You know the feeling: it's the end of the night, it's late, it's cold, your feet are hurting and your stomach is rumbling. But it's not that easy to find something to eat when you're vegetarian, gluten-free, or allergic to dairy. My three housemates and I all have a plethora of dietary restrictions, which has caused us to get creative with our drunk eats when we get home from the bars starving.
Luckily, there's a grocery store in Kingston directly between downtown and my house, making it a frequent stop for late-night eats for my housemates and I. The people who work there have definitely seen me make some pretty questionable purchases, but they are true gods among men for their extended hours. Here is a list (in no specific order) of the best drunk foods for vegans, vegetarians, and anyone with food sensitivities.
SkinnyPOP White Cheddar
This stuff is literally addictive. It seems almost impossible for it to taste this good without any dairy whatsoever. Unfortunately, the white cheddar flavour only comes in the standard size bag, when let's be honest, it is far superior to the original flavour which comes in family size packs. After a quick stop at Metro, this is the perfect snack to crack open when you're walking home with your shoes in hand and probably singing some old Taylor Swift song.
WayBetter Snacks Sweet Chilli Chips and Sabra Guacamole
This is the perfect combination post-frosh week celebrations, sweaty house parties, or the first stage rage of the year. Because let's be real here, there are few things hotter than student housing and steamy clubs when it's thirty degrees outside.
This snack is on the lighter side, but perfect for waking up a bit less bloated the next day. This handy guac comes pre-made and is the perfect size to give you a good chip to guac ratio. The guac is surprisingly tasty for being pre-packaged, and the chips have flax and whole grains to get some well need carbs back into your body after a night of drinking.
Daiya Cheezy Mac
This stuff is a godsend, and one of my personal favourite drunk eats. It's ready in less than ten minutes and tastes pretty freaking close to the stuff you ate in your childhood. The box says it provides 3 servings but let's be honest here, it's like maybe one and a half. It has no dairy, eggs, or soy, making it a great alternative for all your allergic friends.
Dim Sum Kingston Vegetable Fried Rice
Dim Sum Kingston is the best thing to ever happen to Kingston. It's quick, easy, and located mere steps from the bars downtown. Their vegetable fried rice comes in massive servings and provides some much-needed carbs after a long night out. It's also super cheap and great for sharing drunk eats, even with meat-eating pals.
Campbell's Hearty Noodles Italian Tomato and Herbs Flavour
These are great when you haven't gone grocery shopping in a concerning amount of time because of midterms...am I right? They're ready in minutes and super cheap–perfect for debriefing the night with your crew. With a good amount of carbs, this is the perfect drunk eat to get you through the Kingston winters.
It may not be easy when you have dietary restrictions to grab a slice of pizza or some chicken nuggets, but it's hard to deny that companies are making some great allergy-friendly junk food that is perfect to munch on after a night of partying.