Snack the Patriarchy
Women are smashing it on screen this summer. So why am I cheering from the sofa with sad supermarket snacks?
Time to swap the beige crisps for a bold, women-founded line-up. Here are some of our favourite food and drinks that actually deserve a place at any watch party.
By Alice Who Snacks
I have made it my personal mission, this summer of sport, to keep the dream alive.
Not the football dream. Not even the faint hope of getting off the sofa before the 85th minute. Instead, I’m putting my real effort into keeping my friends entertained, fed, and ever-so-slightly less basic while glued to the Women’s Euros. If women athletes are smashing world records and expectations, I think my snack board should at least try to keep up.
After a third consecutive trip to buy “just one more” bag of those sad supermarket tortilla chips (no shame, but also…some shame), I had an epiphany in the crisp aisle.
If I can support women from my sofa, then why can’t I support them from my fridge and my broken-doored snack cupboard?
Couldn’t they be – let’s say – female founded, majority owned, gloriously independent and possibly contain fewer ingredients I can’t pronounce?
So here we are. Me, my snack board, and a thoroughly non-male-led cast, all prepared to steal the show at your next Women’s Euros watch party.
Prepare for a tour of woman-powered, sometimes trans-Atlantic snacks that are anything but boring…
Mallow & Marsh (UK) — Gourmet Marshmallows
Harriot Pleydell-Bouverie is the mastermind behind Mallow & Marsh, determined to rescue marshmallows from the kids’ birthday party table. These are delicately fluffy squares in flavours like Raspberry & Dark Chocolate and Vanilla & Milk Chocolate, our our fave, chocolate over coconut, making marshmallows suddenly classy enough for adults and perfectly snackable for a football crowd. If you mysteriously find half the bag gone before guests arrive, you’re not alone.
Proper (UK) — Popcorn and Crisps
Proper was founded by Cassandra Stavrou, who decided enough was enough with bland popcorn and gave Britain some real flavour. Whether you’re into Sweet Coconut & Vanilla or the tangy Lentil BBQ Properchips, this is the brand that lets you pour snacks in a bowl and impress with genuinely memorable taste. Their commitment to unique, bold seasonings has helped them become a staple on British shelves, earning a place as a pioneer of creative snacking.
Sweet Loren’s (USA) — Cookie Dough
Loren Brill created Sweet Loren’s in the wake of a health battle, asking why cookie dough couldn’t taste amazing while being vegan and gluten-free. This dough can be eaten by the spoonful straight from the fridge or, for those with more patience, baked into soft cookies. Sweet Loren’s uses clean, simple ingredients to achieve a treat that’s free from artificial additives and allergens. Though a rare find in the UK, it’s one to shout about if you can get your hands on a pack.
I Love Snacks (UK) — Fruit and Nut Mixes
Andrea Magyar’s I Love Snacks offers packs of gently dried mango, smoked almonds, Italian olives and much more. These add bursts of colour and texture to any snack spread, giving the impression of serious curation with little effort. With a focus on natural ingredients and simple processing, each pack is ideal for grazing or adding a bit of variety between more indulgent treats. The range is also handy for anyone with a taste for something sweet yet wholesome.
Deliciously Ella (UK) — Oat Bars and Shortbread Bites
Ella Mills started with a wellness blog and quickly transformed her brand into a supermarket staple. Her oat bars and shortbread bites genuinely look like self-care on your snack board and, even better, taste like a proper treat. Made from simple, plant-based ingredients, everything in the range is vegan-friendly and free from nonsense. These are the snacks you pull out whether you’re hosting a yoga brunch, stocking up for extra time, or just need to justify eating something sweet between meals. Perfect for when you want to feel a bit virtuous about snacking, especially if you end up going back for seconds.
Squirrel Sisters (UK) — Snack Bars
Gracie and Sophie Tyrrell, actual sisters, founded Squirrel Sisters to save you from terrible, joyless snack bars. Their vegan, gluten-free bars taste homemade, and the Brownie wins over health nuts and dessert-lovers alike. Each bite proves you don’t have to sacrifice flavour for a snack that’s genuinely better for you.
