Friday Food Finds: Quark, Boozy Kombucha, Korean Barbecue Jerky, and More!

T.G.I.F.! We’re not sure what’s in the summer air, but this week had us tired, stressed, and hangry. To quell the latter, we were relieved to find a delicious selection of new food products to sample on our Taylor Strecker Show Chub Chub Chowdown segment. From breakfast foods to bubbly bevs, here are our unfiltered thoughts and opinions on this week’s lineup.

Kyla Hard Kombucha (Mandarin Ginger)

All kombucha naturally contains a small amount of alcohol (thanks to the fermentation process), but we are screaming (in a good way) about this variety’s 4.5 percent ABV and all-around deliciousness. In fact, making cocktails with healthy mixers is pretty much our new favorite thing. They cancel each other out and it’s all math/science, right? Right. At least that’s what makes us sleep at night. Or maybe that’s just the vodka.

Chef’s Cut Korean Barbecue Chicken Jerky

Jerky can be judged in two categories: taste and texture. This Korean Barbecue variety more than delivers on both criteria, offering a soft, sweet, and salty snack that’s jam-packed with protein. If being jerky-obsessed makes us cavemen, then bring on the stone club, dinosaurs, and tooth-adorned jewelry so we can yabba-dabba-do our way to the grocery store for more jerky.

Wünder Quark

Who’d a thunk that warming sour milk could produce a breakfast food that rivals Greek yogurt, both in taste and nutrition? Wünder, clearly, and they’ve introduced flavors like matcha and coffee that you just don’t see in many dairy sections. This is a brand to get on your radar because we imagine they have more innovative creations curdling as we speak.

Siggi’s Simple Sides

We’re huge fans of Siggi’s signature skyr, especially its tart and creamy bite, but we’re not entirely sure we love the flavor combinations of its new Simple Sides line. First and foremost, they are super late to the game, conceptually speaking. Pairing yogurt isn’t novel, and while we appreciate their more health-forward toppings like cacao nibs, figs, and walnuts, they seem like more of an afterthought than a star. We’ll pass on these, for now, but will forever keep their standard lemon variety in our breakfast line-up. It’s a fav.

Straight Up Tea

It’s typically impossible to find bottled teas that don’t possess the faint aftertaste of preservatives, but these teas (in sweet, sorta sweet, and unsweetened flavors) are quite refreshing and can be catered around any dietary preferences. That being said, it’s also just tea, which isn’t the most exciting thing on earth.

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9 Recipes That Imitate or Include Your Favorite Convenience Store Snacks

Nothing conjures up the happy memory of your latest road trip quite like the taste of some overly dehydrated beef jerky coupled with a bag of chili picante corn nuts and so much sugar-free Red Bull you’re convinced your heart might explode. And sometimes—and hey we’ve all been there—you just need a bag of Funyuns and a handful of those delightful sweet and sour peach rings to take the edge off after a bad day. No judgement.  No matter what your gas station snack vice may be, here are nine recipes that are sure to satisfy any craving.

Crunchy Corn Nuts

Fa’s Kitchen

Corn nuts are a perennially popular road trip classic and this five minute crunchy corn nut recipe is sure to satiate any craving. The ingredients list is fairly minimal; all you need to do is pick up some frozen fresh kernel corn and slap a bit of garlic powder, chili powder, and black pepper on top and you’ll end up with a delicious corn nut snack in no time. Bonus points if you get a little creative with the seasoning and create your own corn nut flavor.

Frito Pie

Another classic gas station favorite, Fritos are actually pretty versatile when it comes to getting creative in the kitchen. One of the best recipes available on the interwebs is this southern spin on Frito Pie. Granted this does require a bit of legwork, between marinating and sautéing the ground beef (you can also sub out the meat with whatever protein you desire) but the end result is well worth the effort.

The Swedish Fishbowl

Confessions of Cookbook Queen

Ah, Swedish Fish. As delightful and cute as they are delicious, this classic snack looks great swimming around the bottom of a Jell-O shot. That’s right, it’s like a little sweet and chewy surprise at the end that you never knew you’d love. This Fishbowl Jell-O Shot recipe calls for blue Jell-O mix (although you can easily use any flavor under the giant Jell-O rainbow). If you want to take your Swedish fishbowl to the next level and add another convenience store favorite to the mix, sprinkle in some Nerds candy in the bottom to this glorious effect. You’re welcome.

