable winemaking regions, and a great place to visit,” says Tom Gore, second-generation grape farmer and founder of Tom Gore Vineyards. “As a grape farmer, I get to experience firsthand the amazing diversity that the region has to offer, warm and cold growing regions, the ability to produce an outstanding diversity of wine varietals at a great quality, redwoods and ocean, all in one region.”

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 Gore’s favorite wineries to visit in Sonoma County: 

• On a trip to Sonoma County, I’d recommend driving around the region and getting a taste of the diversity of wineries all contained in Sonoma. Celebrating its 140^th anniversary this year, Simi is a must-stop. The wine is outstanding and the winery’s history makes a tour and tasting really compelling.
• Two other great spots nearby are Clos du Bois in Geyserville, and a drive through Alexander Valley to stop by Jimtown, a great local county store perfect for lunch or to pack a picnic to enjoy in the vineyards.
• Another wonderful winery is Ravenswood, also marking a special year with their 40^th anniversary. When you head to Ravenswood, a great stop is The Girl and the Fig, a fantastic rustic bistro close by the winery beloved by locals and visitors alike.

Mendocino, California

“The wines from Mendocino, California have really been tasting great to me lately. The variety of microclimates, the coastal winds, pacific fog and the ability to dry farm give the winemakers the ability to work with a variety of grapes and make wines that are naturally higher in acid and lower in alcohol, which we love,” says Justin Chearno wine consultant at The Four Horsemen.

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“There is an incredible amount of organic, biodynamic and generally non-interventionist farming going that has been going on there for a while which is sort of rare in the U.S,” Chearno says. “Most winemakers in California don’t farm their own fruit and the recent interest in wines raised without pesticides and other chemicals means that these farmers are seeing more interest and more business, which also hopefully means more people will begin to convert their vineyards over to these practices as well which means better wine for everyone!”

Chearno’s favorite wineries to visit in Mendocino, California:

•  From producers like Donkey & Goat (their Untended Chardonnay is from the Anderson Valley in Medocino and it’s fantastic) to the Living Wines Collective and their elegant Ama Cellars Nero d’Avola, which is an Italian grape that is very rarely grown in the US but is alive and well in Medocino.
• I also like the bordeaux-style blends from Hardesty Cellars, which are grown and made in the Mendocino area.

There’s a moment in “Something About Mary” when Cameron Diaz laments about the lack of stick-based food options, telling Ben Stiller: “You know I don’t think that they have enough meats on sticks.” And it’s a fair point, generally speaking—skewer-based eating doesn’t get enough credit, especially considering how unbelievably simple it is to toss some chicken, veggies, lemon, and herbs on a stick and call it dinner. Or to cram some mozzarella, tomato, and basil on a kebab and have an elevated version of a standard Caprese salad.

MORE: 10 Easy Ways to Elevate Your BBQ Beyond Basic

So with the long weekend ahead—and plenty of opportunities to whip up something from scratch, ahead you will find 26 tasty, easy ways to cook with skewers. Cooking doesn’t get much less complicated than this.

A scoop of protein powder in your green smoothie doesn’t just make your drink taste better (looking at you, chocolate flavor), but according to studies it could also help stave of hunger until your next meal. However, not all protein powders are created equal, and there are a few things to consider before you choose one.

The two most common categories are plant and whey protein powders—the former is usually derived from peas, hemp, and soy, while whey is a byproduct of milk/cheese production. Dietitian Marie Spano, MS, RD, CSCS, CSSD, says both are comparable, as long as you go with a plant product that is high in leucine.

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

Beyond that, you should be looking at the nutrition information on each product, because the amount of protein and calories per serving varies across different brands. Spano says there are some ingredients that should be avoided: “I don’t like seeing caffeine unless it’s disclosed clearly on the front of the label, or  glutamine, taurine, creatine, glycine [in protein powder],” she told us, explaining that these ingredients can dilute the quality. “If a protein powder contains this, it has been spiked with amino acids to artificially ramp up the testing for protein.”

In the gallery ahead, we’re spotlighting the highest quality vegan, whey, and organic formulas, breaking down which have the lowest calories and the highest protein content. Keep clicking!

If you love oysters, you probably don’t care too much which coast they come from, but the differences between taste, flavor and texture on can be vastly different–and it’s important to know what you’re ordering, though most good restaurants will guide you.

