by Dan Ketchum
The complex tangle of tasting notes and aromas produced by sativa terpenes is just as fulfilling as anything you’ll find in truffle oil or a glass of Garnacha, and it likewise begs for thoughtful food pairings. For a sensory munchie experience that’s a little less 7-11 and a little more Michelin-rated, you’ll find that the best munchies don’t just complement or contrast with sativa terpenes, they heighten the high, too.
1. Jackfruit Jerky
Jackfruit jerky puts a creative spin on a classic snack, and its subtly sharp flavor profile works well with sativa strains that get the creative juices flowing. Choose a strain with notes that are a little less sweet than the fruit itself and get to making things.
Pair with: Creativity-boosting Durban Poison
2. Pork Belly Tacos
Electric Lemonade is the most predominant strain found in our Over The Rainbow triple-strain vape pen, and that citrus wave is just like squeezing a lime on a sizzling fresh street taco. The tropical mist picks up the savory flavor, and the clear high complements this filling snack.
Pair with: Citrusy Green Crack or Electric Lemonade
3. Mushroom Broth
Broths are the self-care snack. Bone broth gives you that high-protein boost, but anyone can indulge in a hot mug of mushroom broth to ease you into a morning NYT crossword or wind you down into a night of Netflix. You don’t want anything too earthy (the mushrooms do that job), so opt for creamy, smooth sativa terpenes to maximize the comfy effect.
Pair with: Pineapple Haze for a big wind-down
4. Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries give you the comfort food experience with less of the comfort food hangover, packing plenty of vitamin A, fiber and antioxidants. Offset the sweet, creamy texture with a little spiciness and complement the nutrient boost with a cerebral high.
Pair with: Energetic Jack Herer or Super Silver Haze
5. Roasted Seaweed
Roasted seaweed snacks are the type of munchie that’s more on-the-go than on-the-couch, making them a perfect partner for a clear-headed, low-THC strain. In terms of flavor, seek keywords like fruity, citrusy and peppery to give spicy seaweed even more pick-me-up.
Pair with: Fragrant, tangy Suver Haze
6. Gruyère Cheese Egg Bites
Herbal and earthy is the secret to delicately coalescing your gruyère cheese experience with sativa terpenes. Those vegetal notes enhance the savory, creamy bite, and if this buttery snack doesn’t already give you a dopamine hit, a happy strain definitely will.
Pair with: The positive vibes of La Reina de Africa or Xanadu
7. Chickpea Puffs
As the name implies, chickpea puffs are a lightweight, social snack and that calls for an easygoing and equally social strain. For tasting notes, take your pick of piney, earthy and tropical, as chickpeas offer a famously neutral canvas.
Pair with: Laughing Buddha, Sweet Tangie
8. Chile Mango
Sometimes, the best munchies pairings are all about flavors that complete one another; combining juicy dried mango with fruity sativa terpenes is like mixing up a fruit salad that’ll make you feel extra good. Sweet tasting strains help ease up that chile pepper sting, too. As an added bonus, it is thought that eating mango can also intensify and lengthen the experience of your high.
Pair with: Fruity, even-keeled Strawberry Cough
9. Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Basque burnt cheesecake is making its way into indie coffee shops and patisseries for good reason — its burnt, cracked crust creates a heavenly contrast with its mellow, cream cheese center. It’s an extravagant munchie best paired with relaxing sativa. Go with berry notes to top your cheesecake with terpene fruits.
Pair with: Purple Haze, Blackberry Haze
10. Kimchi
Pickled kimchi already brings plenty of sour sting to the table, so you’ll want to accent that with sativa strains featuring spicy tops and mellow herbal undertones. Keep this classic comfort food lighthearted with highs that lift and energize.
Pair with: Uplifting Sinai, Focusing Grapefruit
11. Dried Apricots
Sometimes, pairing is all about contrast. Other times, it’s about finding sativa terpenes that mingle with the food’s flavor, but don’t overpower it. Dried apricots are known for their bright tang, so serve this anytime snack with a subtly sour sativa and a casual, daytime high.
Pair with: Sour Diesel, Sour G
12. Cashew Butter
Whether it’s in a cookie, in a protein bar, slathered over grainy toast or just by the spoonful, cashew butter is the king of nut butters. And kings pair that decadent, earthy flavor with lightly sweet berry-like sativa terpenes for a grown-up PB and J.
Pair with: Sweet Berry, Raspberry Cough
13. Goat Cheese
Goat cheese is the kind of heavy munchie — heavy in its deep savory flavor, heavy in its healthy fat content, and heavy in its dense texture — that’s best for winding down. Pairing here is all about creating a bit of pleasing contrast, so select earthy sativas with hints of fruit like grape or citrus.
Pair with: Lemon Sour Diesel for an end-of-day high
14. Microgreen Salad
Microgreen salads are far more nutrient dense than their big brothers, encouraging you to indulge in a little exercise for your neurons. The flavorful greens call for euphoric highs and earthy overtones with citrus-leaning undertones, like that of Over the Rainbow’s Super Silver Haze and Sweet Tangie.
Pair with: Super Silver Haze, any Tangie strains
15. Coffee
Yes, we’re calling coffee a munchie because when such an essential part of our daily routine pairs so well with sativa, you just have to flex the rules a bit (especially as coffee continues to come in more substantial options, like oat milk blends or MCT infusions). Go with a medium hazelnut blend and an energizing strain to start your day in Shangri-la.
Pair with: Hawaiian Haze, Electric Lemonade
Dan Ketchum is an LA-based freelance lifestyle, fashion and food writer with more than a decade of experience. A former mixologist, he’s been fortunate enough to collaborate and publish with companies such as FOCL, Vitagenne, Reign Together, Out East Rose, SFGate, The Seattle Times and more.
Sources:
Ktchn Rebel – Algorithmically Delicious – How Food Pairing Takes Flavor to the Next Level
Weed Maps – The Best Sativa Strains
Herb.co – The Complete Guide of the Best Sativa Strains of 2021
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