FunYuns, Man

Mom Does Reviews

Funyuns are not only fundamental to life, they are easily one of the most versatile convenience store snacks ever created. Because of the rich onion-y flavor, you can easily coat any raw chicken dish with pulsated FunYuns like this one or add Funyuns to the top of a casserole or even pizza if you’re craving a little extra crunch factor.

Vietnamese Papaya & Beef Jerky

Hungry Huy

Let’s be honest, beef jerky is pretty much the penultimate convenience store snack. There’s something about that hard and chewy textured coupled with the high salt and sodium content that just makes you want to come back for more. Sadly, we don’t see nearly enough of this dehydrated beef on menus. However, this Vietnamese Papaya Salsa recipe gives us the hope that that could change one day.

Taquito Apple Pie

As anyone who abides by the philosophy that gas station taquitos are life will agree, there’s no right or wrong way to get your taquito fix on any given day. They are simply delicious. If you’re looking to spice things up a bit, and maybe take your love for taquitos to the next level, check out this recipe which combines not one but two convenience store favorites into one. Introducing the Taquito Apple Pie. You read that right: Taquito. Apple. Pie. It’s a sweet and creative twist on a gas station classic and it’s pretty exciting.

No-Bake Rice Krispy Cheesecake

The Domestic Rebel

There’s really no wrong way to eat Rice Krispy Treats and this take on a no-bake Rice Krispy Treat Cheesecake is certainly no exception. Speaking of cheesecake, animal cookies are another popular gas station classic and this Frosted Animal Cookie Cheesecake recipe is not only beautiful but adorable to boot.

Taco Pop Tart

You have to be a bit of a masochist if you’re still buying hot pockets and Pop Tarts at the gas station. Not that either of these treats aren’t delicious, they’re just tough (read messy) to eat on the fly. But let’s face it, these delicious pieces of handheld goodness can be adapted into some delicious recipes, like this twofer of a Taco Pop Tart. This is the hybrid gas station snack you’ve been looking for.

Peach Ring Tea

Saving the best for last, peach rings will never go out of style when it comes to being the gas station snack of choice. If you want to take it to the next level, check out this Peach Ring Tea recipe which you can make at home or order off of Starbucks “secret menu.”

Related Video: Black Pepper Jerky

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How to Infuse Your Meals with Middle Eastern Flavors

If you’re tired of using the same old spices, condiments, and techniques with your food, try something new. For those not in the habit of cooking Middle Eastern recipes, now is the time to start — when you’re in a rut. You can use your familiar meats, vegetables, and starches, and simply flavor them with something different. Or consider couscous instead of rice or pasta. Try flatbread instead of rolls or a baguette. Go with lamb instead of pork and beef, and make tabouli salad instead of an arugula salad. Learn how to infuse something fresh into your repertoire, in a small or big way, whichever suits you.

The Middle East is a transcontinental region centered on Western Asia and Egypt, at the juncture of Eurasia, Africa, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean. Our definition is loose because food migrates and blends with neighboring countries and cultures. You also see these recipes in far-flung places due to historical colonialism and today, due to travel and immigration. We’re grateful food travels so well. Try some of these tips.

