10 Ways to Swallow Your Feelings on Debate Night
It’s that special time that comes every four years. Unfortunately, the inspiring Olympic and Paralympic events are over—I’m talking about presidential debate season. While tonight’s only scheduled debate will take place between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the evening will likely stretch over several days, so whether it’s to keep yourself occupied while the TV is on in the background or to help manage your affairs. If you feel weak during those 90 minutes, I suggest you prepare a meal kit for debate night.
When putting this list together, I was thinking about convenient snacks first. An assortment of air fryer snacks that allow you to quickly get small portions onto your plate so you don’t miss out on any of the wild sayings. I also chose a few easy, low-effort meals in case you run out of energy. And nothing too dirty or saucy—you should be able to wipe your fingers clean so you can send angry messages to your friends in all caps. Don’t worry, I included dessert too, so you can really enjoy your feelings, whatever they may be.
Frozen food
The snacks found in your frozen food aisle are made for moments like these. They’re nice, salty, crunchy, and best of all, easy to make. I suggest using an air fryer instead of a regular oven in this case – you may need food at any time. Have potato cutlets, French fries , dumplings, mozzarella sticks, chicken nuggets, mini samosas, pizza rolls and any other favorite dishes on hand. You can leave the air fryer temperature at 375°F and simply adjust the time from five to 10 minutes depending on what you’re cooking and how crispy you want it.
Dumplings
Chicken or pork dumplings are my favorite because even though they are small, they feel substantial. I usually buy bags of gyoza from Trader Joe’s because they are affordable and taste great. You can air fry frozen dumplings for extra crispiness, but my favorite way to enjoy them is by steaming them. This is very convenient and keeps them juicy. Pour about half an inch of water into the pan. Add a steamer basket and place all the dumplings in it. Cover the pan with a lid and let them steam for 10 minutes.
Pigs (or pickles) in a blanket
Wrapping yourself up in a blanket during a debate isn’t such a bad idea. But if that’s too dramatic, try pigs in a blanket or pickles in a blanket for a spicy twist. They’re a crowd pleaser if you have friends over, but wrapping individual mini dogs in little dough rectangles is even more useful if you need to make something precise and repeatable yourself.
Making mushrooms
I like to cook mushrooms in two ways: dried or stuffed. Both of these recipes can be easily made using the air fryer. For dried mushrooms, simply use a jar of drained sliced mushrooms and air fry them until they become crispy chips . For a heartier flavor, try these Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms .
Egg roll, leftovers
Egg rolls are one of my favorite deep fried foods. While you can order a ton of food from your local Chinese restaurant and snack on it, you can also use this as an opportunity to clean out your refrigerator by rolling leftover eggs . Buy a package of fresh egg roll wrappers from the grocery store, fill them with whatever you have in the refrigerator, brush with a little oil, and air fry.
Sandwich with cheese board
If a hot meal doesn’t sound tempting, keep it simple and grab a few cheese platters. Wheel of cheese, bread, meat, dried fruit, nuts and salted butter. Don’t even bother making fancy cuts. Just cut a couple of large chunks off everything and make a thick sandwich with a baguette cheese board .
Comfort meat
Sometimes eating small bites of simple protein is the best stress-relieving dinner. You can take a couple of bites of steak while you write meaningless comments. Shake a fork of crispy sausage from the air fryer in front of the TV, or eat flavorful pieces of marinated pork tenderloin from the air fryer while you walk around the living room.
Three Ingredient Meals
I understand that a light dinner is not for everyone. If you love good food but hate the idea of making something too complicated, try one of these three-ingredient meals . All of these ideas require no prep work and take about 20 minutes or less to prepare. Try simple mac and cheese, savory tomato cheese toastie, or even quick and easy teriyaki chicken.
Ice cream
I don’t do this often, but maybe once a year I have an excuse to eat an entire pint of ice cream. I would say this: November 5th guarantees you a lot of your favorite ice cream treats. Of course, you can whip your own pints or make pop-tart ice cream without the batter , but be sure to consider freezing time and make it earlier in the day.
Emergency Rice Krispies treat
When it comes to satisfying, comforting, and effortless desserts, look no further than Rice Krispies Treats. You should always keep marshmallows and some cereal on hand so you can make a small batch in case a desperate situation strikes. In this recipe, I skip the whole marshmallow pot mess and just melt the butter and marshmallows in a bowl in the microwave. It’s faster and easier to clean.
With this complete selection of appetizers, we hope you’ll feel more confident heading into your big night. At least you have something to do when you need it. That reminds me that I need to buy some marshmallows. With God.