Food References in “Gilmore Girls” : The Ultimate Guide to Lorelai and Rory’s Food Moments

Published: 8 June 2023

Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, “Gilmore Girls” is a female-led series that follows the life of single mother Lorelai Gilmore and her teenage daughter, Rory, in the charming town of Stars Hollow in Connecticut.

“Gilmore Girls” was an instant hit when it first aired on October 5^th, 2000. It ran for seven seasons before coming to an end in 2007. The cult classic was, however, revived in 2016 as a limited miniseries titled “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” on Netflix.

It’s safe to say that the internet’s love for “Gilmore Girls” is undying. With its witty and fast-paced dialogues, obscure pop culture references, colorful characters (yes Kirk, I’m talking about you) and endearing mother-daughter relationship, what’s not to love?

Fiercely independent Lorelai and Ivy League-bound Rory are the queens of fast food and copious amounts of sweets and caffeine. Generally speaking, the Gilmore diet is far from nutritionally sound. (The curious case of Lorelai and Rory is yet to be studied by medical professionals in the fictional world of Stars Hollow.) But then again, it is undeniable that this slice of life show gave us some of the most memorable food references in TV history. And, when you really think about it, the show remains a great source of comfort and escapism for countless fans around the world (just like junk food was for Lorelai when facing her strict and oppressive upbringing).

As Julia Child once said “Moderation. Small helpings. Sample a little bit of everything. These are the secrets of happiness and good health.”

Without further ado, let’s dive right in and fine comb through all 153 episodes (and 4 reboot episodes) of “Gilmore Girls” to uncover the foods that fuel the never-ending chatters of Lorelai Victoria Gilmore and Lorelai “Rory” Leigh Gilmore.

Note: There is an ENDLESS amount of food and drink references sprinkled throughout Gilmore Girls so I will be solely focusing on the foods that Lorelai and Rory are seen eating or planning on eating throughout the seasons.

Gilmore Girls doesn’t exist without coffee. Let’s be real here. Lorelai and Rory probably have coffee running through their veins at this point.

The iconic opening scene of the pilot episode says it all. We are introduced to Lorelai’s character through a hilarious plea for a sixth cup of coffee at Luke’s diner, where the best coffee in town is made. No fancy-schmancy machines here! Just your basic coffee maker and a familiar face.

LORELAI: Please, Luke. Please, please, please.
LUKE: How many cups have you had this morning?
LORELAI: None.
LUKE: Plus…
LORELAI: Five, but yours is better.
LUKE: You have a problem.
LORELAI: Yes, I do.
LUKE: Junkie.
LORELAI: Angel. You’ve got wings, baby – S01E01

From this point on, Lorelai’s obsession with coffee becomes a running gag throughout the show…

MAX: OK, OK. Um…how about coffee? You like coffee?
LORELAI: Only with my oxygen- S01E05

…and the revival.

RORY: You know, some people might say drinking coffee in the middle of the night could hinder your sleep.
LORELAI: People are dumb. – A Year in the Life, E1, Winter

No day can go uncaffeinated for Lorelai.

SPA EMPLOYEE: Anyhow, your rooms are right down this hall. Fruit and yogurt is served by the pool in the mornings, and your lunch and dinner seatings are on that itinerary. Any questions?
LORELAI: Yes, where can one get a cup of coffee around here?
SPA EMPLOYEE: Ah, we don’t serve anything with caffeine here.
LORELAI: And you think that’s safe?- S02E16

Health nut Luke isn’t too fond of Lorelai and Rory’s caffeine addition but his warnings are usually quickly dismissed.

LUKE: Do they let kids drink coffee before school?
RORY: Why, do you think it might lead to harder stuff? Lattes, cappuccinos. . .
LUKE: Forget I asked.- S03E03

Rarely do we see Lorelai and Rory adding creamer or sugar to their coffee, although it does happen on occasion.

LUKE: What are you doing?
LORELAI: I need coffee.
LUKE: It’s 5:00 in the morning. Make coffee at your own house.
LORELAI: I did. I drank it all.
LUKE: You drank all the coffee in your house before five in the morning?
LORELAI: Big gulps, lots of sugar.
LUKE: Alright, get up.
LORELAI: And just a little bit of cream ’cause it makes it cold.
LUKE: Keep moving.- S04E20

At Yale, Rory also drinks cappucinos (S5E10) and caramel macchiatos (S05E16). As for Lorelai, some days just call for a mocha chocolate caramel swirl-a-chino with extra whip cream from Weston’s.

LUKE: What’s that?
LORELAI: My pretty, pretty face?
LUKE: That’s a Weston’s coffee cup.
LORELAI: Is it?
LUKE: You bring an enemy coffee cup in here on the day of our reconciliation.
LORELAI: At least I didn’t ask you for a favor on this, the day of our daughter’s wedding.
LUKE: Get that coffee out of here.
LORELAI: This is not coffee. This is a mocha chocolate caramel swirl-a-chino with extra whip cream.
LUKE: That sounds disgusting.
LORELAI: It is. And if it was physically possible to make love to a hot beverage, this would be the one.
LUKE: So apparently I’ve got competition.
LORELAI: No, no, no. It’s just a fling. I’ll finally spend the night with it, but then when I see it in the morning with the caramel un-swirled and the whip cream un-whipped, huh! Buh-bye.- S05E17

On one occasion, Luke experiments by adding some nutmeg to his regular coffee which proves to be rather successful.

LORELAI: Luke, that is an exceptionally good batch of coffee.
LUKE: Yeah?
LORELAI: Hello!
LUKE: I added a little nutmeg.
LORELAI: Really?
LUKE: Yes.
LORELAI: That’s very Richard Simmons of you.
LUKE: Well what can I say. Chicks dig a man with a feminine side.-S01E12

At home, Lorelai also experiments with her coffee by adding some Ovaltine, a milk flavouring product that contains malt extract, sugar and whey.

LORELAI: Coffee and Ovaltine.
RORY: Thanks.
LORELAI: It’s getting late, you almost done?
RORY: Almost.
LORELAI: Don’t study so much that you get brilliant, go mad, grow a big bald egghead and try to take over the world, okay, ‘cause I wanna go shoe shopping this weekend.
RORY: Promise, I will not go mad until we get you some boots.
LORELAI: Thank you.- S03E08

Once in a blue moon, Lorelai will refuses coffee. That’s when you know she’s bitter. This happens in S06E06 when Lorelai discovers that Taylor removed the Dragonfly Inn from the historical map of the town.

LUKE: You want some coffee?
LORELAI: I’m beyond coffee.
LUKE: Beyond coffee. This is big.
LORELAI: I’m fuelled by my righteous indignation. I’ll fill you in later. -S06E06

When your best friend is a chef, you are sure to never go hungry!

Throughout the seasons, Lorelai gets to taste a bunch of Sookie’s recipes, including the amazing peach sauce made with just the right amount of maple syrup and Connecticut-grown peaches supplied by Jackson.

LORELAI: Oh, dear God Almighty. That’s incredible!
SOOKIE: I want to put it on the waffles tomorrow morning for breakfast.
LORELAI: I want to take a bath in that sauce!
SOOKIE: I will make more!
LORELAI: Someday when we open our own inn, diabetics will line up to eat this sauce.
SOOKIE: Won’t that be great?- S01E01

In season 1, one of Sookie’s most noteworthy dishes is, without a doubt, the magic risotto which restaurant critic Lucien Mills has the nerve of calling “fine”.

LORELAI: Sweetie, I don’t think he meant ‘fine’ as a slam or as a monologue.
SOOKIE: He couldn’t have meant it any other way.
LORELAI: Sookie, I hate to see you get so upset over one little review.
SOOKIE: This is pride Lorelai. I mean you know about this risotto. I mean on my mother’s deathbed –
LORELAI: You made the risotto and she lived three more years.
SOOKIE: She was supposed to be dead. The doctor said she wouldn’t make it through the night.
LORELAI: And she lived because of the risotto – the magic risotto.
SOOKIE: And this guy had the nerve to say it was‘fine’
LORELAI: I don’t think he knew the story.
SOOKIE: Urgh! – S01E04

Sookie is usually thrilled to cook for people, except when it comes to Lorelai’s lunch dates with Paris at the Inn in season 6. For the occasion, Sookie unwillingly prepares grilled chicken with fries.

LORELAI: We’re having lunch.
SOOKIE: Really? Ordering pizza are ya?
LORELAI: No, Sookie. I’m breaking up with her today, all right? I’m ending it, like I promised, so back off.
SOOKIE: Grilled chicken and fries. That is all I’m making.
LORELAI: Thank you.- S06E03

Despite being a dinner guest at Lorelai’s house in S06E09, Sookie cannot help but to get involved in the cooking process, as she bakes a very generous portion of her chicken and dumplings casserole.

SOOKIE: I can’t believe you didn’t do anything to the kitchen.
LORELAI: What are you talking about? Look at the brand-new napkin holder. It used to be a cow. Now it’s a much bigger cow.
SOOKIE: Fine. Forget it. Chicken and dumplings going in.
LORELAI: You do know the pile of burgers sitting in the refrigerator is intended for human consumption.
SOOKIE: I never go anywhere without a casserole.
LORELAI: Must make dining out rather awkward.
SOOKIE: Look, if by some chance Luke happens to burn the chicken or overcook the burgers, then we won’t starve. If everything turns out perfect, then you can freeze the casserole and eat it for the rest of your life.
LORELAI: Perfect plan.- S06E09

Lorelai and Rory are BIG fans of pie. So, naturally, Sookie makes copious amounts of sour cream-peach and blackberry-cranberry pies for Rory’s surprise farewell party in season 7.