1. Use yogurt with everything. With so many savory applications, yogurt is much more than a vehicle for fruit at breakfast. Thin, whole milk yogurt blended with lemon juice, garlic, and fresh herbs can be drizzled over roasted beets or carrots. Labneh is a thicker strained cheese with yogurt boasting a more intense flavor. It’s good on top of hummus, served as a dip by itself with olive oil and spices on top, and spread on bread with breakfast. Smear Greek yogurt on your plate next to a salty fish. Sprinkle spices on your yogurt or spread the yogurt on your flatbread before the spices.
2. Treat lemon differently. You may usually squirt some lemon juice or sprinkle in the zest to brighten and balance your dishes, but try adding it in a new way: either preserved or charred. Lemons pickled in brine with saffron and nigella seeds are frequently used in stews, like tagine. Char lemons by placing the halves, flesh side down in a pan and cooking until you see some brown spots. The mellower, sweeter result enhances any dish calling for lemon.
3. Instead of your usual spices, try these:
   • Za’atar: It differs depending on the region, but often includes a blend of thyme, marjoram, oregano, sumac, and sesame seeds, used frequently as a garnish on pita bread.
   • Dukkah: This Egyptian toasted spice and nut blend has hazelnuts, pistachios, white sesame seeds, coriander, cumin. It’s used on pita, as a crunchy coating on chicken or fish, and sprinkled on salads when combined with sumac.
   • Ras el hanout: Translated as “best of the shop,” this refers to a sometimes slightly floral spice blend that varies in each store in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. Use it in stews, lamb, and couscous dishes. It can include cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, dry ginger, coriander, peppercorn, sweet and hot paprika, fenugreek, dry turmeric, peppers, fennel, rosebuds, and anise. Whew!
   • Baharat: Arabic for the “spices,” it usually contains hot spices (such as paprika, chiles, and black pepper), sweet spices (such as allspice, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom), warm spices (such as cumin and coriander), and resinous herbs (such as savory and mint). In North Africa, crushed dried rose petals may appear in the mix. It flavors lamb, beef dishes, and tomato sauce.
4. Don’t turn to your regular hot sauce like Frank’s Red Hot, Tabasco, a sambal, or Sriracha. Squirt some harissa instead. The North African chili pepper paste is made with sweet and hot peppers, garlic, coriander, and caraway. Get it in a jar, a tube, or make your own harissa.
5. Sprinkle on some fun extras. You’ll see pistachios, white raisins, pine nuts, and drizzles of tahini dressing on platters of meats, roasted vegetables, and salads. Really, on almost anything. Try it.
6. Include floral and fruity flavors. Rose water and orange blossom water are used primarily in candies such as Turkish delight, but also other sweets, like rice pudding, and baklava. Drizzle some into your rice pudding instead of the just usual cinnamon and raisins. Pomegranate molasses is a sweet-sour syrup that can flavor meats and poultry. Combine it with mineral water for a nice drink, puree it with walnuts and roasted red peppers to make muhammarah, and use it to make dressings and sauces.

Try some of our Middle Eastern-inspired recipes.

1. Spiced Preserved Lemons

Allspice, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, and bay leaves spice the preserve, which uses a whole lot of salt to do the preserving. You can make a nice Vegetable Tagine, Preserved Lemon and Bitters Vinaigrette, or Moroccan Charmoula Dressing with this concoction. Get our Spiced Preserved Lemons recipe.

2. Fennel, Parsley, and Celery Salad

Besides the title ingredients, there’s olives and preserved lemon rind in the mix, and then that salad dressing, the vinaigrette. So preserved lemon shows up twice in this dish. Better make the above recipe ahead of time if you’re going to make this. OK, you can also buy a jar of preserved lemon. If you want to be like that. Get our Fennel, Parsley, and Celery Salad recipe.

3. Dukkah-Crusted Salmon

Spice up simple salmon fillets with a dusting of dukkah, a Middle Eastern spice and nut mixture commonly used as a dip in Egyptian cooking. You’ll need walnut oil too. Get our Dukkah-Crusted Salmon recipe.

4. Francisco’s Manaaeesh (Flatbread with Za’atar)

Make this soft, pillowy flatbread instead of the drier, harder pita. Slather za’atar allover it plus olive oil and you will get addicted. Eat it like rolls with dinner, or as a delivery vehicle for your hummus, labneh, tahini, or other dip. Get this Francisco’s Manaaeesh (Flatbread with Za’atar) recipe.

5. Lamb Meatballs with Lemon-Cumin Yogurt

Instead of your typical beef meatballs, use ground lamb and flavor it with mint, cilantro, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon. The yogurt dip is pretty simple, and the whole thing could be made in fewer than 40 minutes. Get our Lamb Meatballs with Lemon-Cumin Yogurt recipe.

6. Shakshuka

This dreamy Tunisian-Israeli dish is a great way to make a Middle Eastern breakfast. It’s eggs baked in a zesty tomato sauce with melted onions and not-too-hot Anaheim chiles, with feta cheese. A Yemeni pesto-like condiment is drizzled on top. You need to sop it up with some bread like pita, za’atar flatbread, or sliced levain. Get our Shakshuka recipe.

7. Stuffed Eggplant with Couscous, Pistachios, and Pomegranate Seeds

Make your eggplant into a bowl, like stuffed bell peppers for this Middle Eastern, Moroccan-inspired dish. It uses that preserved lemon we mentioned earlier too. Get our Stuffed Eggplant with Couscous, Pistachios, and Pomegranate Seeds recipe.

