Unprepared Host, Unforgettable Snack When desperation becomes delicious.

While entertaining a pair of out-of-town-ers (for a children’s health conference) we made an unexpected trip to my house for a quick rest-and-recharge. I realized that I didn’t have much food to offer—not even sparkling water—and was embarrassed. But then, on a whim—because we are talking about the health and wellness community—I dared to offer them raw goat’s milk from the farmers market and they accepted!

Beverage—check! ✅ Yum—they loved it 🙂

Then, a plump and radiant electric pink object caught my eye—dragon fruit I had left on the counter to ripen. It’s hard to find but when I see it, I buy it—if nothing else, to admire that exquisite and succulent flesh. Isn’t this pretty? It almost looks like something else….

I cut it in half and armed my guests (let’s call them Sassafrass and Lucretia) with spoons, and they scooped it out like grapefruit.

First nibble—check ! ✅

It was time for some nuts, and I take great pleasure introducing people to my very favorite specimen, the most keto nut in the world, straight from the Philippines and not yet available in any store: Pili nuts. They are heavenly and taste like butter. Sure enough my guests had never laid eyes on them and devoured them with abandon.

FUN FACT: They are full of amazing minerals like magnesium, manganese and copper. Whenever I’m sick (which is not often because I have kick-ass protocols), I zero in on zinc and then compensate with copper to keep my body in balance—Pili Pigout!

I surmised that if they liked goat milk, they might be game to sample unconventional, unsweetened yogurt! Funny enough I stock 3 kinds to suit the idiosyncratic preferences in the household:

Sassafrass opted for goat and Lucretia chose sheep. I topped it with wild defrosted blueberries and cinnamon. (I keep defrosted packets of berries in the fridge so I can eat them year round). They scarfed it down.

Bingo! Another Score! ✅

Then I had to round out the smorgasbord. What’s missing? OMG yes— a vegetable.

One of my fave snacking foods is snap peas (crunch, crunch!) and luckily I had a bag so I trotted it out to join the culinary circus.

I surmised taht there should be one more veggie—because I’m the Good Food Fighter😂—so I dived into the produce bin and emerged with four options: red pepper, cuke, avocado, and tomato. Avocado won the competition. Easy peasy: cut in half and scoop out with a spoon.

Sassafrass and Lucretia were tantalized ✅. And they also laughed a lot because it was all so bizarre.

So the moral of the story is: you can (almost effortlessly) cobble together an amazing snack from unexpected corners of your kitchen, with just a little daring and creativity. Many guests will be willing to try new things—part of the experience—so never fear offering up unlikely veggies and nuts, fruits and other delights from the depths of your fridge. A snack can be anything!

Buh-bye potato chips, we don’t need you!

Go forth in health!

—your Good Food Fighter