“The main difference is the salinity,” says Chris Meenan, Executive Chef, Blue Water Grill. “East Coast oysters are saltier than West Coast oysters. The Atlantic Ocean and East Coast estuaries have saltier water. On the East Coast, the oysters get saltier the farther south you move. Cold water changes an oyster’s metabolism and creates a sweeter, crisper flesh. West Coast oysters generally have smaller, deeper cups due to the different species.”

Adding  to that, Jon Frazier, Associate Director at Bar SixtyFive at Rainbow Room says, “Due to the different ocean conditions, West Coast oysters have a scalloped or serrated shell edge, whereas East Coast oysters have a smooth edge. West Coast oysters are generally smaller in diameter, but are plumper and have a creamier, vegetable-like flavor with a low salinity. East Coast oysters tend to be larger in diameter, but are thinner and have a crispy, oceanic finish.”

Ready to feast on oysters all summer long? Click through our gallery above to see the best restaurants to get your fix on both coasts.

Foodies, rejoice! The #HotGirlsEatingPizza movement is in full effect, and we couldn’t be more excited to show off our love for the stuff (and, you know, eating in general). After a long day, all we usually want to do is curl up on the couch with the TV remote in one hand and a slice of cheesy goodness in the other. And while this doesn’t happen as often as I’d like, I’ll be the first to admit that not only do I plan my weekends around brunch, I even wake up thinking about bae (as in, bacon and eggs, of course).

MORE: The 50 Best Shopping Sites for Girls on a Budget

As a foodie who loves fashion, I couldn’t contain my excitement when I recently discovered Soludos’s new platform espadrilles embroidered with Popsicles, my favorite summer snack. And since I know I’m not the only one with #EEEEEATS on the brain, I’ve rounded up the best food-themed clothes and accessories from around the web—calories not included.

Fresh fruits, fried foods, and frozen treats—there’s something to satisfy every craving. In the slideshow, shop 40 under-$100 styles that look good enough to eat. (But, uh, don’t try to—k?)

MORE: How to Kill It in the Junior Department: 30 ‘Teen’ Pieces You Can Definitely Wear

We all know we should be snacking on a superfood-packed smoothie or a homemade protein ball between meals, but sometimes it’s just too damn easy to grab that economy-sized bag of chips at the checkout.

However, before you reach for something filled with preservatives and sugar and laden with hidden calories, consider this list of the healthiest, super-easy snack foods you can snag next time you’re at Whole Foods and store at the office, house, or in your bag.

As an Australian living in New York, I often have to defend my home country’s cuisine—like Tim Tams, vegemite, lamingtons, meat pies—from Americans obsessed with Doritos and Gushers. Lately, I’ve come under attack from British expats too, who think their homegrown snack foods with bizarre names like “Hobnobs” and “Hula Hoops” are even better.

Unlike your American favorites, these snacks can’t be bought at your local Trader Joe’s; instead, fans need to seek out local specialty stores or pay a bit of a premium and order online through Amazon. Even so, I was intrigued and so tried a bunch of Britain’s best foods to whittle down a list of the very best that you absolutely need to have in your life. Disclaimer: We don’t recommend reading any further on an empty stomach, you’ve been warned.

Tom Medvedich

Hobnobs

“Just a fabulous biscuit” is how my (very) English friend explained Hobnobs to me, adding that you “dunk them in your cuppa,” which means you should eat them with tea. Ingredients include flour, sugar, butter, and oats, so they’re kind of similar to a regular oatmeal cookie, but crunchier.

Tom Medvedich

Penguin Biscuits

Allegedly McVitie’s Penguin Biscuits are what inspired Australia’s Tim Tams, but the latter is clearly the new and improved version. In saying that, these milk chocolate-coated rectangular cookies are delicious. They come individually wrapped, making them perfect for snacking.

Tom Medvedich

Sausage Rolls

“What is this terrifying savory pastry?” I hear you ask. It’s sausage wrapped in fluffy, buttery pastry and served either hot after baking in the oven or cold. Sounds incredible, right? This British lunch or snack food (also popular in Australia, FYI) can be bought fresh at bakeries or frozen in supermarkets. So much better than America’s questionable pig-in-a-blanket iteration, just saying.