8. Almond and Walnut Baklava

You’ll need a ton of phyllo dough, honey, sugar, nuts, and warm spices such as cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, and fennel to make this dreamy, richly sweet dessert. Get our Almond and Walnut Baklava recipe.

— Check out all our Middle Eastern food resources, from recipes and videos to articles, galleries, and Chowhound community discussions.

Related video: How to Ensure Perfectly Cooked Couscous

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If You Love S’mores, You Have the Girl Scouts to Thank

Now that it’s summertime, you’ve probably found yourself lounging by the fire pit, or maybe you’re basking in the glow of a bonfire down at the beach. No matter what open flames you’re gazing into, you’ve probably been tempted to roast a marshmallow or two. Better yet, combine them with chocolate and graham crackers for the ultimate outdoorsy treat—s’mores.

Isn’t it strange how the combination of these three basic ingredients instantly transforms into something altogether magical when united in ooey-gooey harmony? While a campfire staple now, it wasn’t always this way. After all, someone had to come up with this ingenious idea to put them all together.

Let’s start with one key ingredient: marshmallows. The concept of toasting these sugary pillows over campfires began in the late 1800s. Beach towns in the Northeast popularized the idea by hosting parties at summer resorts with the specific intent of heating up marshmallows. At the time, this idea was novel and even romantic. According to one 1892 newspaper article that recounted a roast that took place in Asbury Park, N.J., “Marshmallow roasts are an excellent medium for flirtation…appropriately exhibited by nibbling the marshmallows of each other’s sticks.” The innuendo speaks for itself.

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But who decided to add the chocolate and the graham crackers? Turns out we have the Girl Scouts to thank for that pivotal pairing. The first-ever recipe for this delightful snack can be traced back to a publication from 1927 titled “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.” The book includes lots of tips and tricks for enjoying a successful hike. But what’s hidden within its 118 pages lies one of the culinary world’s greatest gifts. Just below instructions for how to perfectly roast an apple is a recipe simply titled “Some More.” It’s directions are as simple as the result is divine:

“Toast two marshmallows over the coals to a crisp gooey state and put them inside a graham cracker and chocolate bar sandwich. The heat of the marshmallow between the halves of chocolate bar will melt the chocolate a bit. Though it tastes like ‘some more’ one is really enough.” That last part is really deceptive though. After all, you can always have s’more dessert!

The recipe is credited to Loretta Scott Crew who made the treat for her troop during a camping trip. And while the name would eventually take on an abbreviated form, we still have her to thank for popularizing an amazing and rather ingenious idea. Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised though? Girl Scouts have been ruling snacktime since 1917 with their vast array of cookie offerings, so really, it makes total sense.

If you’re looking to elevate your s’mores game beyond its humble scouting origins, there are plenty of ways to update the classic recipe. For instance, this variation adds bacon for a meaty kick. Or try giving it a fondue finish for an extra decadent twist. And if you’re just looking for other dessert options that still contain this gooey trifecta of ingredients ,try making s’mores-flavored brownies, ice cream, and this incredible icebox terrine, so you can enjoy the taste of a campfire all year long.

Related Video: 5 Gourmet S’mores

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How Did Fudge Become a Staple of Tourist Towns?

Along with the usual glut of novelty magnets, key chains, t-shirts, and shot glasses at any given tourist stop, you’ll probably also find fudge. Like salt water taffy, it’s become a staple of coastal candy shops in particular, but it’s also made its way inland, and is advertised in nearly every vacation spot in America. Why is that?

There are a few reasons, but before we get into them, let’s go over a brief history of fudge itself. It’s surprisingly mysterious, in that no one knows exactly who invented it, or when—but the oft-repeated theory is that it was the result of a mistake. The word “fudge” existed before the candy that would be so named, and since at least the early 1800s, has been used to mean nonsense or to express annoyance (its technical definition was “to fit together in a clumsy or underhand manner”).

