Pack a snack (and water)

One way to save time, money, and mental space

I really dislike being hungry and thirsty. I suppose this is a basic human tendency, but I have a less-than-average level of maturity about it. So I learned long ago to take a snack and a water bottle with me wherever I can.

I’m sure this has saved me money. Buying food and drinks out and about in the world tends to be pricey. But just as important, if I know I have a package of peanut butter crackers in my purse (I’m partial to the Ritz variety, which clock in at a reasonably substantial 200 calories), I’m more relaxed about life in general. I don’t need to think about food because I have food. Get to a hotel on a work trip later than I expected? Not a problem — I have my crackers. Airport food offerings are massively sub-par or are all covered in cheese, which I can’t eat? Well, good thing I have my crackers. Train is sitting on the track for 45 extra minutes? Those peanut butter crackers come in handy.

Even if you don’t get as ridiculous as I do when you’re hungry, the upside of packing a snack is that you can choose what you’ll eat from what is readily available, because you know your back-up is something you like.

So if you regularly carry some sort of bag, figure out something that packs well and stick in an emergency supply. You might also consider packing a snack (that doesn’t melt too catastrophically, and no 50-calorie nonsense that won’t actually make you less hungry) in your glove compartment and into a desk drawer at work. 11:00 a.m. Zoom runs over and you won’t be able to get something before your 12:00? Hey, there are the peanut butter crackers!

It’s the same thing with water. Now I know that reusable water bottles are, at least in theory, more sustainable than the disposable plastic type (though if you buy a hip new Stanley every few weeks, that might be debatable). We use our Nalgene bottles when it makes sense, like on long car trips. But I get something of the best of both worlds by reusing a regular disposable plastic water bottle for.…quite a while I mean, if I’m the only one drinking out of it, and I rinse it out well when I refill it, why not? I just refill it with tap water after drinking the water that came in it. The upside of this is that I’m not generating a ton of plastic waste but if I lose the bottle somewhere or I’m in a situation where I have to relinquish it (as has happened at some venues) it’s not a big deal. I might not be so sanguine about losing my Stanley!