Tom Medvedich

Jaffa Cakes

My British friends rave about Jaffa Cakes—apparently they’re everything. Personally, I was horrified while taste-testing to discover Jaffa Cakes are SOFT, not crunchy, which made the treat taste stale. Upon first inspection, they look like a crunchy chocolate cookie, but they are not. A shocking, disappointing experience all around for me personally, but somehow these were still a hit with others in the office.

Tom Medvedich

Walkers Salt & Vinegar Crisps

When a friend from London told me she could easily put away six small packets of Walker’s chips, I was intrigued. And I have to say, as far as salt and vinegar “potato crisps” go, this brand is good—the vinegar flavor is intense, and probably a little overpowering if you’re normally a barbecue or sour cream and onion kind of girl.

Tom Medvedich

Border Light and Buttery Viennese Whirls

Buttery, light, crumbly—these Viennese Whirls are amazing, but damn addictive. Just don’t check the calorie content, and you’ll be fine.

MORE: 12 Australian Foods You Need in Your Life

Tom Medvedich

Scones

The difference between an American biscuit and a British scone is that the latter doesn’t taste quite as buttery—but that’s only because you’re supposed to lather the spread on afterward, along with some jam or marmalade. Serve with tea, obviously.

Tom Medvedich

Cadbury Fingers

Britain is the birthplace of not only Shakespeare and Benedict Cumberbatch, but also Cadbury chocolate, and one of the company’s most loved products since the 1950s has been this fingerlike biscuit. More than 1 billion of these are eaten in the UK every year—so, 36 every single second!

Tom Medvedich

Ginger Nuts

The McVitie’s Ginger Nut biscuit—not cookie—is a ginger-flavored snack that you can easily make yourself at home with a little molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Or, just order the pre-prepared version online from Britain.

Tom Medvedich

Guinness Crisps

If you only try one snack on this list, make it Guinness Crisps—not chips, got it? This was a crowd-pleaser with the whole STYLECASTER office, and my favorite British snack on the list. They’re your basic potato chip—a little crunchier and more oily than most, perhaps.

Tom Medvedich

Hula Hoops

These salty, small crisp-like treats taste—and look—a lot like Bugles. They’re savory and addictive, and even in a world where you can buy double-choc chip cookies and chips in every flavor imaginable, these snacks hold up.

Tom Medvedich

Crawford’s Custard Creams

Sickly sweet, but in a good way, Crawford’s Custard Creams follow your classic cookie formula of sugar and flour.

Let us be first to say that, yes, we’re absolutely aware of the sheer absurdity that comes with finding ways to celebrate every marketing ploy “national day” under the sun, but today happens to be National French Fry Day, so yeah.

We don’t eff around when it comes to our fries, which is why we’re always on the hunt for new ways to make everyone’s favorite side. And as much as we love classic varieties (holla, McDonalds), there’s something to be said for jazzing up your FFs with elevated, often unlikely ingredients. (Spoiler alert: Some are even healthy.)

Here, we’ve done you a favor and rounded up the 15 most enticing gourmet french fry recipes we’ve come across.

For some reason, corn on the cob is one of the three recipes I’ve managed to master in my 26 years of life— eight of which have been spent living independently and cooking for myself. The other two are chicken salad and stir-fry, but I digress. And while, yes, throwing corn into a pot of boiling water or on the grill and adding tons of butter is easy enough, it does grow kind of old after a while—and it seems such a waste, considering there are dozens of different ways to prepare this humble classic. In fact, in the slideshow ahead you’ll find a few of the best—from salads to burrito bowl-inspired dishes, and more—tasty (and not boring) ways to cook with corn. Keep clicking!

MORE: 25 Easy, Filling Dinner Recipes Under 500 Calories

My love for pasta—and, to be honest, all carb-heavy foods, is bittersweet. Because while one recent study found that eating pasta won’t make you gain dramatic amounts of weight, my own personal experience suggests otherwise. As a compromise, I’ll often switch out the starchy base for zucchini noodles–one cup comes to about 20 calories, compared with about 220 calories in one cup of pasta.