Chowhound’s Peanut Butter Fudge

Chocolate caramels have been around since the 1860s; they were quite similar to fudge (see the recipe in this 1870 cookbook from Maryland, for instance), though not identical. Speculation says the soft, rich confection we know today may have been the result of a bungled batch of caramel, with the candy being creamy and crumbly instead of slick and chewy thanks to the unintended formation of tiny sugar crystals, perhaps from stirring one too many times. The unexpected result may have caused the candy maker to say, “Oh, fudge!”—but once they tasted it, they would have known what a happy accident it was. (Unless, of course, they did it on purpose, in which case, their original records and recipe have never been discovered. “The Oxford English Dictionary” suggests the culinary term fudge may have come from an older word “fadge,” meaning simply “to fit together,” or even “to turn out well,” which would suggest intent rather than accident, but the other story is better and more widely distributed. Incidentally, there is an Irish potato bread called fadge that has no relation or resemblance to the confection fudge—but mashed potato fudge does exist; still, it’s clearly an outlier.)

In any case, creamy chocolate fudge really took off thanks to Poughkeepsie, New York’s Vassar College, where making it was a certifiable fad. It started with student Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, who made 30 pounds of the stuff for Vassar’s senior auction of 1888. She reported getting her recipe from a classmate’s cousin who had been selling fudge in Baltimore since 1886, and this is the commonly accepted first proof of fudge, although Florida’s Gulf Coast Fudge Co. claims to make their namesake sweet from a recipe unchanged since 1837…

Regardless of where (and when) it originated, other Vassar students eagerly took up the tradition of making fudge, cooking it right over the gas lamps in their dorm rooms.

Early Vassar dorm with gas-fed table lamp (for studying and cooking fudge), via Vassar College Digital Library

Yesterdish.com chronicles how the popularity of “Vassar Fudge” spread to other colleges, and then to wider audiences throughout the country via newspaper pieces and reprinted recipes.

In short order, entrepreneurs latched onto fudge as an obvious money-maker—sweets have always sold, and fudge can be finicky to make at home (especially if you’re not using corn syrup or condensed milk for “foolproof” fudge), so it would have made sense to hawk it in various locations, but its rise in popularity happened to coincide with the emergence of American tourism.

Related Video: How to Make Mamie Eisenhower’s Chocolate Fudge

Fudge showed up everywhere there were likely to be crowds—with people on vacation apt to be feeling extra indulgent, hence more likely to buy sweets. (At the time, candy in general was considered more of a special occasion treat anyway, not something to mindlessly grab at the grocer’s, and what could be more special than a holiday?) Fudge travels remarkably well compared to more delicate chocolates, which probably also accounts for its strong showing in vacation spots and status as a classic souvenir item.

It helped that making large batches of fudge involved an element of spectacle too; massive copper kettles were used to boil the sugar and other ingredients, and then the vats of molten chocolate candy were poured out onto broad marble slabs and pushed around the surface with long-handled trowels to hasten the cooling process and shape the fudge before slicing. National Geographic describes a 1901 pamphlet written for professional confectioners, which says “people will stop to see almost anything done…especially if the performance requires some particular knowledge.”

Fresh vanilla fudge with boiling copper kettle in background, via Joann’s Fudge/Facebook

If they stopped to watch the fudge being made, they’d probably step in to buy some, too. (Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory relied on this truth to resounding success, even though they didn’t get into the game until 1981.) To increase their chances of a sale, candy shops commonly used fans to waft the intoxicating scent of sugar, butter, and chocolate outside as well, a trick that’s still employed today, if in sneakier forms.

Fudge shops were established in spots like Niagara Falls and Atlantic City, N.J. by the late 1880s, and one destination, Mackinac Island, Mich., still bills itself as not only a quaint tourist destination (the entire island is registered as a National Historic Landmark and cars are banned), but as “America’s Fudge Capital.” There’s an annual Mackinac Island Fudge Festival—from August 24-26 in 2018—and tourists there are known as “fudgies.” The oldest candy shop on the island is Murdick’s, which opened in 1887 and is still in business today, but there are plenty of other shops on Mackinac where you can pick up a sweet souvenir.

And you’ll be sure to find fudge as far afield as west coast beach towns and even in England, because it’s still considered an indulgent treat perfectly suited to vacation, but it also has old-fashioned appeal that plucks a nostalgic chord in many hearts. It hearkens back not just to other vacations but to centuries past.

So now, whether strolling down a boardwalk or exploring a historic main street from Mystic, Conn. to Port Townsend, Wash., “Oh, fudge!” is likely to be something you’ll utter with pure delight.

More Historic Sweets

Who Baked the First Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie?