JACKSON: She’s at home baking right now. You name the fruit, it’ll be in one of her pies.
MOREY: Can she make a sour-cream/peach pie?
JACKSON: I’ll put it on the list.
KIRK: I’d like a blackberry.
JACKSON: Oh she makes a wicked blackberry and cranberry.- S07E22

At the Inn, Lorelai and Rory are continually blessed with an endless supply of Sookie’s baked goods, including the classic chocolate cake.

LORELAI: So, Rory’s golfing adventure. Tell me!
RORY: It was fine.
LORELAI: Oh, honey, I brought you some of Sookie’s chocolate cake to make you feel better.
RORY: It really wasn’t that bad.
LORELAI: You are the sweetest kid in the whole world. – S01E03

Speaking of cake, we can’t forget the tassel hat cake with chocolate-covered espresso beans that Sookie secretly bakes to celebrate Lorelai’s graduation in season 2. It doesn’t get more Lorelai than that!

LORELAI: Aw, you made me a tassel hat cake!
SOOKIE: Filled with two pounds of crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans.
LORELAI: You’re evil.
SOOKIE: And you’re graduating.
LORELAI: Yes I am, aren’t I?- S02E21

Sookie also regularly brainstorms menu ideas with Lorelai for Rory’s birthday parties. In S01E06, the bubbly chef opts for mini orange biscuits with honey-mustard ham and cheddar cheese, angel wings and onion dip.

SOOKIE: The party was a hit.
LORELAI: And we’ll be eating onion dip for breakfast for a week.
SOOKIE: You know, you mix that dip with some ground turkey and some garlic and it’s really not too bad.
LORELAI: Hey, I’m not looking for a recipe.
SOOKIE: Ooh, reflex, sorry. OK, I’m gonna go check the living room.- S01E06

In S01E19, orange-glazed muffins with warm cinnamon butter are used as a negotiating tool to convince Lorelai to hire the infamous Rune at the Independence Inn. Why Sookie! WHY!!!

SOOKIE: Lorelai, hello. I made some coffee.
LORELAI: Rune is in the lobby.
SOOKIE: Oh, I also made those little orange glazed muffins you like with warm cinnamon butter.
LORELAI: Sookie, Rune is in the lobby.
SOOKIE: Uh huh.
LORELAI: Why?
SOOKIE: Your muffin’s getting cold.
LORELAI: My muffin’s fine. My muffin wants to know what the fruitcake is doing in the lobby.- S01E19

Similarly, Sookie showers Lorelai with an assortment of muffin tops for breakfast in S07E12 before asking her to babysit Davey and Martha while she and Jackson go skiing. Did I mention she made four different kinds?

SOOKIE: Well, actually, they’re not really muffins. They’re muffin tops because the muffin tops are the only parts you like.
LORELAI: You baked me a whole basket of muffin tops?
SOOKIE: Yep. I have got apple-cinnamon-walnut, lemon-poppy seed, apple spice, and double chocolate chip, which is really more cake than muffin. But if calling them a muffin means you can eat them in the morning, then I am all for it. So, which would you like?
LORELAI: Um, the cake one, please.
SOOKIE: Ooh, good choice.-S07E12

In S01E14, Lorelai happily snacks on Sookie’s goat cheese and pancetta omelette while Michel complains about the fat content of the dish. On the bright side, at least he’s not suffering from ennui…

LORELAI: What is this?
SOOKIE: A three egg omelette with goat cheese, pancetta cooked in a sherry olive oil.
MICHEL: I don’t eat dairy or meat. You know this.
SOOKIE: I am a chef, Michel. It is my job to make food that tastes good.
LORELAI: And you do sister!
MICHEL: But I can’t eat like that and look like her.
LORELAI: You don’t know what you’re missing.-S01E14

In S02E05, Lorelai and Rory enjoy a feast fit for a king in honour of Jess’ arrival in Stars Hollow. We’re talking grilled cheese, pot roast, chicken wings, mashed potatoes, garlic bread and, of course, four different kinds of salads!

LORELAI: Oh, wow, something smells good.
SOOKIE: It’s the garlic.
JACKSON: Three heads of it.
LORELAI: Nice.
SOOKIE: I want everything to be perfect. We are gonna make this kid think that he died and went to heaven.-S02E05

When Rory and Lorelai freak out about their termite-infested home in season 2, count on Sookie to try and cheer them up with some late-night Häagen-Dazs chocolate chocolate chip ice cream milkshakes.

RORY: We will make this up to you Sookie.
SOOKIE: What are you talking about? This is great. It’ll be like a slumber party.
RORY: Are you sure?
SOOKIE: Absolutely. We can raid the fridge. We can make a nice avocado- mango face mask. Get out the tarot cards, tell fortunes, play Twister, make a Häagen-Dazs chocolate chocolate chip ice cream milkshake, and we’ll watch Purple Rain. . .
LORELAI: Sookie, it’s midnight.
SOOKIE: Okay, let’s go straight for the milkshakes.
LORELAI: Good thinking.-S02E11

In S06E17, Sookie delivers mac and cheese, taquitos, mini hot dogs and chili fries to Lorelai’s house only to realize that the food is actually meant for Richard and Emily… Pasta La Sookie anyone?

LORELAI: Wait, Sookie, what is all this stuff?
SOOKIE: What? I made your favorites.
LORELAI: But my parents aren’t gonna eat any of this.
SOOKIE: Your parents? I thought this was for you.
LORELAI: You thought I wanted to sit by myself and eat an entire buffet of the world’s most fattening food?
SOOKIE: I don’t know I just figured it was just one of your cravings or maybe just a fun way to announce that you’re pregnant.
LORELAI: What?
(…)
SOOKIE: Okay! Okay!
LORELAI: Now, the food…
SOOKIE: Right. Okay, the mini hot dogs can be bratwurst. The mac and cheese can be pasta La Sookie. And, presto, the Taquitos are Blinis.
LORELAI: And the chili fries?
SOOKIE: Are chili fries.
LORELAI: Right.-S06E17

In season 4, Lorelai is practically force-fed broccoli tarts as Sookie’s attempts to master her recipe for Emily’s upcoming party.

SOOKIE: Try this one.
LORELAI: Sookie, I love you, I love your cooking, but I swear if you make me eat one more bite of broccoli tart, I will beat you to death with it.
SOOKIE: Your mother is the pickiest woman I have ever catered for. She has impeccable taste, the highest standards, and she can smell an inferior tart a mile away.
LORELAI: Well, depending on how long it’s been left out, we all can.-S4E06

And, last but not least, in S06E10, Sookie shrieks in excitement before heading off to prepare kebabs and pot stickers to celebrate Rory’s long-overdue return to Stars Hollow.

SOOKIE: Lunch! I’m making you lunch!
RORY: But we just –
LORELAI: Don’t fight it.
SOOKIE: It just came to me. Kebabs. Okay, drop everything, boys! We’re making kebabs for Rory, and pot stickers! Okay, throw everything out. This is a celebration! Woo!
LORELAI: Let’s get to higher ground.- S06E10

Life without Luke’s diner is impossible for Lorelai. Period.

Once the mandatory mug of coffee is secured, mornings at Luke’s usually entails coffee and muffins.

The girls usually order blueberry muffins (S01E07, S02E01, S03E15, S05E08, S07E03), but, in S03E15, we also catch Rory ordering some lemon poppy seed muffins to bring at Lane’s band practice.

LORELAI: Do you have a guilty pleasure Luke?
LUKE: Nah.
LORELAI: Are you into music?
LUKE: Sure.
LORELAI: Monosyllabic man strikes again.
RORY: We’ll have two muffins please.
LUKE: You got it. – S02E07

In season 4, Rory asks her mom to get her some onion rings with a coffee and a muffin from Luke’s, a strange food combination that quickly sparks a very prideful response from Lorelai.

LORELAI: I need coffee.
RORY: I’ll meet you there.
LORELAI: Hurry, we can come back out for the bells in half an hour.
RORY: Order me some coffee, a muffin and some onion rings.
LORELAI: Look what I pass on to the next generation.
RORY: Eating habits from Hades.
LORELAI: Love that DNA!- S04E11

Donuts are also a very common go-to breakfast at Luke’s when the girls are running short on time.

LORELAI: Hey, how‘bout one person gets pancakes and one person gets eggs and then we can share?
RORY: I can’t, I have to go.
LORELAI: What are you talking about? It’s – It took us thirty minutes to get here?
RORY: Lots of limping.
LORELAI: Oh, shoot! Well, at least grab a doughnuts before you go. Hey, Luke, uh, we need a couple of donuts, and, uh, some of those extra legs Heather Mills is sending over to Croatia.
LUKE: Coming right up.-S03E08

Donut flavours usually include sprinkled, chocolate, jelly, glazed, maple and apple.

LORELAI: Oh, good donut selection this morning, really. Good variety, good color, good goodness, good . . . Well, so the choices are there. It all comes down to what I’m in the mood for. Sprinkled or chocolate or jelly or glazed, maple or kicky or apple or, uh, raised. Little donut rhyme there. Never mind. Can I have a chocolate and a sprinkled please?
LUKE: Okay. -S02E22

Another regular breakfast order for Lorelai and Rory are Luke’s fluffy pancakes (S01E17, S02E03, S02E06, S02E12, S02E22, S03E02, S03E07, S03E20, S04E09, S06E07) and some French toast (S01E19, S02E06, S07E20).

