The munchies are a bittersweet aspect to many good highs. On the one hand, you get unmitigated satisfaction from biting into a juicy burger or crushing a bag of Cheetos. On the other hand, you may find that those recipes and snacks can kill your buzz. Not cool, Shake Shack, not cool.
By keeping a few basic principles in mind, you can tweak your choices to include equally crave-worthy snacks and recipes that will not only preserve your high, but could actually enhance it.
Let’s start with the offenders, or the foods that steal your high. Carbohydrates like bread, pasta, cookies, and cakes are not ideal. They get in the way of receptors that bind with THC, the chemical in weed that makes you feel high. Chips and fried foods fall into this category as well.
The other big offender is proteins plus carbs, as in burgers, sandwiches, or even pepperoni pizza (sorry). The combination of protein and carbohydrates slows your digestion and forces your body to send most of its energy to the gut to process these calories. That means you have less energy to fire receptors in your brain to keep you stoned.
Now that the bad news is out of the way, let’s talk about the enhancers. Certain foods bind THC with your brain’s receptors, increasing the strength and length of your buzz. Nuts, broccoli, mango, and chocolate will actually make you more high. (That means peanut butter and Nutella straight from the jar are absolutely OK.)
Ready to make your cravings work for you, not against you? Below is a list of some of the most popular stoner foods and cuisines, plus three recipes to make at home.
If you’re craving:
Cake
Go for flourless chocolate cake, or cupcakes that use almond or coconut flour instead of wheat flour to avoid a heavy carb load.
Candy Bars
Natural bars, like KIND, with nuts and chocolate are the best option, delivering pure ingredients that will lube up those THC receptors. Snickers, Mounds, and Reese’s are all fine too. Avoid anything with a cookie inside, like crispy M&Ms, Twix, or Kit Kat bars.
Mexican Food
Burritos and nachos will steal your high, but sometimes it’s a sacrifice worth making. If you’re craving Mexican snacks, tacos are your best bet.
Cereal
Granolas that include nuts and seeds will help balance out the effect of the grains, whereas plain, sugary puffed cereals are more likely to slow down your buzz.
Chips
Chips satisfy a craving for something crunchy and salty, which can be found in roasted nuts and seeds, like tamari-roasted sunflower seeds, or BBQ-flavored roasted almonds.
Thai Food
Steer clear of rice and noodles and opt for curries, soups, and salads instead. Papaya salad and spicy coconut curry will take you to the next level.
Ice cream
Opt for non-dairy ice creams made with coconut or almond bases, both of which can help elevate your high.
Cookies and Milk
Stock up on cookies that are low in carbs, like chocolate- and nut-based cookies, and enjoy them with nut milk to help balance the high.
Chinese Food
Avoid rice, noodles, and fried items like General Tso’s chicken or egg rolls. An ideal order would be Kung Pao broccoli or cashew chicken.
Pasta, Pizza, or Burgers
Your best bet is to wait until the end of your stone session, because they will bring you down. On the flip side, this can also come in handy if you are too high and hoping to remedy the situation. Pizza and burgers will help you (gracefully) come down.
Recipes
By planning ahead, you can prepare THC-friendly snacks that will keep the munchies at bay while balancing your high.
Crispy Spicy Broccoli With Cashews
Broccoli shines in this umami-packed snack. If you’re not a fan of this green vegetable, substitute any vegetable you like, such as mushrooms, cauliflower, or carrots.
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1-2 hot chilies like serrano or jalapeno, thinly sliced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, such as Canola
¼ cup roasted salted cashews
Salt
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees while you prep the ingredients. Toss all ingredients, minus the cashews, in a bowl until well combined. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast until broccoli florets start to crisp and chilies start to shrivel, about 15-20 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the cashews evenly. Return the pan to the oven for 5 minutes. Let the broccoli cool for 5-10 minutes before digging in.
Mango Tahini Smoothie
This smoothie tastes like tropical ice cream and takes just a few minutes to whip up. Mango is one of the strongest enhancers of THC, making this treat as potent as it is tasty.
½ cup mango, fresh or frozen (if using frozen it will be a thicker texture, akin to soft serve)
⅔ cup non-dairy milk such as hemp, cashew, or coconut
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional, best for those who like things very sweet)
Blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
Chocolate Nut Bark
This super simple recipe for chocolate is infinitely customizable. This recipe can be made with homemade canna-oil for an especially power-packed edible.
½ cup virgin coconut oil
½ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup maple syrup, or other liquid sweetener of choice
Hefty pinch of flaky sea salt
½ to ⅔ cups nuts, seeds, and fruit of choice for topping (such as slivered almonds, brazil nuts, dried cherries, or coconut flakes)
Melt the coconut oil as needed to reach a liquid consistency, but be careful not to overheat it. Stir in the maple syrup and sift in the cocoa powder and sea salt. Pour the liquid mixture into a lined baking dish or sheet pan; any size works, the smaller the container the thicker the bark will be. Immediately sprinkle over the toppings and place in the fridge to cool for at least 3 hours. Keep refrigerated until ready to enjoy.