What's in Salt Water Taffy? The True Story Behind the Boardwalk Treat

The History of Ice Cream Trucks and Why They're Here to Stay

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We Ranked All of Lay’s Tastes of America Chips

There are few things that genuinely excite us when it comes to the latest food products (believe us, we’ve pretty much seen it all), but when it comes to Lay’s and the introduction of a new flavor (or flavors!), you’d think Beyoncé just casually dropped into our office, unannounced, to gift us with blue diamonds that she handpicked herself.

Chips are universally beloved and there is, perhaps, no other universally-recognized chip than a classic Lay’s, fried and salted to perfection. Its creative iterations, a result of their innovative Do Us a Flavor campaigns, have sparked nationwide hysteria with consumers clamoring to try bags before they fly off the shelves.

Enter the company’s latest brilliant marketing tactic: the  Tastes of America tour, featuring geographically-inspired flavor combinations available only in the regions that produced them. (You can also order a variety pack on the Lay’s website to try them all.)

The Chowhound editorial team got their hands on all eight of the bags and ranked them from worst to best. Check out our entirely subjective thoughts below. If there’s one thing we’ve learned while doing these, it’s that nobody shares the same preferences. Ever.

8. Thai Sweet Chili

Lay’s

This probably isn’t the worst flavor on the list. In fact, it pretty much ranked middle-of-the-road for our entire team. The problem is that it wasn’t bold enough to make any sort of statement, which is a huge disappointment given its touted Thai origin. If you’re looking for the best Thai chip on the market, look no further than Kettle’s Spicy Thai variety. They are the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

7. Pimento Cheese

Lay’s

Pimento cheese is a gift from the Southern gods, but mostly because of its amazing texture play. Unfortunately, that’s difficult to capture in chip form. We realized that this chip also tastes better when eaten alone. Its taste subtleties can be easily drowned out by some of the other flavors’ powerful ingredients. That being said, you’d fare better with a cheddar and sour cream Ruffle. Perhaps dipped in pimento cheese? Mmm. So meta.

6. Chili con Queso

Lay’s

We didn’t mind these, but they weren’t unfamiliar. It tasted quite similar to the taco and nacho varieties of Lay’s chips’ past. Kudos for cutting down on the cumin, though. Any flavor with that spice is Bethenny Frankel-level aggressive (a.k.a. unwelcome).

5. Deep Dish Pizza

Lay’s

This was, perhaps, the most polarizing flavor of the bunch. You either loved it or hated it—there was no in between. Those who enjoy tomato and ketchup, this one’s for you. Those who hate anything tasting remotely artificial, you’ll need immediate access to a trash can. You’ve been forewarned.

4. New England Lobster Roll

Lay’s

The only flavor we were getting with these was butter, which means Lay’s deserves the ultimate congratulations for capturing the true taste of America.

3. Chesapeake Bay Crab Spice

Lay’s

They should just change this flavor to Old Bay Seasoning and call it a day. Granted, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with Old Bay, but the use of crab can be slightly misleading. We did, however, pick up some lemon notes, which took them from generic and predictable to interesting and slightly complex.

2. Fried Pickles with Ranch

Lay’s

You can’t go wrong pickle-flavored anything. These were definitely more subdued (because of the ranch addition), but still packed that dill punch we so frequently crave. If you’re pregnant, you’ll want these on stand-by.

1. Cajun Spice

Lay’s

Honestly, we’re surprised something so simple came out on top, but you can nosh on a bag and never get sick of them which, by chip-eating standards, makes them absolutely perfect.

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A Top Chef’s Tips for Keeping It Healthy While Traveling

People often think of chefs as tied to their kitchens. Thanks to the elevated status of chefs these days, many of us spend more time traveling for TV show and cookbook appearances than we spend in the kitchen, especially in the summer. Anyone who has traveled for work or pleasure knows how difficult it can be to stick to a healthy routine when you’re constantly on the go. But when your cookbook is called Sweet & Skinny, shirking your exercise routine and grabbing a slice of pizza whenever hunger strikes, is not an option! Luckily, I’ve developed some simple traveling tricks to keep my healthy routine running, even when I’m traveling the globe. These simple solutions will help you stick to your workout, and make healthy choices, no matter where you are.

1. Plan ahead

Whether you’re heading out for work or pleasure, utilize the internet to research dining and fitness options close to your hotel. Check to see if the hotel has a gym on the premises or nearby. Search for healthy food options near your hotel. Getting this information ahead of time will help familiarize you with the area. So when your boss calls for a lunch break, or your 5 year old announces “I’m hungry,” you won’t lose valuable time trying to come up with a last minute solution that doesn’t involve fast-food.