MORE: 25 Easy, Filling Dinner Recipes Under 500 Calories

The easiest way to make zucchini pasta is using a spiralizer (you’ll see some options to shop above), but you can also make ’em using a vegetable peeler. Just cut lengthwise down the zucchini using the peeler, stopping when you reach the seeds, then slice the zucchini into thinner strips until it resembles spaghetti. From here, you can either follow one of the 18 amazing recipes in the slideshow ahead, or keep it simple and cook in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat for one minute. Then, add some water and cook for another five minutes, or until your #zoodles are soft. Enjoy!

To some people, carbs are the devil, a fact I’ve been aware of since the late-’90s, when my parents decided to get into a newfangled way of eating called The Atkin’s Diet. Our bathroom was soon taken over by ketosis sticks, our fridge stocked with sliced turkey and deli-counter cheese, our proverbial bread basket barren.

At the time, the high-fat, no-carb plan was a fad—a permission slip to eat naked bacon cheeseburgers for every meal. The diet has since revised itself a bit, but its principles aren’t junk science: Research has shown that people on a low-carb diet reduced certain risk factors for heart disease and lost nearly three times as much weight as those on a low-fat diet.

MORE: 50 Healthy Habits Every Girl Should Have

I can attest: Every time I need to drop a few pounds, I simply axe carbs from my diet and I’m good as gold. Now, I’m aware not all types are created equal—there are “good” carbs (whole grains, fruit, legumes) and there are “bad” carbs (white flour, refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, a huge glorious plate of salty french fries with a vat of sweet ketchup). The big difference: Bad carbs don’t offer much in the way of nutritional value and tend to be digested so quickly that they can cause our blood sugar to spike, leading weight gain and other pretty serious health problems.

MORE: 10 ‘Healthy’ Foods That Can Make You Fat 

However, while good carbs are excellent for your overall health, studies have shown that making some adjustments to your overall intake can be extremely effective. That’s not to say you shouldn’t ever eat a piece of fruit or a bowl of brown rice, but making smart swaps can result in weight loss and improvements to your body.

Below, 25 low-carb dinner recipes to make on repeat. You won’t even miss the rice.

Celebrity photos are a form of people-watching at its finest (or lowest, depending on whom you ask). And while paparazzi shots in Us Weekly or in a star’s Insta feed are usually as blatantly staged as red-carpet snaps, seeing photos of famous people doing the mundane shit we all do all day, every day—walking their dog, running errands, or housing a cheeseburger—is undeniably compelling.

MORE: Proof Taylor Swift Changes Her Style According to Boyfriend

To prove it, we dare you not to click through all 25 photos of celebrities eating junk food. See who eats what, from hot dogs to fried dough—and try to resist the urge to hashtag each one with #YouDidNotEatThat.

MORE: 20 Unconventionally Hot Men Who Are Sexy As Hell

Josh Dickinson/STYLECASTER

There are plenty of valid (or at least understandable) reasons to want to move to Canada right now: There’s the foxy prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who seems to spend his off-hours wandering around shirtless, crashing weddings and hiking trips; Drake’s been doing a damn good job as the unofficial ambassador of The Six (Toronto, that is); and America’s current political climate is like something out of “The Day After Tomorrow.” I get it—I really do.

One case for relocating that doesn’t get quite enough credit, however—at least as far as this Canadian expat is concerned—is the cuisine. Not the Michelin-star kind (although we have that, too), but rather the kind you pick up at a gas station, grocery-store junk-food aisle, or the checkout line at your local Shoppers Drug Mart (think Walgreens, but friendlier).

So, on a quest to bring back some of the delicacies of the North—and foist a few of them on my coworkers—I took a cue from our recent hunger-inducing deep-dives into the worlds of British and Australian snack foods and rounded up 12 essential Canadian candies, chocolate bars, chips, and more.

Josh Dickinson/STYLECASTER

Smarties

Not to be confused with American Smarties—the rolls of sugar tablets known in Canada as Rockets—these colorful chocolate candies bear some resemblance to M&Ms, but with a thicker, crispier candy shell, larger size, and, unsurprisingly for a Commonwealth country, British heritage. Introduced in 1937 and still sold around the world—with the exception of the States—Nestlé’s Smarties have long been a favo(u)rite of trick-or-treaters, candy purists, and anyone who likes to play with their food. (As the classic jingle goes, “Do you eat the red ones last?”) They aren’t precisely the same as the kind you’d buy in the UK (across the pond, the orange Smarties have orange flavoring, for one), but they’re pretty close.

