Count me amongst the DC dopers who enjoy a post bar Jumbo Slice.
What I really can’t resist is bar food Americana style appetizers. Potato skins stuffed with bacon and cheese, boneless Buffalo wings drowning in in hot sauce and ranch, that kind of stuff. When I got pack from Europe the first thing I did was go to TGI Fridays and order nothing but appetizers. And as many free refills on my soda as I wanted Goddamnit!
Other declasse things I enjoy? Does mma count? It seems pretty low class. How about Deadliest Warrior? That’s gotta count. I know there’s science and history involved, but it’s ridiculously dumbed down for the audience. Still absolutely love the show.
Oh Hell yeah! Mixed veggies are the bomb if you need to whip up dinner in a hurry.
Some meat, gravy and mixed veggies (and you are correct, lima beans are verboten) make a passable stew. Bonus point if you throw down some instant mashed potatos. The topper is to let the kids help make a dump cake before dinner so it cools while their eating. They think I’m the best Dad in the world those nights.
I love a Denny’s sampler appetizer platter after a long night of drinking. Haven’t had one in years, but I used to be able to down the whole thing with a huge diet coke. Ah, to have that metabolism and that kind of stamina again.
I also love cool whip - I’ll eat it straight out of the tub, frozen or not.
Mountain House or Backpacker’s Pantry, yes, you know of which I speak! Now I’m going to have to try the MH red beans and rice!
The mac 'n cheese was even edible when we were at altitude and couldn’t get our damn water to boil right (horrible freezing wind too) so we had to eat it all uncooked-crunchy.
Here are a few of mine:
-fluffernutter sandwiches-delicious!
-Gennessee Cream Ale: one of the best (cheap) beers made!
-Franzia brothers burgundy: great red wine
-McDonald’s steak burger-with swiss cheese and musrooms-great!
-Olive Graden Chicken Parm-better than most italian places
I will always love the bright red sausages sitting in huge jars of vinegar in gas stations and some quickie marts. Sometimes I have to ditch the whole “well-educated, business-owner, mother/wife/upstanding citizen” thing and buy a few. As long as I can eat them sitting in my car with a cheap paper napkin wrapped around them. And a Yoohoo to drink with them.
Kraft mac & cheese (small box) is far too classy- I only buy store or off-brands of that stuff. Oh, wait- I only buy store brands of everything if possible.*
*Recent heart problems have demanded a low-sodium diet, so buying any brand of anything is less likely now.
Tea bags. I don’t drink feminine tea; a man shouldn’t be forced to drink liquids with “infusions” of bergamot or peppermint oil to appear cultured. I’ll stick with bricky-style Tetley’s.
I had a hard time differentiating between guilty pleasures and declasse. Everything I can think of off the top of my head that’s a guilty pleasure is not really related to social station (which isn’t surprising since I have very few guilty pleasures.)
But one that is not a guilty pleasure does seem declasse to me: 70’s Heart. (OTOH, the few 80’s Heart songs I like are guilty pleasures :)) I tried to ponder what the absolutely most stereotypical listener of 70s Heart would be, and the answer is biker girls. Yet 70s Heart, despite being biker chick music, is so awesome that I feel no guilt for it (except Barracuda.)
I had to live off of canned food only for a couple of weeks at one point in my life. I still have a hankering every so often for canned green beans, Spam, teeny canned shrimp, that wedge shaped corned beef thing from Argentina, canned ham, and canned cheese ravioli - I don’t know if they still make it, it was overcooked mush, but much better than the “beef” kind. I don’t know if any of this is declasse… When out and about during, say, Christmas shopping, that granola bar in the glove compartment for emergencies ain’t gonna cut it - I go through Wendy’s drive thru and get a bacon cheeseburger, to keep my strength up. I always feel like I’m doing something naughty.