Truth be told, I really think I live in this city because it is one of the only places on earth that likes to snack as much as I do.  No matter what time of day it is, I know that a delicious xiǎochī is waiting for me at most street corners.

Kabobs are always a tasty and cheap snack

Shànghǎirén agree with my enthusiasm for the xiǎochī.  Look around – there are always people on the metro snacking on something.  People waiting at street corners usually wait while munching on something delicious out of those little plastic bags.  The first thing kids do when they get out of school is grab a few yuán and buy some kind of snack.

If I want something savory, I can grab a jiānbǐng in the morning or some shēngjiān at Yang’s.  Need something salty – well, there is no shortage of salty snacks here – I can opt for a huge bowl of noodles or some roasted chestnuts.

Granted, most of these snacks aren’t healthy, but I’m pretty sure snacking was never meant to trim your waistline.

Recently, I compiled a list of my 11 favorite snacking options in this city for a CNNGo.com article, which was also just featured in the Travel section of CNN International.

Let me know what your favorite Shanghai snacks are so we can grow this delicious list.

Yes, I know – Dairy Queen is probably not on anyone’s list of hidden gems, but there is something about the American chain here that I find interesting.  Like most American fast food eateries that have made their way across the Pacific, Dairy Queen has adjusted their menu to appeal to their Chinese customers.  What then, sets these DQ’s apart from their other posts in the States?

Green Tea Ice Cream.

Black Tea Blizzards with Ice Chips.

Yes, you heard me.  For blizzards, DQ offers up classic condiments and candy like Oreos, Cheesecake, hot fudge, but also some that are loved by the Chinese palate – red beans, peanuts, ice cubes, and saga pearls.

There are few things that taste better than a nice cold, sweet DQ Blizzard after a greasy and often times heavy Chinese dinner.  So, the other day, I found myself ordering one of these up, but decided to go with something a bit Chinese inspired.

Green tea for me, with Oreos and Cheesecake.  Quite the combination.  At first, I was unsure about the Green Tea, but like most Chinese food, the more I ate it, the more I liked it.  The chocolate offered a pretty interesting contrast to the tea.

Another Blizzard that was ordered was a Black Tea with Cheesecake.  We couldn’t tell if there were any cheesecake pieces in it, but the actual ice cream was delicious.  Almost tasted like a black tea milk tea, but less sweet.

So, next time you pass by a Dairy Queen and scoff at it, take a look inside and order up some local flavors.