Josh Dickinson/STYLECASTER

All-Dressed Chips

It still boggles my mind that much of America will never know the joy of all-dressed. With the kick of barbecue, the tang of sour cream and onion, and the addictive acidity of salt and vinegar, they have everything you could possibly want in a potato chip—and while that sounds like a lot going on, I’ve yet to meet someone who isn’t pleasantly surprised when they first try them. One thing to note, though: You must opt for Ruffles if you’re getting all-dressed. Don’t ask me why; just do it—you won’t regret it.

Josh Dickinson/STYLECASTER

Poutine

Ah, poutine: the most quintessential of Canadian snack foods. Best enjoyed after a long day of skiing or an even longer night of Fireball shots (another Great Canadian Invention—you’re welcome, college students), the dish features french fries smothered in melted cheese curds smothered in brown gravy. And while Canada’s poutine consumption may seem like one of those stereotypes that’s exaggerated for humorous effect, like that whole oot and aboot thing, I recently went to a music festival in Ontario and counted at least 12 different food carts serving the national delicacy. So, yeah, we like it a lot. (Just don’t talk about calories while you’re eating it, capiche?) In New York and New Jersey, I’ve seen similar dishes referred to as “disco fries,” but don’t be fooled: these are usually just cheese fries with some gravy on top—and American cheese definitely has no place in poutine. No offense, just relaying the facts.

The poutine above was purchased from Mile End Deli, a Montreal-style delicatessen with three locations in NYC. It also offers a version with smoked meat, as well as a series of chef-designed variations during its biannual Poutine Week (chilaquiles poutine, anyone?) I suggest bringing along a friend or five if you plan on ordering any of these.

Josh Dickinson/STYLECASTER

Montreal Bagels

Let’s get this out of the way (even though they might yank my New York City resident card for saying it): Montreal-style bagels are the best bagels, hands down. They’re chewier, denser, and less doughy than the NY version, as well as slightly sweeter—in a good way, I swear—thanks to the honey-sweetened water they’re boiled in before baking. A fresh Montreal bagel is just as satisfying on its own as it is topped with a schmear and some Nova Scotia lox, and thanks to its smaller size, you probably won’t even need a nap immediately after eating one. Technically, the bagel above is a hybrid, concocted by the folks at Black Seed Bagels in the East Village (the proximity to which may or may not have come into play when choosing my current apartment)—and the crisp exterior is a result of the wood-fired oven the bagels are finished in.

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Coffee Crisp

This is one of the most popular chocolate bars in Canada, and while it’s available at just about any gas station or corner store, there’s something slightly sophisticated about it: The crispy wafers and milk-chocolate coating have the effect of an elevated Kit Kat bar, but the layers of coffee-flavored cream take it to a whole new level, especially for anyone with a caffeine craving. Back in 2006, a group of Americans successfully petitioned Nestlé to distribute Coffee Crisp throughout the US, but the marketing push wasn’t as successful as they hoped, so now fans have to get their fix via Amazon, which sells 10-packs for $23.40 a pop.

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Swedish Berries

Like Swedish Fish but so much better, these little guys prove that shape can and totally does have an impact on taste (the same theory that most cereal and gummy manufacturers probably rely on). The pillowiness of the berries makes them less chewy and more snackable than their aquatic counterpart, and my coworkers backed me up on their deliciousness.

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Maltesers

Maltesers are probably the only chocolate snack I’d consider as an alternative to movie popcorn. The fizz of the malted honeycomb center is addictive in the way that popcorn is addictive, with a bit of action in each bite. Most of my American colleagues pointed out the resemblance to Whoppers, Hershey’s “original” malted milk ball (whatever, guys), although they also said they preferred the lightness of the Canadian version. If you really want to compare and contrast, some dude on YouTube has done some serious investigation into the topic, complete with malt-ball dissection, taste-testing, and ingredient-inspection. (His verdict? “They’re totally different.” High five!)

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Ketchup Chips

I may have been the only kid in my elementary-school class that didn’t go nuts for this flavor, so I was a little wary at first of tasting it again as an adult. They’re better than I remember, though, with a pleasant complexity and a hint of cinnamon that’s mysteriously nowhere to be found on the label. Decidedly more divisive than all-dressed among an international audience, ketchup chips will probably never be as beloved as their namesake sauce south of the border, but they’re popular enough among Canucks that I’m sure at least some Americans would find they’re love at first bite.