2. Pack healthy snacks

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Making sure you get in three meals a day can be difficult when you’re traveling. But eating well will help to keep your energy levels, and your immune system, up and running. Plus, skipping meals is also one of the easiest ways to start making poor food choices, like grabbing that $8 slice of airport pizza. To help make sure you don’t come up empty-handed when hunger strikes, always carry a few simple snacks. My favorite grab-and-go snacks include kale chips (trust me, they taste better than they sound), sesame flavored seaweed snacks, gourmet jerky, and granola bars. These simple snacks easily fit into a purse or carry-on bag, and are perfect for traveling. Get our Baked Kale Chips recipe.

3. Drink green tea

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Green tea causes the body to secrete more interferon, a key element in your body’s infection protection arsenal. This is vital when you’re traveling on planes, or when you’re simply feeling run down. Try to drink 20 ounces of green tea per day, when traveling. This is also a perfect way to help ensure that you stay hydrated. To avoid running around the airport last minute, searching for tea, simply bring a few tea bags with you, and ask for hot water on the plane.

4. Don’t skip your workout

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Traveling is not an excuse to skip your workout. Only 20 minutes of cardiovascular activity can burn off as many as 200 calories. It will work wonders for your heart and your mind. If you can’t get to the gym, or the hotel doesn’t have one, no problem. Hit the pavement! Whether you want to do squats and lunges, or go for a jog, there are plenty of outdoor exercises that can be enjoyed anywhere. My exercise of choice is swimming, but when I’m traveling and pressed for time, a jog (or even a brisk walk) around the city can be a great way to get in a workout and take in the sites.

5. Channel your inner clean freak

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Traveling can be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, it can also expose you to all sorts of germs. Sometimes you can do everything right to keep yourself healthy, but unless you also take care of your environment, your travel plans could be ruined if you get sick. Just think of how many times the touch screen video monitor in planes is handled by numerous passengers.  It’s a virtual petri dish. Try wiping down in-flight entertainment screens with antibacterial wipes before using them. Bring your own neck pillow. Airline pillows are often not changed between flights. You don’t want to end up sharing a pillow with the coughing, aching, and sneezing passenger that was on the flight before yours. Lastly, like we learned in school, always thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water to help ward off germs.

If you want to keep even closer tabs on your diet, our friends at Download.com have rated the 9 Best Food Tracking Apps to help you with all your health-related goals this summer. 

Related Video: How to Make 4 Easy Travel Snacks

Header image: Traveling Woman from Return of Kings

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Pressure Cooker Corn Risotto

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Blueberry Muffin in a Can?: The Sweet Success of Pastry Beers

These Frozen Yogurt Toppings Give the Most Bang for Your Buck

It’s 3:20 p.m. on a Thursday, and by the looks of things school has definitely not started up again. Kids breeze past, eagerly demanding sample cups from a t-shirted employee. They race down 30-foot long counters of bliss, eyes wide, cups half full. Large windows of sunlight, bare white walls, and blasting Top 40 make this feel like the land of endless summer.

Welcome to Toppings, Pacific Palisades, a SoCal staple with so many toppings that budgeting can be a surprising challenge.

“I wanted it to look like a nice restaurant, not a yogurt shop,” says the owner Jordin Mendelshon. He’s a former ad executive who, in order to cut through in the crowded froyo space, designed a concept more akin to “retail.” And there are certainly chic Costco vibes in here.

On this day, customers can sprinkle 126 toppings across 21 different flavors of frozen yogurt. Entering the room makes you feel like you have God-like power. There are over 3.7 million combinations you can make. I saw Tyra Banks here once.

“Stop doing that right now!” a mother commands as her son fishes for another scoop of root beer-flavored gummies. “It’s disgusting and will weigh too much.” He stops. He returns a minute later. Across the aisle, another mom says, “that’s good,” as she watches her son go for candy corn. A 20-something man reaches for mango, and then retreats, shaking his head like he just saw his life flash before his eyes.

One underlying question is shared by all: Which topping will tip the scale too far?

Nectar Frozen Yogurt Lounge/Facebook

I weighed a bunch of them to figure out. The results are a bit obvious but can help you to stay in “working range.” There’s nothing worse than being surprised by an $8.00 charge you thought would be under $5.00, only because you added a half bar of Hershey’s Cookies and Cream.

