I was curious as to what everyone's go-to snack was for conventions? If you're just sitting around and not really ready for a meal yet, what do you eat to get tide you over or energize you until then?
I personally go for granola bars, but they're a bit messy and not too great for eating around a convention center. Crumbs on a cosplay are not cute.
I love to bake and cook and con food is expensive, so sometimes I make a bento or bake melon pan if it's a close con and eat it there. I love melon pan, but only bake it for special occasions. Sometimes I make tofu donuts and matcha cookies.
Whatever is at the nearest convience store.
![13562696[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/CYFDYXn.jpg "13562696[1].jpg")
These bitches.
Protein+ tea and smoothies.
Each bottle is like a thousand calories so they can last all day and when you're stuck at an artist alley table they are a godsend.
>>8921411
Flapjacks and iced tea, with a few other snacks thrown in to share. I tend to take things like Pringles and Maltesers, because they're re-sealable and you can eat them without needing to use an entire pack of baby wipes to clean your fingers.
If I miss breakfast I just take a couple of oranges, a sandwich and some nuts, iced tea and/or fresh fruit juice/smoothies (stuff like Innocent is great) and eat that. It's not so light that I feel empty and not filling enough to make me want to puke or stay in my room.
If I'm meeting up with friends I make some simple weeby snacks like dango or matcha-infused whatever. I find that small cakes like Hokkaido cakes and soft biscuits are best for cons, they're easy to eat, tasty and don't go everywhere.
![logo2[1].gif](https://i.imgur.com/czOfrEv.gif "logo2[1].gif")
any one remember asian snack time?
>their online delivery site
>their cheap con snacks
I miss them so much
>>8921411
Goldfish and sweet tea. Specifically Snapple Extra Sweet if I'm up north. Goldfish fills me up and isn't so messy that I ruin my cosplay and sweet tea is sweet enough that I don't immediately jump for the nearest overpriced soda vendor.
![trail-mix-2[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/xrEK30i.jpg "trail-mix-2[1].jpg")
Sunflower seed trail mix.
>tfw you work with elementary kids in an afterschool program and they get a government-subsidised "supper" kit, but they always throw away the sunflower seeds so you swipe a few instead of landfilling them
Not easy to eat and look cute, but I'll park up in a corner and try to be inconspicuous. I also bring granola bars, but the chewy sort (no crumbs!).
>>8921582
YES. Bolthouse smoothies are a lifesaver!
Nuts (specifically almonds), granola/fiber bars, and Lance peanut butter crackers.
I sometimes have Boost protein drinks but they sometimes upset my stomach.
Starbucks also have little protein packs at some of their locations which has some healthy and easy to eat snacks (cheese, bread, grapes). I'm sure you could easily replicate it for half the price but if I'm not anywhere near a fridge or grocery store, I'll get those.
>>8921629
>chocolate in trail mix
what
>>8921582
This and pocky pretty much. I don't usually eat much at all during cons cept for in the early morning and late night lol
>>8921524
Tofu donuts??? That sounds really good.
Vegemite sammich or a steak pie nearby. For the cold days though I would bring a flask of tea
>>8921666
Where do you come from where trail mix doesn't have chocolate?
Not con food. That shit is always stupid expensive.
You should always take along stuff that's generally not messy and doesn't take a lot of effort to eat, but still provides you with a good bit of nutrients and energy to keep you going. Consider mixed nuts/trail mix and the like.
Snacks while in the room can be pretty much whatever, though I would still avoid excessive sugar.
>>8921679
There are recipes floating around, but I mix pancake mix with silken tofu. Basically keep mixing till it's malleable but not dry. Fry, use powder sugar and it tastes like funnel cake.
I go to a Korean bakery close-by to stock up on their red bean breads for my friends. It's filling and doesn't get messy.
Cons that are near Japanese supermarkets are my favorite because then I stock up on those rice balls that are impossible to open and eat those all day. My favorite flavor is salmon or tuna.
Clif bars or any of the Special K cereal bars are my go to
I like protein bars, jerky and trail mix for snacks. I'll also usually grab some pocky and maybe some other small things in the dealers room. Have the protein bars for breakfest and maybe a snack.
I also bring ramen bowls for lunch and then try to eat a good meal either friday or saturday night and usually order a pizza the other night.
>>8921940
If they are the riceballs I am thinking of, you are supposed to tear down the middle and pull on the two corners and bam, instant riceball.
My go-to are PopChips. I used to go to Costco, buy a box of 12 or 24, and fill up a drawstring bag with as many as I can. I eat a few bags a day and give bags away to friends.
Sometimes I just buy a big sandwich that I chip away at slowly all day.
>>8921794
Maybe they forgot about the kind that has candy-coated chocolates in it.
