16 Snack Ideas Inspired by Our Favorite TV & Movie Characters

We are obsessed with the show Ted Lasso (it is so good), and one big reason why is the character Roy Kent. Roy seems gruff and prickly but he’s actually a softie with a big heart. The perfect candy for watching Roy and Keeley’s relationship blossom is something that hits on that sour but sweet combination, like Sour Punch Straws.

Love them or hate them, there’s no doubt that Ramona and Luann bring the drama to the Big Apple. While we could suggest wine to pair with a Real Housewives of New York City marathon (because goodness knows a lot of vino goes into filming that show!), we’re going to recommend a more liver-friendly option: a delicious crisp apple (we suggest Honeycrisps), topped with some peanut butter (because these ladies are a bit nuts), and a sprinkle of chocolate chips (to make it fancy enough for Countess Luann).

Ocean’s 11 is a classic heist movie with more than a little delightful eye candy. In fact, we’d argue that Ocean’s 11 is peak George Clooney and Brad Pitt, and one of the fun themes of the movie is that Brad’s character, Rusty, is constantly eating. For a family movie night with Ocean’s 11 as the main attraction, we suggest paying homage to Rusty by having a spread of nachos, suckers, and mini hamburgers.

It’s hard to believe that the animated classic The Simpsons has been on for more than 33 years now, but it’s true! And during that time, Homer’s love for the humble doughnut has never waned. A box of doughnuts is the perfect snack for introducing a tween or teen to this classic comedy.

We love a family movie night, and E.T. is one of those all-time classic films that still packs an emotional punch four decades after it first came out. And 40 years later, we still love E.T.’s favorite candy, the humble but tasty Reese’s Pieces. These are a great snack on their own or incorporated into an amazing cookie.

There are many things that Leslie Knope, our favorite fictional government employee from Parks and Recreation, loves: binders, Galentine’s Day, and waffles. Leslie’s favorite meal is waffles and whipped cream, which is super tasty but not always practical as a snack. We think Leslie would approve of a delicious Stroopwaffel instead.

Season 14 of Real Housewives of Atlanta is set to drop in May 2022, and what could be more on-brand than having a peach-themed snack buffet to host a viewing party? We’re thinking peach bellinis, peach pie, and even some yummy gummy peach rings.

We are so ready for the return of Bridgerton this spring! And what could be a better treat to remind us of one of the hotter moments of season one than some cool lemon sorbet? That tart treat was what Simon was oh-so-carefully licking off the spoon in episode three, much to Daphne’s distraction!

Oh poor, hapless Kevin. He was so proud of his famous chili, and it still breaks our heart a little every time we rewatch the classic Office episode where his chili ends up all over the floor. A perfect snack to go with this cringe is some Chili Cheese Fritos. Tasty and much less messy if they hit the floor!

Monsters, Inc. is one of our favorite family movie night choices, and what could be better than a big old monster cookie to go with it? Monster cookies (like the great recipe from Dining With Alice) are easy to make and best enjoyed when they are made to be a little large and a wee bit undercooked.

The drama on Real Housewives of Orange County is always fresh and juicy, even though this OG of the Housewives franchise turns 16 years old this year. The Orange County ladies always do things on a grand scale, so we suggest going big and enjoying some Sumo Citrus before the season ends. The housewives may not be sweet, but these oversized and easy-to-peel oranges sure are.

Every so often, we start imagining what it would be like to leave it all behind and go on a long solo hike. Thankfully, we can usually make that feeling go away by rewatching the Reese Witherspoon film Wild and munching on some tasty homemade trail mix. Much easier than actually trying to run away from home!

We just finished a rewatch of the hilarious show New Girl and discovered the perfect Jess Day-approved snack: Vanilla Bean Cashew & Almond Dip. This stuff is so good with pretzels or apple slices and is just the kind of quirky, hipster treat that we can totally picture Jess trying to convince Nick to try.

One of the hidden gems on Netflix is the great Canadian show Kim’s Convenience, which stars Simu Liu (star of the Marvel movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which is also awesome). Our suggestion: Take the family to a nearby convience store, let everyone pick out one snack to share, and then have a snack buffet while binging season one of this hilarious and heart-warming show.

There’s so much coffee in the mother/daughter dramedy Gilmore Girls that it’s practically a full-time cast member! While we don’t think that a full cup of coffee is a wise choice for an evening TV session, we’re all about channeling that energy with some cool and creamy coffee ice cream. It actually isn’t even that hard to make it homemade, so decaf beans can transform into a perfect TV time treat.

Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club series is perfect for modern kids while also being a fun bit of nostalgia for moms who grew up reading the books. Readers will remember that Claudia Kishi always had the best snacks hiding in her room for Babysitter’s Club meetings, including lots of red licorice. Tap into that nostalgia with some Red Vines and popcorn.