MORE: 12 Cult-Hit Australian Snack Foods Missing from Your Life

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Aero

I’m not going to lie: I’m a little weirded out by the bubble-shaped bar above, since the Aero of my childhood came in rectangular segments—more like a Kit Kat, say. I suppose the redesign makes sense, though, considering bubbles are really Aero’s thing. The bar’s slogan is “Feel the bubbles,” and the ad campaigns always featured some chocolate rube (a parent or teacher, usually) experiencing the sensation of the chocolate melting in their mouth for the first time. In truth, it isn’t that dramatic, but the airy, bubble-filled center does ensure an enjoyable, no-frills experience. The candy bar has spawned many elaborate treats over the years—Aero mousse, caramel Aero, Aero instant hot chocolate—but the only ones I can really advocate for are the mint and chocolate-orange versions. Can’t go wrong there.

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Hickory Sticks

Mmmm, smoky. I’m not sure who decided to take the concept of potato chips and make them into teeny-tiny strips, but I’m very glad they did. Hickory Sticks were my go-to growing up, not least because they took about three times as long to finish as a bag of regular chips, ensuring you’d still be snacking long after your friends had finished their Lays (#snackhacks) The hickory flavor holds up as a grown-up, too—and even though I can see words like monosodium glutamate and corn maltodextrin on the label, the discernible potato taste makes these seem somewhat healthier. Who knows.

MORE: The 7 Canadian Fashion Brands You Need to Have on Your Radar

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Crispy Crunch

These are along the lines of a Butterfinger, but thinner, crispier, and ever so slightly peanuttier, with a chewy candy coating surrounding the flaky center. Hella sweet, if you’re into that kind of thing. (And I didn’t find anyone complaining.)

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Caramilk

Delicious pockets of gooey caramel encased in milk chocolate—what more is there to say? Well, you might be surprised to hear that how Cadbury gets the caramel inside the chocolate pockets is, in fact, one of Canada’s greatest mysteries (or at least one of its greatest marketing campaigns, since the company has been running campaigns about the “secret” for more than 40 years). I’ve heard rumors of freezing, injecting, enzymes, and specially designed molds—but no need to overthink it: All you really need to know is it tastes like little squares of heaven.

Not to be too alarmist or anything, but if you’re a regular consumer of Caesar salads, you’ll want to read this. A new study by researchers at Purdue University shows that listeria (the bacteria you’ve been reading about in all kinds of recent food recalls) can live inside the tissue of romaine lettuce in every stage of the plant growth process — and survive after the conventional post-harvest sanitation process. Noooo.

Researchers from Purdue’s Department of Food Science, led by Amanda Deering, found that exposing lettuce to the bacteria could lead to infection of plant tissue in as little as 30 minutes. They also showed that the bacteria, which likely gets into the plant through small tears in the roots when romaine first begins to grow, could thrive up to 60 days or longer in its leaves.

MORE: 50 Easy Summer Salads That Aren’t Epically Boring

Listeria is something you might usually associate with meats like salami and hot dogs, but this recent research joins other findings that listeriosis — the disease associated with the bacteria — can also be caused by contamination of celery, cantaloupe, sprouts and apples. When you consider that about 1,600 people get listeriosis every year, and roughly 260 die, it’s a good thing these researchers decided to examine just how at risk our beloved romaine is.

So how do you know if you’ve got listeriosis? Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhea. And they can be sneaky, not appearing until up to two months after consumption. But it’s pregnant women — where infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or premature delivery — newborns, adults over 65 and people with weakened immune systems that really need to be on high alert, especially if they experience more severe symptoms, which can ultimately lead to death. For these vulnerable populations, Deering suggests opting for produce that is either canned or cooked. Yeah, no fun at all — sorry, guys.

MORE: Why We Hate Certain Foods—and the One Thing Our Editors Will NEVER Eat

The silver lining is that researchers at places like Purdue’s Center for Food Safety Engineering are using this (scary) intel to inform future efforts to prevent food contamination before it’s harvested, since by that point, there’s only so much that can be done to sanitize the crops. Yep, that means even the most thorough lettuce-rinsers among us could be at risk of consuming contaminated romaine, if you’re unlucky enough to pick some up. We’re not saying you shouldn’t eat Caesar salads anymore — just be aware of who you serve it to at dinner, how often you eat it and in the unlikely event that you experience mysterious symptoms, don’t forget that this sneaky culprit could be at play.