The Investigation

I weighed “scoops” of 21 common toppings. The measurements aren’t perfect by any means—but froyo, like life, is a balancing act.

• Cherries: 2.2 oz/scoop
• Boba: 2.0 oz/scoop
• Cookie Dough: 1.8 oz/scoop
• Strawberries: 1.6 oz/scoop
• Reese’s: 1.6 oz/scoop
• Gummy Bears: 1.6 oz/scoop
• Jelly Beans: 1.6 oz/scoop
• Yogurt Chips: 1.4 oz/scoop
• Candy Corn: 1.4 oz/scoop
• Skittles: 1.4 oz/scoop
• Swedish Fish: 1.4 oz/scoop
• Peanuts: 1.2 oz/scoop
• Cheesecake: 1 oz/scoop
• Oreo Shavings: 1 oz/scoop
• Graham Cracker: 1 oz/scoop
• Walnuts: 1 oz/scoop
• Chocolate Cake: 0.8 oz/scoop
• Almonds: 0.8 oz/scoop
• Smashed Peanuts: 0.8 oz/scoop
• Coconut: 0.6 oz/scoop
• Fruit Loops: 0.6 oz/scoop
• Marshmallows: 0.4 oz/scoop

The Light Winners

Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt/Facebook

Cereals

Through this experiment I was reminded that cereal is basically just cotton candy—whipped, sugary air. Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms marshmallows, and Frosted Flakes all fall under 0.6 oz./scoop.

Coconut Shavings

The Library of Congress says coconuts (like olives) are drupes—not a traditional fruit. Maybe that’s why their shaved meat doesn’t weigh as much as those of other fruits.

Chocolate Cake

When I told my sister about this experiment, she was quick to admonish cakes. Turns out, they can be a bit airy, chalking up at only 0.8 oz./scoop. Take that, sister!

Chopped Peanuts

If you want to save, look to the chopped peanuts (0.8 oz./ scoop) before a Reese’s (1.6 oz. /scoop). And if you’re really cutting corners, avoid full peanuts, which add 0.4 oz./scoop compared to the chopped variety.

Heavy Losers

Nectar Frozen Yogurt Lounge/Facebook

Cookie Dough

One of the most popular toppings is also one of the heaviest at 1.8 oz./ scoop. Makes sense—those little nuggets have to expand into cookies!

Cherries

Most everyone agrees strawberries are bad for the froyo budget (which they are), but rarely balk at cherries, which are 0.6 oz./scoop heavier.

Boba

Boba holds almost no nutritional value, which is a tough sell for something that also weighs 2 oz./scoop.

Gummy Bears

Alas, the squishy little guys pack a big punch at 1.6 oz./scoop.

Healthy Honorable Mentions

Froyo House/Facebook

Almonds

Their thin cut lightens the scale without sacrificing flavor. If you want to tighten the budget, be like Obama (rumored lover of almonds) and go for some almonds.

Crushed Graham Cracker

There are 4-7 grams of sugar in a graham cracker serving, compared to 14 grams in a single Oreo. Make your surface area worth it.

Blueberries

Consider pairing your crushed graham cracker with some blueberries and make a light, froyo blueberry pie.

Inspired Toppings to Suggest to Your Froyo Shop

Ryan Hynes

Apple Pie

Mendelshon’s favorite concoction is Apple Pie over vanilla yogurt. And yes, that’s just two desserts combined.

Potato Chips

A tribute to The Tonight Dough ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s.

Every Chocolate Bar Imaginable

Know the difference between Mars and Milky Way? Who cares! Get them both. (In the U.S., Mars has almond and Milky Way has caramel).

Pop Tarts

Untoasted, of course!

Peanut Butter Pretzels

Consider it an extra snack for your snack.

Or course, the cardinal rule of frozen yogurt is not to make too big of a deal out of it, so take these recommendations with a grain of salt(ed pretzel). When I asked Mendelshon if he weighs each and every ingredient to keep inventory, he replied simply, “As they run out, we buy more. Easy.”

It’s just froyo.

SweetSpot Frozen Yogurt/Facebook

Lastly, to the girl who I saw sneak a circus animal cookie as you walked out, and then made a “shh!” gesture at me: We’re all proud of you.

Related Video: A Short History of Frozen Desserts in America

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