What to eat while watching movie: Simple snack ideas
Movie night snack ideas (photo: Magnific)
An autumn evening, a blanket, a favorite movie — and something tasty within reach. Classic popcorn, chips, or cookies can easily become part of the scenario, but there are plenty of other options for a movie night at home. They can be prepared in just a few minutes, while some can simply be taken out of the fridge or cupboard.
RBC-Ukraine has collected snack ideas that are perfect for an evening in front of the screen, from crispy chickpeas to apples with nut butter
Crispy chickpeas
If you’re craving something crunchy, chickpeas can easily replace crackers or chips.
All you need to do is take canned chickpeas, rinse and dry them thoroughly, add a little olive oil and spices — such as paprika, dried garlic, black pepper or rosemary. Then bake them in the oven until golden and crispy.
Ready-made chickpeas are easy to eat by hand, making them a great choice for a long movie or TV series. You can also make them spicy, savory or more mild, depending on your mood.
Chickpeas (photo: Magnific)
Homemade vegetable chips
If you simply can’t do without chips, you can make them yourself. Beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips or zucchini work well for this.
The vegetables should be sliced very thinly, lightly brushed with oil and baked until crispy. You can experiment with the seasonings: add smoked paprika, dried garlic, chili or simply a little salt.
However, it’s important not to expect an exact copy of store-bought chips: homemade vegetable slices have a different texture and taste.
Apples with nut butter
For a sweet movie-night snack, you don’t have to open a pack of cookies.
An apple can be cut into wedges and served with peanut or almond butter. If desired, top with a little cinnamon, chopped nuts or seeds.
This is an especially good option for fall, when apples are readily available as part of the seasonal selection.
Apples with nut butter (photo: Magnific)
Baked pumpkin with spices
Pumpkin is one of the most obvious foods of fall, but it doesn’t have to be used only for soups or porridge.
Cut the pumpkin into small cubes or thin slices, add a little oil, paprika, black pepper, dried garlic or rosemary, and bake until tender with a lightly crisped exterior.
For a movie night, it’s more convenient to make small pieces that can be eaten by hand. You can also add your favorite sauce.
Baked pumpkin with spices (photo: Magnific)
Baked cheese or cheese balls
For those who can’t imagine a movie night without a savory snack, cheese is a great option.
You can make small cheese balls with cottage cheese, herbs and spices, or simply bake small portions of hard cheese until crispy. They can be served with vegetables or a sauce made with natural yogurt.
An even simpler option is to cut the cheese into cubes and serve it with grapes, an apple or nuts.
Cheese balls (photo: Magnific)
Whole-grain toasts with different spreads
If you want something more filling, you can make small toasts.
Toast whole-grain bread, cut it into small pieces and top with hummus, avocado, cream cheese, cottage cheese or a bean-based spread. For an autumn touch, you can add baked pumpkin, caramelized onions or apple to some of the options.
It’s best to make small portions so the toasts can be eaten in one or two bites.
Nuts and seeds
The simplest option for those who don’t want to cook at all is nuts and seeds.
Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds can be mixed into one snack. For a more pronounced flavor, you can lightly toast them in a dry skillet and add spices.
However, this is a fairly nutritious snack, so for a movie night it’s better to put a small portion in a bowl right away rather than take the whole package with you to the couch.
Nuts and seeds (photo: Magnific)
