The Only Eating Plan to Get You Through This Election

On the night of the debate, you can find us at the bar. Or on our couches with friends, simultaneously thumbing through Twitter and heavy-pouring gin to the top of a highball glass. So, yeah, "the bar." To get through the worst of it, we'll be following this menu of stiff drinks and bar snacks scientifically proven to help survive the election. Feel free to join in.
Alex Lau1/26Blood Orange Jell-O Shots
Potent—but so much classier than your dive bar shots. Take one every time you're tempted to reach for the remote and change the channel to reruns of Real Housewives.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi, Prop Styling by Alex Massillon2/26Spicy Oven-Roasted Potatoes
Who’s crazy enough to deep-fry on a weeknight? Not us. Crazy is what's being broadcast back to us during a live debate already. These baked fries are the only thing that makes sense anymore.

Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott4/26Neo-Neapolitan Bombe
Coordinate the entrance of this gigantic ice cream ball with questions about national security. This is the bombe.com, with an "e." There's nothing to worry about. It's just ice cream. A lot of it.
Alex Lau5/26Dark and Stormy Slushy
The effects of this three-ingredient drink are in the name: Dark and Stormy. But this one is a slushy so it will instantly bring you joy to weather the worst (which, if we're being honest, is probably yet to come).
Alex Lau6/26Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies
Whiskey and rye and chocolate and cookies. We're good here. Don't worry about us.
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott7/26Classic Martini
Four ounces of Beefeater gin stands between us and pulling a Beyoncé in "Hold Up" on our TV. Pinkies up.
Diane Fields8/26Citrus-Marinated Olives
Wait a second. Martinis on an empty stomach are not something we signed up for.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Judy Mancini11/26Margarita
Take a shot of tequila every time you see someone tweet "fact-check!"
Photo by Alex Lau12/26This Is How You Reach Guacamole Nirvana
This guacamole polls very high in approval ratings. Are we doing this right?
Josh Sarlo13/26The Perfect Vodka Soda
Vodka and soda have been known to collaborate very well across the aisle.

Alex Lau15/26Fresh Ginger Moscow Mule
We thought we knew fantasy from reality, fresh ginger from the fake stuff. But this election is making us question everything. Nothing is sacred.
Alex Lau16/26Coconut Kettle Corn
Make a double-batch. You'll need something sweet, salty, and coconutty to distract you from sliding into the heated comment storm brewing on your distant cousin's Facebook page.

Alex Lau18/26Fully Loaded Black Bean Nachos with Red and Green Salsas
Nachos, forever a ray of glimmering tin foil light even in the darkest of hours. The cheese is always meltiest before the dawn.
Photo by Alex Lau19/26BA's Best Piña Colada
Moving to an island and subsisting on piña coladas isn't the worst idea we've ever had.
Cedric Angeles20/26BA Party Mix
Grab a heaping handful every time you ask yourself why you're watching the debate at all.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones21/26Negroni
It’s the original 1:1:1 cocktail (equal parts gin, vermouth, and Campari), a bittersweet classic—and one we'll take large gulps of every time a moderator motions that a candidate needs to wrap it up.
Photograph by Jarren Vink22/26Buffalo Wing Popcorn
Because this is pretty much the Super Bowl of politics. Except the stakes are much, much higher.
Peden & Munk23/26Manhattan
The cocktail named for the town where both candidates are from. Guess we'll have to drink two.
Ture Lillegraven24/26Boozy Fudge Sauce
Chocolate and booze combine because they're "after your best interests."
25/26Gin and Tonic
Or you could just ditch the tonic entirely. We're okay. Sure, sure, we're fine—don't worry.
Alex Lau26/26Our Best Mac and Cheese
If you need us, we'll be buried in an enormous crock of mac and cheese until November 8.

