Binge-watching Netflix is a summer religion, right? For the enlightened ones among us, anyway. But before you fall into the classic couch potato trap of powering through an entire season of House of Cards in one sitting with a bag of Lays, take some time out to prepare some marathon snacks. It’s not easy to pair snacks with television shows, so we’ve taken the liberty and done it for you.

1. House of Cards:

It’s slick, unapologetic, cynical and you simply devour Frank Underwood’s conniving brilliance at every turn. At best, he’s an ambitious, meticulous winner climbing up the food chain. At worst, he’s a soulless, vile anti-hero and spiritual heir to Walter White. Either way, we reckon slurping on a sinful milkshake can only elevate the titillating viewing experience to more indulgent heights.

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Photo by Morgan Katz

2. Bob’s Burgers:

Equal parts heartfelt and cheeky, this animated sitcom revolves around the Belcher family and their hamburger restaurant. Fans will no doubt know that various Fatburger branches (temporarily) rebranded themselves as Bob’s Burgers as a nod to the show. Likewise, there is nothing more meta than eating a burger while watching a show about burgers. Even Abed will be proud.

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Dine-n-Hall Burger- by Kirby Barth

3. New Girl

Between Nick Miller’s facial acrobatics and the burgeoning phenomenon known as DoucheSchmidt, full-blown hilarity is never more than one crazy scheme away. But let’s not forget that this show’s namesake is about a new girl in a new town living with her new (male) roommates. Be “new” or “hip” and choose sushi as a binge-watching snack.

sushi

Photo by Eunice Choi

 

4. Orange Is The New Black:

Bisexual protagonist (Piper Chapman), check. A balance of dramatic heft and black humor, check. A depraved prison guard named Pornstache, check. Bonus: Actress Constance Shulman (she plays inmate ‘Yoga’ Jones) acted in Fried Green Tomatoes and was the voice of Patti Mayonnaise from Nickelodeon’s ‘Doug.’ Conclusion: watch this show while dunking fried green tomatoes in mayo. It’s unconventional, for sure, but it couldn’t be more perfect.

Netflix

Photo by Judy Baxter / Creative Commons

 

5. Sherlock:

Razor-sharp Sherlock Holmes is too smart by half and his dear Dr. Watson is too human by the same margin. Together, they anchor BBC’s modern take on the world’s greatest detective with wit, panache and a surprising amount of heart. So what’s hearty and clever at the same time? Cheese, salami and olives – on a toothpick.

Netflix

Photo by Spoon University