At first, I think I'm sweating. But then I realize that uncomfortable clamminess is coming from my seatmate, who is spilling over the armrest on the tiny commuter jet. With my arms pinned to my sides and at least an hour to go in the flight, the only thing I have to look forward to is the moment when I am handed a foil snack bag by the flight attendant.
Will she give me an extra bag? Will I get a whole can of soda, too? But in talking with a single serving friend, I realized that peanuts versus pretzels are constantly battling for supremacy in the snack cart. It's time to settle this airline debate.
Pretzels: The pretzels that exist on airplanes are a rare breed. Tiny versions of the traditional braided pretzel are inside the foil bag. Bready and salty, these pretzels are like movie popcorn -- you'll need a drink shortly after tearing the foil.
These mini loops have not caught on beyond airplanes and snack mixes for a reason. The crunch is there but mini pretzels are the culinary equivalent of packing peanuts, they're just taking up space in your stomach.
Peanuts: I can consume a pack of peanuts in under 15 seconds. I rip off the corner, tilt the package into my hand and the peanuts are gone before the flight attendant is beyond the next row. In my heart, I think I could 100 bags of airline peanuts.
While salted peanuts abound, I still maintain hope that one day soon I will again be presented with the honey roasted peanuts of my youth. That was the most exciting part about flying when I was eight.
The Verdict: Peanuts, hands down. In the 10 seconds of saltiness, I forget about the kid kicking my seat and the woman who continually mistakes the stewardess call button for her reading light.
With the disappearance of food you don't have to purchase, the substance of peanuts is more valuable than ever. Plus, peanuts are my secret strategy for bulking up in order to take back the space in my seat with some girth of my own.
[Image via Flickr: House of Sims]
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