To call Chrissy Teigen a foodie is probably an understatement. The 31-year-old has guest judged on “Top Chef.” She’s the author of a bestselling cookbook, Cravings. And she is a certified food Instagrammer—at least in our hearts. Teigen lives and breathes food—and we live vicariously through her scrumptious Instagram feed.

MORE: 12 Times Chrissy Teigen Was #MomGoals

It seems like each day, Chrissy posts something to ogle over. Whether it’s a bowl of homemade pho or her daughter’s hand-decorated birthday cake, Chrissy’s always making our stomachs growl. Take a look at her 40 most mouthwatering Inta-dishes. (Warning: Viewing this gallery might result in hangriness.)

Chrissy Teigen loves food—clearly, considering she has a bestselling cookbook, Cravings, and posts her recipes on Instagram about every other second. But even she has foods she can’t stand. And no, she’s not talking about brussels sprouts or anchovies, but rather, the super-photogenic Instagram foods that look cool online, but taste like shit IRL.

MORE: 40 Times Chrissy Teigen Made Our Mouths Water on Instagram

Specifically, Teigen, 31, hates the highly Instagrammable—but arguably obnoxious—unicorn food trend. (Starbucks lovers, you know the one.) Though the saccharine, splashy fad has exploded on social media, Teigen wouldn’t be caught dead slurping a unicorn Frappuccino or digging into a dish with more colors than the rainbow.

“The unicorn burrito with cotton candy? That’s not a burrito. That’s a tortilla filled with cotton candy and jelly on it,” she recently told People. “I’m just not understanding a lot of things in the food world and I feel like it’s all about the Instagram now.”

Teigen’s suggestion for dishes that’ll reel in the likes: Good old-fashioned food that looks good and tastes better. “I mean, I’m old school in the way where I’m like just serve good food and people will come to it,” she said. “Now everyone feels like they need a gimmick and you really don’t—just make good, hearty beautiful food.”

MORE: Chrissy Teigen Just Dyed Her Hair the Prettiest Strawberry Blonde

However, the “Lip Sync Battle” co-host does have one dish that she thinks deserves more attention, though it’s probably not one that you’ll expect. “I do feel like meat pies haven’t taken off enough in the United States,”she said. “Everywhere else they appreciate a good meat pie, like at the gas station you get a meat pie. They’re so easy to hold, so delicious. Ugh, I love them.”

There you have it, folks. The Queen of the Internet has blessed us with our next food trend—meat pies. Just don’t go getting any ideas about topping your meat pies with cotton candy or rainbow sprinkles. If the unicorn food fad was already getting stale, Teigen’s officially just killed it.

Next time your appetite gets a pot-induced boost, skip the greasy Seamless order and make like a high-functioning cook (see what I did there?). Whether you like to mess around in the kitchen while you’re blazed—or prefer to make and then bake (probably a slightly safer idea), there’s a recipe out there for you.

MORE: 30 Hanger-Slaying Low-Carb Snacks

As for what makes an ideal stoner snack? Think fresh flavors, interesting textures, and ingredients that aren’t too heavy because, well, empty calories.

Here, I found 15 ridiculously easy-to-make mini-meals that meet those requirements—a good thing, since I doubt you’ll be stopping after a few bites.

Originally published March 2016. Updated September 2017.

Winter can be tolerable if you’re dealing with the excitement of pre-holidays, when the crisp chill in the air is still a novelty and you don’t feel like you’re trapped indoors like the Torrance family in “The Shining.”

That all changes in the New Year, when the reality sets in that we’ve still got months of this to go, which makes meal planning and shopping feel like a Herculean task. Fear not!

MORE: 29 Copycat Recipes That Are Tastier than the Original

Thanks to the handy little invention known as the slow cooker (or Crock-Pot, depending on what part of the country you’re in), you can literally dump a bunch of ingredients in it, set it, and come back hours later to a delicious, warming meal that helps you counter the chill.

While this doesn’t make winter any less cold or long, it certainly makes it more delicious. We’ve rounded up 30 easy, hearty recipes that anyone can master.

A version of this article originally appeared in January 2016.