A bottle of Nakéd and usually some pretzels for munching on are good enough for me.
I don't really enjoy the taste of Pocky anymore after realizing the only flavor is in the coating.
>>8921582
I haven't tried this one yet, it sounds good.
I stay at my dad's, since it's close to the convention center, and he and I always have a cute routine.
The day before we make a big assembly line of sandwiches. We make peanut butter and honey, turkey and Swiss, and roast beef and cheddar.
Then we brew up a huge pot of espresso and put it in his giant thermos from his commuting days with sugar and cream. Helps me keep chugging along all day.
The morning of the first day we have a big egg breakfast and he sends me on my way.
It's a wonderful tradition we've established.
>>8922204
That's really sweet of your dad. He doesn't go with you to cons?
>>8922204
I love this. Cherish this, heh. Peanut butter and honey sandwiches sound delightful! I'll have to give that a shot.
Sandwich line for me. PB&J is my go to, Peanut butter and lettuce is great too. If I'm not cosplaying, ham and mustard with fixings. I'm too terrified of mustard on a costume to eat that while dressed up.
Plus a bag of baby carrots and a protein shake.
I usually stay at hotels with free breakfast so i'll do that for breakfast and eat a granola bar for lunch and then go out to eat at the end of the day. One time me and my sister actually brought this thermos that you plug in and it'll heat up so we made instant miso soup and had that for lunch. An idea i've always wanted to do but never gotten around to is i have a taiyaki pan and I want to make a bunch of taiyaki. I usually put red bean paste or nutella in them but i've been meaning to try some more savory recipes like cheese and spinach.
Cereal bars, dried fruits, and I always try to bake something to share with my friends, like cookies or brownies. I've also found that offering food to someone is a good ice-breaker.
Also, applesauce in a squeeze container is a staple for cosplayers around here since they have a low stain risk.
Stress, even good stress like cons makes my stomach so uneasy, I can't eat except at night once everything starts winding down. But I carry around glucose tablets because low blood sugar is NOT fun. If you're like me, look into those, they are godsends.
Every night though, steak and shake. I never ate it until my friends made it a con tradition, haha.
Right before a con I always go to Krogers and buy protein/granola bars and those gallon jugs of water on their 10/$10 sale. I think it's the best way to stock up on food and water for cheap. I just throw the bars in my bag and fill up a water bottle or two before I leave in the morning with the jug of water.
Luna bars for the win. I usually keep them on me anyways because I have blood sugar issues, but they area great for a quick bite when you realize you have been so busy with con you havent eaten all day. And if its a con I get to drive to I usually bring some home baked goods and non perishable groceries.
I usually stock up on Pocky, my shrimp flavored chips (pic related), dried fruit strips, swedish fish, mostly sugar shit, water and Those powdered drinks where you add them into the water bottle and shake it up
>>8922957
What the shit. How are you alive?
>>8922957
This is the reply I was expecting.
Mandarins and a few rice krispy treats.
Sometimes I take a few protein bars
Whatever's close to the con, though hardly ever con food since it's usually pretty disgusting and smells even worse than it tastes. How often and much I do eat tends to depend on my meds though...
>>8922808
Call me paranoid but I wouldn't accept food from some stranger especially at a con. Too many things can happen.
>>8923181
>depend on my meds though...
what are you anorexic?
>>8923297
Well, it's not wrong to be wary. I guess people accept because I look pretty harmless, tend to be eating some of my cookies too, and am kind of starting to have a reputation as "that cosplayer who always brings food to cons and contests". Maybe people are more trusting here too ?
>>8923334
>manning my first AA booth ever
>forgot to bring food
>hungry as fuck
>suddenly some dude is passing out companion cube cookies to everyone nearby including me
>uh what the fuck did you spike it
>look at other con people taking the cookie and eating it
>well they're not tweaking
>I guess it's ok
>probably dumbest decision of my life but eat the cookie
>nothing happens, and I'm good for another 3 hours until my friend arrives and offers to hold the booth for me while I go run to get food
Thank you companion cube cookie man. You saved my life.
>>8923311
Who cares, don't feed the attention whores.
>talking about meds in a con snack thread
>even if it affects your appetite, literally no one cares
these
I usually head to a bakery near my house & grab a few buns. Red bean buns & ham buns are my favourite as they don't get messy. Drinks will be tea & water, nothing sugary as I don't want the sugar rush to kick in.
Recently we have this awesome lady who did bentos for sale during con. She will post up her menu for different days & you order from her by paying her. During the day itself she will be at a meetup spot in the con so you can pick up your bento from her. Tried once & it's amazing. The one I had has takoyaki, mini onigiri with salmon filling, tamagoyaki, some salad with sesame sauce & a small pot of fruits as dessert. Everything can be eaten with a spoon & fork (which is provided) with no mess. I was in armor cosplay & I had no trouble eating it & cleaning up afterwards. It was delicious & I will be buying bento from her again next time.