In season 1, Lorelai requests chocolate chip pancakes to help heal Rory’s broken heart after her breakup with Dean. Luke tops it off with some extra whipped cream and strawberries to show his support.

LORELAI: Do you think you could make those really crazy chocolate chip pancakes and go extra heavy on the chocolate?
LUKE: Yeah sure, any special occasion?
LORELAI: Dean broke up with Rory.
LUKE: What?!
LORELAI: Keep it down, she doesn’t want anybody to know about it.
LUKE: Oh I knew it, I just knew that kid was trouble.
LORELAI: Yes you did, you knew it. Pancakes please.-S01E17

Luke’s chocolate chip pancakes strike again in S06E07.

LUKE: It’s already loaded with chocolate chips. That’s candy, and you’re adding whipped cream. That’s more candy.
LORELAI: Got any jelly beans?
LUKE: I’m gonna be sick.
LORELAI: Oh, and a cherry-S06E07

Sweet blueberry pancakes also make an appearance in S02E03 and, in season 4, Luke makes a special batch of pumpkin pancakes with homemade cinnamon butter.

LUKE: Okay. Uh, hey, are you in the mood for pancakes?
LORELAI: Pancakes, sure, yeah. I guess we have enough space for pancakes.
LUKE: ‘Cause I’m making pumpkin pancakes and it comes with homemade cinnamon butter.
RORY: You made cinnamon butter?
LUKE: This morning.
LORELAI: Wow. I bet the other people who would love a table right now but can’t have one ’cause they’re all taken would love pumpkin pancakes with homemade cinnamon butter.
LUKE: I’ll get your coffee.-S04E09

In S01E19 and S02E06, Rory gets French toast with bacon for breakfast while Lorelai orders pancakes with eggs on the side (emphasis on “side”). Lorelai’s eggs are usually over-easy (S01E19), scrambled (S06E16) or shaped into a cheese omelet with bacon and sausage (S04E09).

LUKE: What are you talking about? You always order the same thing.
LORELAI: Yeah, but you usually put the eggs on the side so that my breakfast is not ogling me.
LUKE: It’s the same food.
LORELAI: Hmm, yeah, I need the eggs put on the side.
LUKE: You want a brand new plate.
LORELAI: Yes.
LUKE: How about if I take this plate in the back, I take the eggs off the pancakes, I put the same eggs on the side and bring the plate back out. What happens then?
LORELAI: Then I can eat my breakfast.-S01E19

In S02E18 and S03E15, Lorelai specifically orders a Jack omelet and, in S05E03, both Lorelai and Rory get eggs with cheese, sausage and bacon.

RORY: Scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese and half bacon, half sausage.
LORELAI: I’ll have the same, and put it on her tab.
LUKE: You get your own tab.
LORELAI: Oh, thank God you don’t have a Latin accent, or you’d be completely irresistible.
LUKE: Coffee will be ready in a minute.-S05E03

When Lorelai gets breakfast at Luke’s with her father in season 2, she opts for plain pancakes with a banana and a side of bacon (in addition to half a grapefruit per her father’s request). Similarly, in season 7, Rory orders a savoury plate of pancakes, eggs, bacon and hash browns as her last breakfast at Luke’s before leaving Stars Hollow for her first job.

LORELAI: Okay. I’ll have a banana, pancakes, side of bacon, and lots and lots of coffee.
LUKE: Coming right up.
RICHARD: You didn’t order any grapefruit.
LORELAI: Yeah, I don’t really like grapefruit.
RICHARD: Oh, I always start my breakfast off with half a grapefruit.
LORELAI: Hm, do the Florida people know about you? Because Anita Bryant left this huge gap that has yet to be filled.
RICHARD: It’s important to start the day off correctly, Lorelai. A grapefruit is brain food. It has vitamin C and folic acid and it helps with your digestion. It really is a terrific fruit.
LORELAI: I feel like you’re about to break into song.-S02E12

The only time we witness Lorelai ordering a breakfast quesadilla with jack and cheddar at Luke’s is in S04E16 when she gets an uncontrollable craving for cheese.

LORELAI: Hey, where’s Luke? I want him to make that breakfast quesadilla thing he made yesterday.
LANE: Luke’s not here.
LORELAI: Where is he? He knows the exact right jack-to-cheddar ratio.-S04E16

Another one-time order at Luke’s is the scooped bagel with cream, jam and fruit requested by Lorelai in S06E06. Strange? Yes. Surprising? No.

LANE: Here you go, scooped bagel, cream cheese, jam.
LORELAI: Thank you! Did you save the scoopings? -S06E06

Rory and Lorelai’s favourite meat is, hands down, beef. So for lunch/dinner at Luke’s, the mom and daughter duo usually orders burgers with fries (and pies!)

LUKE: I’m gonna go pick up some stuff to hold us over‘til tomorrow.
LORELAI: Well, get some burgers.
RORY: And tater tots.
LORELAI: And pickles.
LUKE: Okay, hold on a sec. Burgers, tater tots, pickles. You want cheese on the burger?
LORELAI: Cheddar.
RORY: And swiss.
LUKE: Dessert?
LORELAI: Do we have to decide right now?
LUKE: I would seriously advise it.
LORELAI: Pie.
RORY: Cherry.
LORELAI: And whipped cream. And dental floss. And paper towels. And People magazine. We’re really hungry.- S03E11

Lorelai’s go-to order is a cheeseburger with fries (S06E17). In S03E02, during her lunch with her mother, Lorelai also includes onions rings and a cherry coke.

LUKE: You two ready to order?
EMILY: Yes. How is your Caesar salad dressing prepared?
LUKE: I’ll have to call Paul Newman and ask him.
EMILY: A Cobb salad and an iced tea.
LORELAI: Cheeseburger, fries, onion rings and a cherry coke.
LUKE: Any pie today?
LORELAI: Hm, no thanks.
LUKE: Cutting back a little, huh? Trying to look good for the big day. Smart, very smart.- S03E02

Besides cheese, Lorelai adds American mustard (S01E05, S04E07) to her burgers and ensures the removal of any remnants of lettuce.

LORELAI: So, what about dinner?
RORY: It should probably be something healthy since we’ve been eating junk the whole trip.
LORELAI: We had lettuce on our burgers last night.
RORY: You picked it off.
LORELAI: But it left its essence.
RORY: There was lettuce essence on our burgers?
LORELAI: Definitely.
RORY: And that satisfied our vegetable requirement?
LORELAI: For the week.
RORY: We can’t argue with cold hard facts.- S02E04

In S5E20, Lorelai gets a special order of burger with barbecue sauce on the side and a slice of lemon pie for Rory.

LUKE : Burger rare, cheddar cheese, barbecue sauce on the side.
LORELAI: Oh, hey, save Rory some lemon pie.
LUKE: Rory’s coming in tonight?
LORELAI: Yeah, she’s going to see Lane’s band play at Positively Four Street tonight. They have the coveted three in the morning slot.
LUKE: I hear that’s how Zeppelin started.
LORELAI: Yeah, her genius plan is to come home, go to bed early, set the clock for two, get up and go rock.
LUKE: Solid plan.- S05E20

But the most iconic (and disgusting) burger known to mankind is, without a doubt, the jolly Santa burger that Luke prepares for Lorelai in S01E10 with wonder bread, ketchup and cream cheese.

LORELAI: What did you do?
LUKE: You wanted something festive.
LORELAI: You made me a Santa burger.
LUKE: It’s not big deal.
LORELAI: He has a hat and everything.
LUKE: Yeah, I just cut a piece of wonder bread, you know, poured a little ketchup, piped on a little cream cheese.
LORELAI: No one has ever made me something quite this disgusting before. I thank you.
LUKE: You’re welcome.- S01E10

According to S03E09, Lorelai and Rory also have a special order on Wednesdays which includes french dip, extra fries & cherry pie.

LORELAI: Ah. You ready to order?
RORY: I’m ready.
LUKE: Don’t bother, saw you coming, already ordered your Wednesday usual – the French dip, extra fries, the every-Wednesday cherry pie.
RORY: Such service.
LORELAI: Oh, and such a food rut we’re in.-S03E09

Speaking of fries, we might as well mention the ultimate fry dip for any fast food lover: the salt and pepper combo.

PARIS: What are you doing?
JESS: Salt and pepper dip. Only way to eat a fry.
PARIS: Really?
RORY: It’s fast food gospel.
PARIS: Mm. That’s good. That’s really, really good.- S02E16

Luke also sells chili fries which are mentioned in the pilot episode when Lorelai seeks some comfort food after a heated argument with her mother.

LUKE: So, what’ll you have?
LORELAI: Coffee, in a vat.
RORY: I’ll have coffee also. And chili fries.
LUKE: That’s quite a refined palate you got there.- S01E01

Luke’s chili fries appear once more in S06E17 when Luke heads to the kitchen to make the girls some S’mores.

LUKE: Here, start on these. I’m making you some S’mores.
RORY: He’s the most beautiful man in the world.
LORELAI: Yeah, you should see him carry a spider outside.- S06E17

On one occasion, we even see Lorelai eating nachos at Luke’s (S06E09). However, this scene remains forgettable compared to the notable scene in S05E06 when Lorelai is seen walking around town in a cowboy hat with nachos in one hand and a red slushy in the other.

LUKE: They’re gonna to get cold.
LORELAI: Are they different?
LUKE: Different than what?
LORELAI: They seem different.
LUKE: They’re nachos. Now eat them.
LORELAI: You used baked chips.
LUKE: What?
LORELAI: You did, didn’t you? You used baked chips and low-fat cheese.
LUKE: I did not… use low-fat cheese.
LORELAI: Ha!
LUKE: How can you tell?
LORELAI: How could you lie?
LUKE: They taste the same!
LORELAI: Oh, the trust, Luke. How are we gonna to make it if you’re constantly trying to keep me healthy?
LUKE: Fine. Forget it. Die at 60.-S6E09

Finally, the day of Rory’s move to Yale, Caesar prepares a special to-go order of a sausage wrapped in a pancake and tied together with bacon.

CAESAR: Here you go, Rory.
RORY: Thanks, Caesar. Since we were short on time, I had them make us something to go. My Yale special.
LORELAI: Oh, share, share.
RORY: Sausage wrapped in a pancake tied together with bacon.
LORELAI: You made that up?
RORY: I don’t know how I do it.-S4E02

Now that we’ve got savoury items out of the way, what about sweets at Luke’s? Well, for one, I don’t think Lorelai can live without pie.

LORELAI: In my hand, ladies and gentlemen, sits the true advantage of dating a diner owner. I am never more than ten feet away from pie.
LUKE: Ah. See, I thought it was the way we always smell faintly of meat.
LORELAI: Ah! Its heaven! One quick trip downstairs and I have all the treats I want. You’re like Willy Wonka, but hotter.
LUKE: I am not hotter than Willy Wonka.
LORELAI: Slap on a purple top hat and you’re close. – S05E10

As a matter of fact, pie usually appears when Lorelai or Rory are upset.

LUKE: Here.
RORY: What’s that?
LUKE: You look like you need pie.
RORY: I do?
LUKE: Violent pencil tossing usually signals the need for pie.
RORY: What if I’d thrown a pen?
LUKE: I would’ve brought you a trout.
RORY: What?
LUKE: I don’t make the rules, I just carry them out.- S01E04

In S01E06, Luke also bakes a special coffee cake for Rory’s birthday.

LUKE: Hey, wrong table.
RORY: Since when is there a right table?
LUKE: Since the coffee cake I baked for you and the stupid balloons I blew up are at that table, over there.
RORY: You blew up balloons for me?
LUKE: Yep.
RORY: Oh, Luke, you old softie.
LUKE: I count to three, it’s gone.
RORY: Thank you. -S01E06

In season 2, Luke brings brownies to his “basket date” with Lorelai after purchasing her basket containing no more than two stale Pop Tarts and a Slim Jim.

LORELAI: Hey, where are you going?
LUKE: I am going to the diner, I am going to get us some edible food and I’m gonna bring it back here for us to eat.
LORELAI: That is so not the point of today. I made this. I am insulted. I will now proceed to pout.
LUKE: I’ll bring back some brownies.
LORELAI: Ooh, the pouting has left the building.-S02E13

Luke’s brownies resurface once more in the same season when Lorelai is handed the task of choosing the movie for “Movie in the Square” night.

LUKE: Uh, I made some brownies, I thought you might like some.
LORELAI: Oh, gee, since I just ate half a bag of marshmallows, six Pop Tarts, four bagel dogs and a really stale Cheese Nip – yup, it’s brownie time, thanks. Hey, here’s a question for you.
LUKE: Yeah?
LORELAI: Well, you probably have a diner full of people who would love these brownies – plus, I bet they’d pay you for them.
LUKE: Well, I accidentally dropped triple the amount of cocoa powder in the batter so I either had to dump the batch or find someone with some sort of superhuman chocolate tolerance – only one name came to mind.
LORELAI: God, I love being special. What?- S02E19

Lorelai and Rory’s movie nights are extravagant yet intimate (and always very cozy). But if you look closely, each movie mentioned in the show has its particular set of snacks.

Why not go through the list of snacks for our favourite Gilmore movie nights? Shall we…

“Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (1971 film directed by Mel Stuart)

“Casablanca” (1942 film directed by Michael Curtiz)

“Fatso” (1980 film directed by Anne Bancroft)

“Showgirls” (1995 film directed by Paul Verhoeven)

“Pippi Longstocking”(1969 film directed by Olle Hellbom)

“Cop Rock” (1990 TV Show created by Steven Bochco and William M. Finkelstein)

“A Star Is Born” (1937, 1954 and 1976 films respectively directed by William A. Wellman, George Cukor and Frank Pierson)

“Riding The Bus With My Sister” (2005 film directed by Anjelica Huston)

“Snakes On A Plane” (2006 film directed by David R. Ellis)

“Funny face” (1957 film directed by Stanley Donen)

“The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006 film directed by Gabriele Muccino)

“Eraserhead” (1977 film directed by David Lynch)

We also see Lorelai munching on popcorn in S1E19 while she and Rory wait for the sci-fi movie “Queen of outer space” to start. Popcorn is also the main snack at the movie festival in Stars Hollow in S2E19 when the pre-movie is Kirk’s short film. Additionally, in S02E15, the girls get some Rocky Road hot fudge sundaes with maraschino cherries and whipped cream to take to the movies.

Unfortunately, there were no extravagant movie nights in the revival. A mere hint appeared in episode 3 (Summer) when Lorelai and Luke are seen spending an evening watching the French TV Show “The Returned” with no more than a bowl of popcorn.

LORELAI: We’ve got to break this tragic pattern.
RORY: What pattern?
LORELAI: Ugh. We get through one episode, then half of another, then he falls asleep.
LUKE: I’m up at 5:00.
LORELAI: He won’t watch again till a week later. By then he’s forgotten the first half of the abandoned episode, and the entire one before that. Then we have to start all over again.
RORY: That puts you in binge-watching jail, Luke.
LUKE: I’ll get a lawyer. April, go to law school.
APRIL: Lawyers are fascists.- E3 SUMMER

Friday night dinners… who can forget…God only knows why some relationships are so torturous. We can’t say Lorelai and Emily didn’t give it their best shot.

One thing is certain: when life gives you Friday night dinners, stack up on some bread rolls.

LORELAI: Okay, that dinner was good.
RORY: All of Grandma’s dinners are good.
LORELAI: I know, but this one had the rolls.
RORY: Aw, those were excellent rolls.
LORELAI: Weren’t they? Hot and buttery with that split top thing going on. I miss the rolls.
RORY: Well, she can make more next week.
LORELAI: That’s okay. I got four in my purse.
RORY: You do not.
LORELAI: Go ahead and check.
RORY: Have you no shame?-S02E18

Before heading to the dinner table, Richard and Emily usually start their evenings by serving drinks and a small amuse-bouche like cheese to their guests. In fact, when Richard moves to the pool house, cheese sampling remains a part of the Friday night ritual with Hungarian cheese showcased in S05E03.

EMILY: I bought some cheese to have before dinner.
RORY: Great, we love cheese.
LORELAI: It goes great with wine.
EMILY: I will be right back.
LORELAI: Boy, it’s cold in here.
RORY: It’s a lot colder where you’re sitting.
LORELAI: Ugh. She’s mad at me.
RORY: Yup. – S03E05

Cheese is also used as a palate cleanser in S04E01 before serving dessert.

EMILY: You know, every time we go to Paris, I marvel at their ability to turn a simple meal into a three or four hour event. Makes every day seem like a party. So tonight, I thought we’d be European. I thought maybe we’d have a cheese plate before dessert and coffee. How does that sound? Bon?
RORY: Oh, yes. Very. . .bon.- S04E01

Lorelai and Rory both LOVE steak. So you can imagine Lorelai’s joy when Richard serves steak skewers as appetizers in S05E08.

LORELAI: Mm, God it smells good.
RORY: I love a good steak on a stick.
RICHARD: Me, too.
RORY: We should form a club.
LORELAI: Steak-On-A-Stick club.
RICHARD: We could have t-shirts made up.
RORY: Grandpa, I’ve never seen you wear a t-shirt.
RICHARD: Well, I’ve just never found a proper occasion.-S05E08

Steak is also Lorelai’s choice for dinner with Emily outside of the spa in S02E16. Add a shrimp cocktail, and you’ve got yourself a scene right out of Martin Scorsese’s 1995 “Casino”.

LORELAI: Thank you. You’re a good man, Steve. Okay, I’m thinking steak and Caesar salad if it’s not too anchovy-y, and hey – do you wanna split a shrimp cocktail to start?
EMILY: That sounds fine.
LORELAI: Ah, I just love the idea of shrimp cocktail with a steak dinner, you know? It’s so Casino, Big Joe, steak and shrimp – hey, save some for winter, there.
EMILY: I never realized how wonderful peanuts were before.
BARTENDER: Want a refill?
EMILY: Oh, yes, please.-S02E16

Ever wondered what Lorelai and Rory ate at their first Friday night dinner with Emily and Richard? Turns out it was lamb, mashed potatoes, asparagus and cooked tomatoes served with bread.

Speaking of which, lamb meat is served almost every time Christopher joins in on the ceremonial family dinners.

EMILY: Christopher, I hope you like lamb. When I found out you were coming I decided we had to serve something special. And to me, special means lamb. Oh, it just makes me so happy to see the two of you sitting here together. It’s so much fun.- S07E05

Emily goes as far as to import her meat all the way from New Zealand in season 7.

CHRISTOPHER: The lamb is delicious, Emily.
LORELAI: Look who’s being Mr. “Favorite son-in-law happy smile face”?
EMILY: I’m glad you’re enjoying it Christopher. My butcher had it flown in from New Zealand.
LORELAI: First class I hope.
CHRISTOPHER: Well, the dinner is very nice.- S07E09

Emily also serves paella when Christopher stops by for dinner in S06E22.

In comparison, Emily opts for an avocado salad with beet dressing followed by a roast beef when Logan joins them for Friday night dinner.

RICHARD: What’s on the dinner menu tonight?
EMILY: Roast beef. Oh, I hope Logan’s not some kind of vegetarian.
RICHARD: Well, his grandfather owned ten thousand head of cattle. I sincerely doubt it. -S05E20

As for dinner with Jess, Emily’s choice lands on prime rib roast.

EMILY: The roast looks perfect. Oh, Jess, you eat meat, I hope. I forgot to ask.
JESS: I’m a carnivore.
EMILY: Good. I don’t see how anybody can resist eating meat.
JESS: It’s why we have teeth.
EMILY: That’s how I feel. Dinner parties used to be simple. Now every time we give one, I have to run my menu down with every person on the list. It’s tiring. This one eats just about anything.
RORY: Grandma.
EMILY: I’m sorry, but the way you and your mother eat, and those slim figures of yours – it’s a medical marvel.
JESS: They should be studied.-S3E14

In S04E08, dinner with Jason Stiles consists of lobster thermidor, a French dish that is usually cooked in a rich wine sauce.

JASON: This food is incredible.
RORY: Yeah. It’s my first lobster thermidor.
JASON: Your recipe?
EMILY: No.
LORELAI: Hey, can you thermidor other foods? You know, fish thermidor, uh, Spam thermidor, enchiladas thermidor?-S04E08

As for dinner with Luke and Lorelai in S6E14, the choice ultimately lands on duck pâté.

EMILY: Luke, you eat so little.
LUKE: My motto is “everything in moderation.”
RICHARD: Smart. Very “Walden-esque”.
LUKE: But it’s good, though. Everything’s really good — the duck pâté especially.
EMILY: Thank you.-S6E14

Entrées at Richard and Emily’s are usually soups or salads (although Lorelai and Rory are often seen playing with the lettuce rather than actually eating it).

EMILY: So, tell me. How are the salads?
LORELAI: Good, mom.
CHRISTOPHER: I like the pear.
EMILY: Do you?
CHRISTOPHER: Umm.
EMILY: I’m so glad.
RICHARD: Tastes very fresh.
EMILY: Well, pears this time of year can dress up any salad.- S07E05

In S01E03, the main course is Mira’s cassoulet. Or was it Sarah’s? It’s impossible to keep track of these things with Emily’s quick turnaround of maids…

RICHARD: Dinner was lovely, Emily.
EMILY: Mira does make a perfect cassoulet.
LORELAI: Who’s Mira?
EMILY: Our cook.
LORELAI: I thought the cook was Heidi.
EMILY: Oh, no, we let Heidi go months ago. She had a problem closing things — the door, the refrigerator
RICHARD: The liquor bottle.- S01E03

The family is also accustomed to eating all sorts of different meats including squab a.k.a pigeon meat (S01E11), rabbit meat (S01E18) and goose meat (S05E17).

TRIX: What did you think about the rabbit?
LORELAI: Oh, I thought it was wonderful.
TRIX: You know I brought it with me.
LORELAI: Excuse me?
TRIX: From London. London has the best game.
GRANDPA: Mm.
LORELAI: You brought it with you from London?
TRIX: Yes.
LORELAI: What, did you get it a seat?
GRANDMA: Dry ice.
LORELAI: Wow! That’s inventive.-S01E18

But Lorelai is much less enthusiastic when it comes to organ meats. “Sweetbread” is rather deceptive if you ask me…

LORELAI: Okay, I give. What is this?
EMILY: Sweetbreads.
LORELAI: Sweetbreads. So that’s uh. . .
EMILY: Pancreas.-S02E12

At the start of season 2, Emily prepares a special menu involving homemade beefaroni and twinkies to celebrate Rory’s academic achievements at Chilton.

RORY: Grandma, I can’t believe you found the recipe for Beefaroni.
EMILY: It wasn’t easy. Antonia thought I’d gone insane.
LORELAI: Well . . .
EMILY: No one needs a comment from you.
LORELAI: No, I was just gonna say, what’s the secret?
EMILY: Well, let’s just say it’s not beef.
LORELAI: Oh, okay, I’m done.
RORY: Me too.-S02E01

Later that same season, Lorelai and Rory sneakily munch on barbecued corn left in the patio before eventually getting caught by an appalled Emily.

LORELAI: Mom, the whole point of barbecuing is to eat outside.
EMILY: Animals eat outside. Human beings eat inside with napkins and utensils. If you want to eat outside, go hunt down a gazelle. Make your decision, I’ll be inside.
LORELAI: What are the odds of finding a gazelle around here?
RORY: Slim to none.
LORELAI: Okay, let’s go.-S02E07

In season 3, the chicken, potatoes and asparagus meal gets all the praise from Lorelai, who is in a particularly good mood.

LORELAI: This is amazing chicken, Mom. I mean it, really great.
EMILY: Thank you, Lorelai.
LORELAI: It’s like super chicken. I bet it could fly. Have you tried tossing it out the window?
EMILY: All right, what’s going on?
LORELAI: What? I like the chicken.
EMILY: Nobody likes the chicken that much, Lorelai.
LORELAI: I’m in a good mood.- S03E07

We are also introduced to Richard’s favourite childhood meal in season 3. Johnny Machete is a very colorful dish which, according to Richard, includes some cream of mushroom soup.

RORY: It’s delicious.
LORELAI: It’s not bad.
EMILY: It’s twelve different colors.
LORELAI: Come on, Mom, eat it.
EMILY: It looks like someone already did.
RICHARD: Emily.
EMILY: I’m sorry. I’m happy you’re happy, and to prove it, I will take exactly three bites of this before I throw it out.
RICHARD: Thank you.
EMILY: You’re welcome.-S3E18

Pork at Friday night dinners is seldom served and is only mentioned in two episodes in season 3. In S03E15, the pork meat is served with peas, potatoes and bread rolls with butter.

EMILY: What do you think of the pork? Rory?
RORY: It’s good.
EMILY: I’m not sure. Richard?
RICHARD: It’s fine.
EMILY: I’m not sure.
LORELAI: It’s really good, Mom.
EMILY: Yes, well, I’m not sure.
RICHARD: Pork is bred leaner these days. It has a different taste. Less fat equals less flavor. Yet another example of the great advances man has made, flavorless pork. Hurrah for the opposable thumbs.
EMILY: All right, enough talk about pork. Please, someone change the subject.-S03E05

In season 5, Emily tries something different by serving a fennel potato purée in S05E03 and pickled herring in S05E08.

LORELAI: Hmm. Soup in 100-degree weather. Cool.
EMILY: I have the air-conditioning on, Lorelai.
RORY: I like it, Grandma.
LORELAI: Oh, my God, the sucking up.
EMILY: Stop it…Thank you. It’s fennel potato puree with a touch of chili to give it spice. I thought we could go more exotic now that it’s just us girls.-S5E03

Roast is a recurring food at Friday night dinners and reappears multiple times including in S01E16, in S03E13 and in S06E07 when Rory is presented with a feast of pot roast, mashed potatoes, baby carrots, Parker House rolls and ice cream sundae.

RORY: Oh, my god, it smells good in here.
EMILY: Well, I see someone got our dinner invitation.
RORY: Yes, I did, and thank you. It’s been weeks since I’ve had anything that hasn’t been supersized for dinner.
EMILY: Well, you’ve been so busy lately, I had to resort to pot roast and mashed potatoes to get you here.
RORY: Pot roast and mashed potatoes?
EMILY: With baby carrots, parker house rolls, and ice cream sundaes for dessert.
RORY: Wow. Am I dying?-S06E07

Season 6 also serves us the odd spaghetti and meatballs debacle that no one saw coming.

EMILY: Every time we have spaghetti and meatballs, you fight.
LORELAI: No, no, we’re not fighting. We’re just, uh, bonding.
RORY: Mmm! Grandma, I’m starving!
EMILY: Take these away, Mr. Gilmore’s also.
LORELAI: Mom, come on.
RORY: I won’t fight anymore.
EMILY: No. Spaghetti and meatballs is just too much excitement.
RICHARD: I’m sorry about that. I left work early today, and apparently, that caused everyone’s I.Q.S to drop 60 points. My food is gone.
EMILY: The girls were fighting.
RICHARD: I told you not to serve spaghetti and meatballs. They always fight when we have spaghetti and meatballs.
LORELAI: That’s not true.
RORY: We fight just as much when we have Chinese food.- S06E21

Finally, in season 7, potage au cresson (S07E03) and sea bass with a lemon-dill sauce and green beans (S07E15) are served in an attempt to help Richard get his health back on track.

EMILY: I don’t think it tastes fishy. Sea bash is not a fishy fish. Mackerel is a fishy fish. Trout can be a fishy fish. But sea bass is not really a fishy fish.
RICHARD: I didn’t say it tasted fishy. I said it tasted like fish.
RORY: I think it tastes good.
LORELAI: You know the green beans are very green-beany, which is so good, especially if you like green beans, which I do.
RORY: Mmm.
LORELAI: Anyone see any good movies lately?
EMILY: No.
RICHARD: This fish is bland.- S07E15

As for sweets, the prize for “most memorable dessert served by Emily Gilmore” is most likely the unexpected but greatly cherished pudding in S01E06.

LORELAI: What’s that?
EMILY: It’s dessert.
LORELAI: It’s pudding.
EMILY: Well if you knew what it was why did you ask?
LORELAI: You don’t like pudding.
EMILY: Yes, but you like pudding.
LORELAI: Oh, I love pudding. I worship it. I have a bowl up on the mantel at home with the Virgin Mary, a glass of wine, and a dollar bill next to it.
RORY: I’ve never had pudding from a crystal bowl before.- S01E06

Emily also serves soufflé on two different occasions: once in S04E01 to celebrate Rory’s return back from her backpacking trip with Lorelai, and a second time in S04E21.

EMILY: I’ll be right back. I’m going to see if Kiki put the raspberry soufflés in.
LORELAI: Dad hates raspberries.
EMILY: No, he doesn’t.
LORELAI: Oh, sorry, thought he did. Sorry.-S04E21

In S05E21, Lorelai and Rory relish at the sight of chocolate fondue and marshmallows.

EMILY: This feels so decadent. Isn’t this decadent?
RORY: Very decadent.
LORELAI: Are there more marshmallows?
EMILY: All you two have been dipping is the marshmallows! You haven’t touched the kiwi, or the pineapple, or the tangelo slices.
RORY: But it’s fruit.
EMILY: Fruit is good for you.
RORY: We’re fondue purists, Grandma.
LORELAI: Yeah, we dip old school.-S05E21

And last but not least, Fridays are sweetened with passion fruit sorbet in S06E13 and rhubarb pie in S07E05.

LORELAI: Mmm, what is this? This looks good.
EMILY: “What is it”? I told you 20 minutes ago. It’s Rhubarb pie.
LORELAI: Hmm. Is it still Rhubarb pie?
EMILY: I swear I was having the most wonderful time.
LORELAI: Is Rhubarb a root, dad?
RICHARD: No. -S07E05

The stomach-churning atmosphere at Friday night dinner has quite the effect on Lorelai. Lingering feelings of resentment, shame and regret all contribute to the gluttony that usually follows dinner with Richard and Emily Gilmore.

In S01E19, pie is picked as the comforting friend.

LORELAI: Oh, pie!
RORY: We just had cake at Grandma’s.
LORELAI: Yeah, but that was crabby cake, let’s have happy pie.
RORY: Have whatever you want as long as there’s coffee.- S01E19

In S03E02, Lorelai and Rory gather mac & cheese, tater tots, pizza rolls, chili beef soup and cake to turn their Friday night around.

RORY: I’m starving.
LORELAI: Really? Could it be‘cause dinner sucked?
RORY: Could be.
LORELAI: Let’s do mac and cheese.
RORY: And tater tots
LORELAI: And those little pizza rolls.
RORY: Oh, and chili beef soup.
LORELAI: After which we will install our own vomitorium.
RORY: Okay, nix the soup.
LORELAI: And add some cake. Okay, let’s be organized – make it fast, make it snappy, and if there’s any impulse buying, make it chocolate.-S03E02

After being denied Friday night dinner in S03E21, Lorelai heads to “Souplantation” with Rory for all-you-can-eat soup, salad, pizza, pasta, chicken wings, ice cream and rainbow sprinkles.

LORELAI: A room full of all you can eat food. Soup, salad, pizza, pasta, chicken wings, ice cream, rainbow sprinkles. How did I not know about the rainbow sprinkles?
RORY: I have no good answers for you.
LORELAI: We are going back with Tupperware.-S3E21

In season 4, it’s all about Taylor Doose’s Soda Shoppe hot chocolate!

RORY: Please do not say that word again.
LORELAI: It’s a free country.
RORY: Just say hot chocolate or say nothing at all.
LORELAI: Mmm, terrific “Ho-Cho”.
RORY: Oooh, I hate that. It’s so cutsey-wootsey.-S4E12

Boysenberry pie makes an appearance in season 5, when Lorelai and Rory head to Luke’s for dessert after dinner with the fam. Lorelai orders boysenberry pie with ice cream and Rory gets a hot fudge sundae (and half a grapefruit).

LUKE: Here we go. Boysenberry pie with ice cream. Hot fudge sundae. Half a grapefruit.
RORY: I don’t want a grapefruit.
LUKE: It’s good for you.
RORY: Kinda my point.
LUKE: It’s too late for her, but not for you. Eat it.
LORELAI: The service is very rude. No tip for you.-S5E05

In fact, Lorelai goes as far as to pre-order some boysenberry pie from Luke in S05E17. I tell you…Lorelai REALLY loves pie.

In S06E14, after a disappointing Friday night dinner, Lorelai prepares frozen pizza topped with potato nuggets, alongside apple and cherry turnovers.

LORELAI: Hey, have you noticed that anything in a red-wine reduction sauce leaves you hungry 20 minutes later?
RORY: Especially if you don’t eat it.
LORELAI: Did my parents eat exceptionally slowly tonight?
RORY: Yes.
LORELAI: They did. My mother started on the white-meat portion of her game hen at 8:15 and did not hit the drumstick till 10 O’ nine.
RORY: Actually 9:15.
LORELAI: You’ve been in there an hour. What are you doing?
RORY: Facial exercises. The younger I look, the younger you look.
LORELAI: Oh, good point. Hey, do we want the apple turnovers or the cherry?
RORY: Yes.-S6E14

Lorelai’s ceremonial gluttony post-FridayNightDinners is not forgotten in the revival, as we watch her snack on a sprinkle donut and some coffee at Luke’s while filling salt shakers in episode 1 (Winter).

Rory’s lunch at Chilton usually involves a sandwich, a fruit salad, a bag of chips and a can of Hansen’s soda (S02E07, S3E11). Rory is also seen drinking Hansen’s soda at home in S03E03.

PARIS: How many times do I have to tell them? You can’t put a two-inch ladle of gravy into a one-inch potato crater. You either need a smaller ladle or a bigger crater – otherwise, you get this.
RORY: Gravy on your asparagus.
PARIS: Yes.
RORY: Paris, the cafeteria workers serve hundreds of students a day. A little gravy spillage is natural.
PARIS: I see. So I should just sit quietly and shovel in whatever slop they throw my way like some inmate in the chow line at Leavenworth doing twenty to life? I don’t think so.
RORY: I’ll save your seat.-S03E11

The exception is S01E20 where Rory packs a lamb sandwich and a strudel for lunch after spending the night at her grandparents’ house.

EMILY: So do you get your lunch at school or do you bring it with you? Because Rosa made a fabulous leg of lamb yesterday. I bet it’d make a wonderful sandwich.
RICHARD: Take her up on that. It is good. And demand a slice of strudel.
RORY: Okay. I demand some strudel.
EMILY: Good.-S01E20

As Rory slowly acclimates to her new living quarters, Lorelai, Sookie and Luke all chip in to make sure that the bookish daughter doesn’t get too homesick. In season 4, Lorelai delivers a care package including muffins from Luke and marshmallow cookies from Sookie.

LORELAI: So, Sookie sent marshmallow cookies, Luke sent muffins, and I got you a copy of the Stars Hollow Gazette.
RORY: You don’t have to bring that to me anymore. I subscribed.
LORELAI: You subscribed to the Stars Hollow Gazette? The editor of the Stars Hollow Gazette does not subscribe to the Stars Hollow Gazette.
RORY: I didn’t want to get cut off from the town.
LORELAI: That’s very sweet of you.- S04E03

Breakfast on campus usually involves an assortment of breakfast cereals (S05E14) or muffins (S7E19). As for caffeine, Rory usually gets her coffee (and biscotti) from the coffee kiosk on campus.

PARIS: Don’t forget the raisin bran. It’s good for you. Keeps you moving.
RORY: Whatever that means. Ew, I just got what that means!
PARIS: Cognitive skills are slow today. Grab some Corn Flakes. Nietzsche and Lichtenstein went ape guano over Corn Flakes.
RORY: They make you smart, German and depressed. Why do they have so much Wheat Chex? It doesn’t go with anything.
PARIS: Wheat Chex are sort of the pumpernickel bread of the cereal world.
RORY: Well put. So what combo are you thinking today?
PARIS: Cap’n Crunch over a foundation of Rice Krispies, with a perimeter of Shredded Wheat.
RORY: Bold.
PARIS: I like its prospects.
RORY: I love cereal.
PARIS: It rocks.-S5E14

Besides Cocoa Puffs, Rory is also a fan of Froot Loops which she often eats on campus (S04E17) and back home (S07E03).

RORY: Whoa! Oh, I’ve never seen the cereal completely full before. I’m never here early enough! I knew they had Cocoa Puffs.
LOGAN: Go crazy, Ace.
RORY: No, we’re getting ice cream.
LOGAN: There’s no rule that says you can’t have ice cream and cereal. Go on, get your Cocoa Puffs.
RORY: First Cocoa Puffs of the day. This is a historic moment.-S5E17

Speaking of breakfast cereals, we can’t forget to include Rice Krispies Cereal (with mini marshmallows) as seen in S03E02. As for Lorelai, peanut butter Captain Crunch also deserves an honourable mention.

CHRISTOPHER: Ah no, we said one sugar cereal.
LORELAI: You’re gonna deny me the captain?
CHRISTOPHER: We’ve got a whole box of Froot Loops at home.
LORELAI: In my fragile state you’re gonna deny me peanut butter Cap’n crunch?
CHRISTOPHER: It rips your gums…
LORELAI: In a delightful, sugary way. Look it’s got 5% real peanut-butter- flavored chemicals.
CHRISTOPHER: No.
LORELAI: Oh, fine. Corn flakes.-S07E10

Students at Yale also benefit from an endless supply of ice cream year-round.

LORELAI: You are so not starving here at Yale.
RORY: My lips are frozen.
LORELAI: Look, while it might seem a little eccentric to eat ice cream in forty degree weather –
RORY: You’d think!
LORELAI: There are several advantages to the concept. For example, since it’s cold out, the ice cream won’t melt, therefore it’ll last longer.
RORY: So then my lips will stay frozen for double the amount of time.
LORELAI: Mm-hmm. Okay, I lost the feeling in my tongue!
RORY: I’m throwing the ice cream out now.
LORELAI: Oh, my God, it’s frozen. It’s like an ice cube. A tongue-shaped ice cube and it’ll never thaw.
RORY: Then why don’t you shut your mouth? Let the heat stay inside?
LORELAI: That was hostile. And useful. Thank you.- S05E15

In S04E09, Lorelai and Rory witness for the first time the legendary tailgate parties at Yale. If you spot a steak marked with a large “Y”, you know the Bulldogs are playing!

RICHARD: I think I have officially eaten a third of a cow.
RORY: Mm, the steak is incredible.
EMILY: I’m glad you’re all enjoying it. Lorelai, how’s your steak?
LORELAI: Why do you ask?
EMILY: That’s it. Hand over the flask.-S04E09

The following season (S05E05), Rory catches up with her grandfather during lunch as she digs into a plate of chicken, peas and rice.

In season 6, it’s all about making up for lost time. To keep her batteries charged, Rory fuels her mornings with an abundance of caffeine and bagels.

LOGAN: Why are you up?
RORY: It’s 11:04, the whole world is up.
LOGAN: Keith Richard isn’t up. Pete Doherty isn’t up.
RORY: Rory Gilmore is up.
LOGAN: She shouldn’t be. You’re making me dizzy.
RORY: I forgot my Thucydides.
LOGAN: Don’t see how you can function without your Thucydides.
RORY: Hey, I’m trying to squoosh four semesters into three. If I slow down, I’ll get whoomped.
LOGAN: How long you been up?
RORY: Five hours, four cups of coffee, two bagels.-S6E15

As for The Yale Daily News, donuts and coffee, provided by Christopher and Lorelai in S07E06, do wonders to help the staff power through their latest news assignment.

CHRISTOPHER: We come bearing donuts and coffee.
LORELAI: Gather ’round. The chocolate Eclairs are to die for.
RORY: Thanks, guys.
LORELAI: We figured you’d need some all-nighter supplies.-S07E06

One word: Pizza!

RORY: How’s it going?
LORELAI: Good. A lot of walking. We all had pizza at John’s in the village and wrote a musical.
RORY: Good for you.
LORELAI: Then we picked the same Dean Martin song on the jukebox twenty-five times and people started complaining, so we picked the Bee Gees’ “New York Mining Disaster” and they begged for Dean Martin back.
RORY: Sounds fun.- S03E14

When Rory visits Jess in New York in S02E21, they grab hot dogs “with everything on it” at a stand nearby.

RORY: A hot dog stand?
JESS: Hey, I eat here everyday. It’s nothing fancy, but –
RORY: No, I love it. It’s perfect.
JESS: Good. One with everything on it.
RORY: Make that two, please.-S02E21

In episode 2 (Spring) of the revival, Lorelai and Rory head back to New York where they sample cronuts from Monique Aswell Bakery and snack on some hot dogs while Rory interviews people for her GQ story.

RORY: Where did you get that?
LORELAI: I ran around the corner. The chef guy was taking out the trash. I chatted him up a little, and I got him to sneak a bunch of these out to me.
RORY: You can’t do that.
LORELAI: Why not?
RORY: These people will tear you apart.
LORELAI: I’m starving.
RORY: Hide that. Don’t let them see it.- E2 SPRING

When Lorelai and Rory return from Europe in S04E01, a brown bag full of Italian biscotti tags along.

LORELAI: Pizza at John’s. Um, Sunday, pick up all the stuff you need for school, and then there’s a barbecue at Sookie’s. Monday is mani/pedi, facial, haircut, go to the psychic, and stock up for Tuesday, the day of all days – Godfather I, II, and III, with extra showings of the Sofia death scene over and over as long as the Mallomars hold out.
RORY: The perfect day!
LORELAI: I agree.
RORY: And I think we have just enough of the biscotti that we brought back from Milan to last us the rest of the week.-S4E01

Lorelai and Rory also recall experiencing Belgium fries and funky Irish cheese during their backpacking trip.

LORELAI: Anyhow, we were in London and we ran into this group of girls who were heading to Ireland to stake out the Clarence Hotel.
LUKE: Why?
LORELAI: Because U2 owns it and Bono hangs out there.
LUKE: Ah. Him again.
LORELAI: So then we jumped on a train and we headed to Ireland – incredibly beautiful, by the way – and we sat in a bar for two days and did nothing but eat soda crackers and funky cheese and he never showed.
LUKE: Que sera. – S04E01

In S05E02, during her stay in Italy with her grandmother, Rory inadvertently orders stinky cheese with her coffee. A strange combination for America, but not so much for Scandinavia. Ever heard of “Kaffeost”?

LORELAI: Did you have a nice piece of cheese with your coffee?
RORY: I still say I said the correct word for “cream” in Italian. I even pointed at my coffee when I asked for it. How could I be asking for cheese?
LORELAI: But cheese you were brought.
RORY: Stinky cheese. The worst, don’t forget.
LORELAI: That you proceeded to eat.
RORY: Because I hate people who make mistakes when they order, especially in a foreign country, and then make a big to-do when they get the wrong thing. Ugly Americans. Yuck.
LORELAI: Aha! You admit it was a mistake. You did say “cheese.”
RORY: I know French, a bit of Spanish, but my Italian — not so good.
LORELAI: Being trilingual is plenty for a young lady..- S05E02

In season 7, Lorelai returns to Paris with Christopher where they experience a magical 5 AM meal at “L’Arpège” involving langoustines and candied carrot cannelle.

MAITRE D’HOTEL: Compliments of the chef… Langoustine on a bed of mush and candied carrot cannelle.- S07E07

Life has its ups and its downs. But no worries! For each ailment, there is a food!

When Lorelai pulls a muscle in her back in S01E09, Sookie brings her tacos and burritos with extra hot sauce.

LORELAI: It’s open!
SOOKIE: It’s me! I got tacos!
LORELAI: Yay!
SOOKIE: I got extra hot sauce and a couple of extra burritos to put in the fridge in case you get hungry later.
LORELAI: You take such good care of me.-S01E09

When Lorelai catches a cold in season 3, she settles on chicken noodle soup and mashed potatoes for breakfast at Luke’s.

LUKE: You know what helps get rid of a cold?
LORELAI: Endless vague questioning first thing in the morning?
LUKE: A healthy immune system.
LORELAI: My second guess.
LUKE: And you know how you get a healthy immune system?
LORELAI: Remember when you hated me? That was fun, wasn’t it?
LUKE: Is it eating nothing but crap all day and blowing out your brain cells with coffee?
RORY: No.
LUKE: That’s right, no.
LORELAI: Why are you helping him?
RORY: No seemed like the right answer.
LUKE: Eat a vegetable now and then, maybe some high fibre cereal in the morning.
LORELAI: Listen, Grandpa, my soup’s getting cold.
LUKE: At least eat the carrots in the soup this time, not just the noodles.
LORELAI: I promise. Eat my carrots.
RORY: Apparently, maturity is extremely overrated in your universe.
LORELAI: That’s right. The Empress Bobo Belle forbids it. Eat.-S03E02

When Lorelai is stressed about the Inn in S04E20, she heads to Luke’s for copious amounts of coffee and some sound advice.

LUKE: I’m making you some oatmeal.
LORELAI: I don’t like oatmeal.
LUKE: You’ve got to eat something healthy.
LORELAI: Oh, man, I’m so completely stressed. I can’t remember what I’m doing from one moment to the next. It’s never gonna get done.-S04E20

When Lorelai is heartbroken over Luke in S05E14, Rory supplies Toll House cookie dough, chocolate-covered matzah and Paris’ breakfast cereal recipe.

LORELAI: Well, I’m loving the cereal combo.
RORY: Five different kinds, three sweetened, with a mix of non-fat milk and half and half. It’s a Paris recipe.
LORELAI: Thank her for me.-S05E14

When Rory gets her first hangover in S04E17, she turns to mac&cheese to make everything better. In S05E19, the list of hangover foods expands with the addition of mashed potatoes, biscuit, gravy, tacos, fries and beef burrito.

LORELAI: Hey. I got you a beef burrito. I thought it might be too hardcore for the amateurs in the kitchen, but I figured you’d appreciate it.
RORY: Thanks.-S05E19

When Lorelai’s blood sugar levels hit an ultimate low in S06E06, she runs to Luke’s for a BLT, chili fries and a black & white shake, which is essentially a milkshake with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup.

LORELAI: Oh, my God, I made it! Food. Me. Give.
LUKE: Emergency B.L.T.
LORELAI: Yeah! Emergency chilli fries and black and white shake. It’s a three-alarm emergency.- S06E06

When Rory feels defeated in episode 2 (Spring) of the revival, Lorelai orders pot roast, mashed potatoes and a banana split from room service to try and cheer her up.