Pip & Nut (UK) — Nut Butter Spreads and Cups
Pippa Murray went from marathon runner to nut butter boss after getting fed up with the lack of genuinely tasty snacks. Pip & Nut’s almond and peanut butters are ideal with sliced apples or posh crackers, but the real show-off move is their Nut Butter Cups. These chocolate-dipped beauties come in ready-to-eat packs, requiring zero effort for maximum “I’m a thoughtful host” points.
Biena Snacks (USA) — Roasted Goodness
Founded by Poorvi Patodia, Biena Snacks brings roasted crispy chickpeas, endamame and crunchy crisps to the party. All their products are the sort of snack you wish you’d found sooner. Their line-up ranges from lightly salted to spicy sriracha, offering options for every palate. Biena focuses on plant-based protein, making their snacks a satisfying bite for any occasion. Each batch is baked for the perfect texture, so they taste just as good straight from the bag as they do styled on a board.
Nibble Simply (UK) — Bite-Sized Treats
Erin Moroney created Nibble Simply for everyone who’s ever suffered through disappointing health snacks. The Lemon Drizzle protein balls are zingy, sweet, and, crucially, do not taste like cardboard. Made with simple, natural ingredients and completely vegan, these protein balls are gluten-free, low in sugar, and high in fibre- genuinely good for a quick, guilt-free energy boost. Hide a stash for yourself before the party starts, because once people try them they’re gone.
Hip Pop Kombucha (UK)
Hip Pop Kombucha is the creation of Emma Thackray and Kenny Goodman, here to prove British kombucha can be both fun and genuinely tasty. Their cans come in flavours like Strawberry Pineapple Margarita that actually feel special, not sad. Pour over ice or add a splash of gin if the games not going your way. Hip Pop makes gut-friendly drinks that you’ll actually want to finish.
Silks Irish Dry Gin (Ireland)
Speaking of gin, Marie and Sally Anne Cooney, the mother-daughter team behind Silks at Boann Distillery, made gin that’s as poetic as its name. It bottles the feeling of stumbling across wildflowers on the way home from the pub. Crisp tonic, lemon, a fancy slice of apple if you’re feeling extra. It’s floral, a tad citrusy, and turns everyone into the sort of person who claims to be “gin-curious,” at least until the next round of penalties demands a top-up.
Nix & Kix (UK)
Kerstin Robinson and Julia Kessler met in an airport in 2004 and, naturally, they decided to start a delicious beverage company together! Since launching in 2016, they’ve built a range of low-calorie, vegan sparkling drinks with a distinctive cayenne pepper kick. These drinks offer natural, exciting flavours without the sugar crash, perfect for anyone after something refreshing but with a little extra zing. Pour them straight from the impeccably designed cans, or use them as a mixer for an equally elevated cocktail (or mocktail!).
BuzzBallz (USA/ UK)
Merrilee Kick, a former high school teacher with a knack for fun, created BuzzBallz- ready-to-drink cocktails in colourful little spheres that look like tennis balls crashed a party. They grab attention and might just inspire dance moves so bad your sober friends will question your life choices. Two or three BuzzBallz in and you’ll be giving penalty shout-outs at your snack board. Truly delicious.
Poppi (USA)
Poppi is a bright, bubbly brand known for its prebiotic sparkling sodas that make fizz feel like a smart, guilt-free pleasure. Allison Ellsworth co-founded Poppi (originally Mother Beverage) alongside her husband Stephen, with a mission to create fruit-forward drinks that support digestion while tasting great. These Instagram-worthy cans bring a splash of excitement and a pop of colour to any snack board or drink tray—plus, the prebiotics mean you get a little wellness bonus with every sip. It’s the kind of fizzy that makes you forget soda is usually the enemy of health but still keeps you coming back for more. Perfect for when you want a grown-up soda that’s just as fun as it is functional.
Final Assembly: Board and Squad
Gather your mates, summon enthusiasm, and let your snack board do its job. Don’t be afraid of overflow, chaos, or switching up the rules at the last minute. This is a summer for women, and a table lined with snacks that are as bold as any free kick. May the snacks disappear faster than the halftime oranges… ✌️
What are you snacking on this summer? Got a favourite women-founded brand we should know about?
Tag us on Instagram and share your snack board- we’re always hungry for new ideas!
And of course, we’ve featured alcohol here, but it goes without saying: drink responsibly and know your limits!!!
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