Need advice on election food!!! including CHOCOLATE

[Lefta Dissenter]

ok, I'm the Chief Election Inspector, so I guess I'm supposed to bring good food. We're having our spring election on Tuesday, and I need to take something good to munch on that won't make us offensive in any way (i.e., bad breath while we're hovering over registering voters, etc.). It's a tiny election, so just two pollworkers, me, our Town Clerk/Admin and the Admin Assist.

I need ideas for a good munchie to keep us going through the 15-hour shift (we'll send someone running for subs at lunch), AND

something fabulous but quick and easy that is SUPER CHOCOLATE (though not fudge). My boss LOVES chocolate, and, well, I love it, too!

But I'm working all day tomorrow, and need to stop for any needed groceries on the way home and then do the cooking/baking tomorrow night, because I need to get to work by 6:30am on Tuesday - so I can't do anything that's going to take forever or that has ingredients that I'd need a specialty store for.

OK, who's coming through with some fabulous suggestions? :hi:

edited to add that it is your patriotic duty to help me, in the interest of a well-fed democracy!

[divineorder]

1. I would suggest baked goods for the chocolate

Having knocked on doors during the last Election, we were given brownies as part of our meal.

Brownies and moist muffins keep well without refrigeration, unlike candy which will melt in a warm room. Chocolate cookies keep too, but tend to dry out a little.

As for harder food, you might want to try cold cuts (if you can keep them cold) and simple vegetables. Pizza is good too, just have them hold the onions and stick to non-garlicky saurces. And pizza will keep pretty well over a long stretch at the table.

BTW, can you take a cooler and stash it next to your table? If so, you can fill it with ice early, and as long as you can store extra ice in the refrigerator , a lot of stuff will keep.

[divineorder]

2. Have a good breakfast before you go.

If you can, have it out somewhere else beforehand if you can't bring it with you. You don't want to come home to any dishes after a long day-and its gets pretty long when you include cleanup and tallying, and all those documents to sign and certify!

Make sure it's a hearty one, including a hot cup of coffee (better a thermos) for those long hours before lunch, when you have a steady stream of the elderly coming to register and vote, and you may only be able to get away for a few moments from the table.

As for intellectual food... It gets a little empty before lunch, when everybody has gone to work, and the people trickle in.
Have something good to read for the slow moments.

[Lefta Dissenter]

3. Thanks for the advice!

I HAVE to eat my SmartStart with Soy Protein cereal every morning. I can't get out the door without it. I'm afraid I'm addicted. Maybe I'll take it to work, though, and eat it there. I'm not used to eating breakfast that early.

We found that the local Kwik Trip fills an entire thermos (theirs) of coffee for $1.49!!! You can't beat that! We got one of those for the last election in February, and it stayed hot all day. It's much better than having coffee heating all day and getting sour. So I asked the admin assist to stop and get a thermos on her way to work (she drives right by). Only three of us drink coffee, so it should be plenty.

As for the intellectual food - my office is right down the hall from where the polls are, so if things get slow, I'll bring up the laptop and do some accounting. Somehow, though, even during the Feb primary, when we had a miniscule turnout, I didn't manage to get any extra work done. You know, in a small community, everyone has to stop and talk, and look at the maps of the current projects, and catch up on the gossip... it really is as much a social event as it is an election.

What will give me a boost for that 2:00 to 4:00 lull, though, when I'm hitting my low and there are no voters??? :shrug: