I have a theory that I have been testing for the last couple of years. No, nothing scientific or earth shattering, but I would say it’s pretty telling of someone’s character.

Let’s just say you’re going to pick up pizza for your family or you run to Chipotle for a to-go dinner. You get into your car with the aroma of the savory pizza, you can smell the fresh mozzarella cheese right next to you in the passenger seat and the meaty, salty pepperoni absolutely calling your name. Does it cross your mind to have a bite? Maybe sneak just one pepperoni that nobody will notice? If it’s Chipotle in the car with you, there is obviously a bag of hot, freshly salted tortilla chips just an arms reach away. You’re hungry, so hungry, which is why you agreed to add the chips and guacamole as a side. That brown paper bag is only folded up once or twice, so it wouldn’t be harmful to reach over quickly at the next stop light and snag a chip or two. Are you tempted?

After your grocery store run, let’s just say you worked up an appetite and get into the car with a new box of pita chips, crackers or – best of all – Cheez-Its. Does your mind begin plotting how you’re going to reach back at the next red light and grab the box to break in? Do you intentionally buy a snack at the store so you can have a little bite in the car?

If you answered yes to any (or all) of the questions, we suffer from the same complex. You and me have something called “Inability to Not Snack When There is Food in the Car.” While we may be patient or disciplined in many other areas of real life, we lose all control when we’re one-on-one with something edible in a vehicle with us.

You may have noticed that people on the other side have very strict rules about behavior in regards to food in cars. When there’s a fresh pizza waiting to be indulged in, a bag of warm tortilla chips or newly purchased groceries in tow, they have their sights set on doing it right – bringing the food inside, to a table, supported by plates, napkins or utensils, mess free. Hands off the food. I consider myself a responsible, focused individual, but I absolutely loose all inhibitions when it comes to warm, aromatic food sitting next to me in the car. While I’m not here to judge either way, I am a serious supporter of breaking in for a taste the second you get into the car with food.

This is a pretty polarizing issue. Next time you hop into a vehicle with friends or family, you’ll be able to tell pretty quickly which team they’re on. I love watching people’s reaction if I snag a few French fries, but I also like to be careful when it comes to eating in other people’s cars. That’s a whole different blog post. When you’re the driver – to break into food in the car or to stay the course of discipline? That’s my question for you.

My vote: Happy car snacking!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela