Midnight Snacking

Do you midnight snack? Or do you have other middle of the night habits that can be considered out the norm?

Sometimes in the middle of the night I wake up with the munchies or am plain starving. It's not every night, but it can happen a few times in a week or I can go months without waking up and seeking food. Depending on how hungry I am, I will snack on a piece of cheese, which I have to always break a small piece off for the cat. Or I have, and this is really bad, cooked myself something quick to gulp down before going back to sleep. What have I cooked you ask? Eggs (scrambled, over-easy, and poached), hotdogs, and grilled cheese sandwiches. I've also heated up poptarts, leftovers, and a few tv dinners. Chips, pretzels, and craisins are other food items that have been crammed into my mouth before going back to sleep. Plus, from time to time I will wake up with a craving for juice, forgoing the handy cup of water I keep by my bedside.

The other night as I ate my left over chicken wings from my lunch date with my mother earlier that day, I thought about where and how this strange habit came from.

As a child, mostly on weekend nights, I remember my father coming home late night (which looking back now probably weren't really that late, just seemed that way because of our bed time) and waking my brother and I up to join him and my mom in eating whatever treat he brought home. Usually  it was a steak sub (my brother and I would share one), red hots (those of you not from Rochester, a red hot is a Zweigles hotdog, with meatsauce, and onions. You haven't eaten a real hotdog until you've had a Zweigles...just my opinion), or chicken wings. There maybe a few other foods out there that he brought home, but boy those three were the best! We would sit around the table, sleep in our eyes and chow down. Once we were finished it was back to bed. When I was older I would pretend to be asleep and the moment I heard the door open, I was out of the bed looking to see what treat he brought home.  In my teens, and if  I was home and still, awake when he came home...empty handed, he and I would sneak out the house to seek different places to grab a quick bite. I have to admit, we did end up in the Taco Bell line most of the time. Still it was our time to hang and talk and sometime people watch. The night time life can be one great show, if your in the right place at the right time.

 I didn't know until I moved out that my father was carrying on a tradition his father used to do.
So the other night while I polished off my midnight snack, I thought it would be cool to be able to pass the same tradition off to my future children. There seem to be more late night places that are open and I can only imagine the goodies I could bring home. It seems a little weird, and unhealthy but I have fond memories, as I'm sure my dad does as well from growing up. I guess until I can pass the tradition on, I'll be munching away on whatever foods draw me from the bed in the middle of the night by myself.

 I will admit that a few friends of mine have sneaked out the house in our pjs for food runs. They shall remain nameless!