>>8922204
This is PRECIOUS.
It depends where I'm staying. I'm lucky, I can depend on the hotel for their afternoon snacks which usually involves fruits and pretzels, otherwise, I would make a PB&J and/or pack granolas, yogurt, and ensure. Fruit smoothies and probiotic yogurt drinks are also godsend.
>>8923150
OP here, it's because I work at a physical demanding job, and the walking "kind of" burns off. It's cheap and it doesn't rot and doesn't need a fridge nor microwave
The group I normally go with has a little hopping trip before every con to stock up on snacks. My biggest weakness is Cheez-its, but I do like having smaller things like Clif bars to keep on me while I'm out and about. Sometimes we do little things we can refrigerate, like cheese sticks. For drinks I always make sure to have a water on me, and sometimes a can of soda as well. I enjoy soda but also make sure to have water to avoid dehydration
>>8923891
Don't you need some protein or something? Anything?
Physically demanding job makes it worse. You're using that as fuel for your body.
>>8924434
Not the anon you're replying to, but carbohydrates and sugars are the body's first stop for fuel, and protein is one of the last. So if you need immediate energy, carbs are the way to go. They get burned off quickly and are readily available. There ARE healthy ways to get carbs with pure sugar being the worst, but hey. It's just a slightly different metabolic pathway with simple sugars and complex ones and starches.
Blah blah blah, balanced diets are good, but more immediate physical work carbs are one of the best sources.
>>8924434
My protein is around dinner time when I go out with my friends to a restaurant. I don't eat all of it at once at one con it's what I can think of and what I bring in the previous cons, it varies. My friends hoard about $20 USD worth of cup of noodle ramens)
Nothing special but a few packs of these, a few special k bars, and a water bottle in my bag.
>>8921794
Doesn't putting chocolate in it defeat the purpose?
>never think about food
>only bring a bottle of water
>In AA so multiple friends bring food over
if youre people that do that for AA friends bless you all.
Alcohol mostly.
attendees' tears
But on all seriousness, trail mix, nuts (I prefer cashew) and granola bars will fill you up until your next real meal.
I personally like to drink water while eating oatmeal cookies.
>>8921612
Did they go out of business? Ever since cons have been cutting back on snacks in the dealer's alley, I haven't really bothered.
To answer the overall question, I really like drinkable pouch foods like apple sauce or cici.
Reading some of these replies has made me understand why there are so many stupid people who pass out at cons. I'd feel like shit too if I ate candy and ramen noodles all weekend.
My con food depends on whether there's a minifridge in the room. There usually is nowadays, but I have a line up just in case.
>Breakfast
Banana, granola with yogurt
>Lunch
Protein drink, apple
>Dinner
Restaurant in the area
Water all day in between ofc.
Outside of one or two snacks bought for the fun of it, why do so many people go nuts for weeby snack stands? They are marking up everything and asian groceries aren't hard to find.
>>8926065
Yes, but I think it also encourages people to eat it.
>>8923354
Was this in Ireland?
>>8931666
If you need to be encouraged to eat something healthy by putting chocolate in it, you might as well just eat a chocolate bar and be done with it.
Is it a US thing to put chocolate in trail mix? It seems alien.
>>8936615
Also didn't mean for that to come across as snotty, I'm just genuinely confused.
>>8936611
Judging from the lingo no
Also our AAs are shite and full of bootlegs
>>8936655
I thought it was just MM with their shitty t-shirts who bootlegged in the AA? I saw a girl whose stuff looks like it was capped directly from the anime or copied from promo art or posters but I've never actually checked if she's ripping off.
>>8936655
Thought it might have been Ireland since there's a guy who dresses as Ratman at Irish cons and hands out companion cube cookies
Fruit and cheese, protein shakes, cucumber water, lightly caffeinated drinks. Keeps the energy level steady and keeps me hydrated
What does the captcha show me here? Cookies.
>>8936615
Lots of trail mixes have chocolate or carob pieces in, and lots of healthy things like protein shakes, energy bars and Greek yogurt snacks are chocolate flavored. Cocoa has actual minor health benefits, it's the sugar and fat in candy and junk chocolate foods that is bad for you, usually.
>>8936615
I'd say its largely a combination of flavors thing. Salty nuts and sweet chocolate actually pair quite well, and the amount of it is actually quite small. Also as an American almost every bag I've trail mix I've seen here has had some chocolate in it.
This thread makes me feel really healthy.
Drinking a lot of water helps keep my stomach full in between meals. If not than, then Goldfish or melonpan, I am a slut for melonpan. I try to only eat it at cons since it's so sugary.