LORELAI: Want me to order some comfort food? Some pot roast, mashed potatoes, banana split?
RORY: Sure. I’m just gonna take a shower, get the Wookiee smell off me.- E2 SPRING

Gilmores don’t cook. Period. So when Lorelai picks up a hamburger helper box in S01E16 with intentions of cooking a meal herself, Rory is slightly amused.

LORELAI: I wanna cook.
RORY: You can make soup.
LORELAI: No. I wanna really cook like on the Food Channel. I wanna sauté thing and chop things and do the BAM, and I wanna arrange things on a plate so they look like a pretty little hat. I wanna be the Iron Chef!
RORY: Fine.
LORELAI: Really?
RORY: Yeah, I’ll help.
LORELAI: Okay. I need a pan.
RORY: And a fire extinguisher.
LORELAI: Funny, funny girl. Now, if I had only bought some hamburger.
RORY: You didn’t buy hamburger?
LORELAI: Yes I bought hamburger. I just like saying things like that so you look at me like I’m crazy.
RORY: So, tell me, why the sudden need to be domestic?
LORELAI: Ah, I don’t know. I’m in like a funky mood.- S01E16

When Luke and Lorelai meet up with Rory and Logan at Martha’s vineyard, dinner involves fresh lobster, mashed potatoes, salad and bruschetta. And everyone is lending a helping hand (including Lorelai!)

LORELAI: Is there such a thing as over mashing potatoes?
RORY: Yes, it’s called potato soup.
LORELAI: You know, you can put on the apron and shout out things like “dice the carrots,” but implying that you can over mash potatoes proves you’re a phony.
RORY: You’re the one who thought the potato masher was a waffle shaper before I corrected you.
LORELAI: Ha… Ow, I think I’m giving myself mashed-potato elbow. – S06E15

Nothing beats Luke’s burgers and fries! That being said, Lorelai and Rory take pride in exploring the world of burgers everywhere they go.

In S01E08, Lorelai and Max get spicy fiesta burgers for their movie date and in S02E20, Lorelai brings cheeseburgers for lunch while she helps her dad to set up his new consultant office.

In season 6, Christopher is introduced to “Rich Man’s Shoe”, the best burger joint at Yale and a usual eating spot for Logan and Rory.

CHRISTOPHER: Rich man’s shoe?
RORY: Best burgers within walking distance.
LOGAN: We have very high culinary standards here at Yale.
CHRISTOPHER: Whoa, is that the new xBox 360? Okay, I’m totally moving in here with you.- S06E14

OF COURSE, burgers had to be a part of the revival! In episode 1 (Winter), Rory is seen eating half a burger during her lunch meeting with Naomi Shropshire (where she also samples a fluke carpaccio with lime and chilies). And in episode 2 (Spring), Rory grabs a burger during her late night dinner with the Wookie she wish she never met.

WAITER: This is the fluke carpaccio with lime and chilies.
NAOMI: Is it? And who’s the genius who ordered this magnificent dish?
WAITER: Uh, Dr. Reynolds over there.
NAOMI: Hmm…Would it be possible for this particular plate to go missing and for you to rush back and get another one for the darling doctor over there?
WAITER: Uh, of course, Naomi.
NAOMI: Oh, it’s delicious.Everything tastes so much better when it’s stolen.
RORY: Mmm, that is good.- E1 WINTER

How does a Gilmore prepare for her first day at private school? Easy! By snacking on canned whipped cream while getting her toenails painted red to reaffirm her “bad girl” status.

LORELAI: That’s nice.
RORY: Thank you.
LORELAI : Don’t move, please.
RORY : So, Why are you insisting on doing this.
LORELAI : Well, because you’re going to be starting private school tomorrow.
RORY : Yes, but I’m going to be wearing shoes. Nobody’s going to see my feet.
LORELAI : Okay, But everybody knows that private school girls are bad. And bad girls always wear red nail polish. -S01E02

Chips are one of Lorelai and Rory’s favourite snacks. Rory usually goes for salt and vinegar chips (S01E20) or Doritos (revival, E2, Spring). As for Lorelai, it seems like she’s more of a Pringles sour cream and onion kind of gal (S04E09).

Gum is also an essential for Rory and Lorelai (as mentioned in S01E20 and S02E01). As a matter of fact, Bubblicious gum holds a special place in Lorelai’s heart.

LORELAI: It’s my baby box. It’s full of all these little things, mementos and stuff from the night Rory was born. I haven’t taken it out in ages.
SOOKIE: Mine’s not getting a box because mine’s not coming out.
LORELAI: Mm. My walkman with the homemade compilation tape still in it. “99 Luft Balloons,” some R.E.M., some Thompson Twins.
SOOKIE: I never cared for them.
LORELAI: The magazine I was reading that night, with a special feature on who’s hotter – Andrew McCarthy or Emilio Estevez.
SOOKIE: They’re both dogs.
LORELAI: My Bubblicious-gum necklace, my Chunky wrapper.-S04E07

In S05E15, pretzels are the ultimate snack for Rory as she prepares her “Duck Soup” evening with Marty.

RORY: I told you I would take car of the food.
MARTY: And I see you did.
RORY: Pretzels of the world. San Francisco sourdough, German pumpernickel, chocolate covered Swiss, and the wasabi bites are very intriguing. I also ordered a pizza before you got here.-S05E15

On busy days, Rory and Lorelai are also seen snacking on cheese and crackers (like in S01E13 during the charity rummage sales).

LORELAI: Who wants cheese?
RORY: Are there crackers?
LORELAI: Somewhere in the state of Connecticut, yes there are crackers.
RORY: And the Gilmore house?
LORELAI: Who wants cheese?
LANE: Me please. – S01E13

Other dry snacks include Nilla wafers, dry breakfast cereals (S01E21, S07E21), meringues (S04E05) and fig newtons which Rory brings with her to the Harvard-Yale game in S04E09.

RICHARD: Uh, what have you got there, Rory?
RORY: Fig Newtons.
RICHARD: Fig Newtons?
RORY: A little dessert for later. What’s so funny?
LORELAI: We got the jumbo pack. We’re not cheap.
EMILY: I’m sorry, Rory, we didn’t mean to laugh at you. We love your Fig Newtons.
RICHARD: We will honor them and eat them proudly.
LORELAI: They’re just Fig Newtons, guys. Don’t get all freaky on us.-S04E09

In S02E09, Lorelai is seen eating Cool Whip straight out of the container while making phone calls to find the sender of the ice cream maker. That same episode, Lorelai swiftly makes her way to the vending machines at her business school for a much needed burrito break.

PAUL: One again, ladies and gentlemen, she takes the last burrito.
LORELAI: And hello to you too.
PAUL: Week after week, how do you do it?
LORELAI: I told you, correct change. You go in for that dollar bill nonsense, you’ll be standing there for ten minutes watching it. Ehhh. Eh eh eh.
PAUL: And here I thought you had a special relationship with this vending machine.
LORELAI: Only in the sense that it keeps me alive.-S02E09

When Lorelai is feeling peckish, all bets are off! In S02E22, while preparing for Sookie’s wedding, Lorelai has no shame in acquiring table five’s baggy of Jordan almonds for her own benefit.

RORY: Where’d you get that?
LORELAI: What?
RORY: That. The Jordan almond that you pulled out of your pajama top and ate – where did you get it?
LORELAI: Hm, Santa Claus.-S02E22

Speaking of almonds, we also witness Lorelai sorting through a trail mix in S05E18. Who knew snacking could be so much work?

LORELAI: Ugh, raisins. What are the pruney red things?
SOOKIE: Dried cranberries.
LORELAI: Gone. What’s this?
SOOKIE: Carob.
LORELAI: Adios.
SOOKIE: Okay, why do we buy trail mix if you’re going to pick everything out?
LORELAI: Well, they’ve ruined trail mix. Used to be simple. Now they put too much stuff in it. Your mouth doesn’t know what to expect with any given bite. Will it be fruity? Will it be granola-y? Will it be chocolate substitute-y? What’s this?
SOOKIE: Soybean.
LORELAI: Bah, squirrel food!-S5E18

In S06E16, Christopher and Lorelai snack on milk duds while watching Rory at The Young Voices of Journalism panel. Clearly, the suspense of real-life debates really opens one’s appetite.

RORY: I better get up there. I’ll see you guys afterwards.
LORELAI: Yeah. We’ll be rooting for you.
RORY: It’s not really a root-for-me kinda thing, but thank you.
LORELAI: Well, we brought foam fingers.
CHRISTOPHER: We’re doing the wave if things get dull.
LORELAI: Yeah. Dud?-S06E16

Think you’re too old for Lunchables? Think again.

SOOKIE: Lunchables, huh?
LORELAI: Don’t judge what you do not understand.- S07E05

In S07E07, Rory, Olivia and Lucy make Rice Krispy treats in Stars Hollow while Lorelai visits Paris with Christopher.

RORY: Ooh! We should make Rice Krispy Treats.
LUCY: Oh, my gosh!
OLIVIA: Yes!
RORY: I think there is a cake pan in that broom closet.
OLIVIA: Broom closet?
RORY: Yeah, my mom’s not really into baking or booms. Okay, so the butter’s in the fridge, and I will get the marshmallows and the Rice Krispies.-S07E07

Lollipops aren’t a big deal in the Gilmore household. So, to no surprise, the root beer lollipop of S07E09 turned out to be a fail for Lorelai.

LORELAI: I don’t like root beer…
CHRISTOPHER: No.
LORELAI: Not without carbonation. You want it?
CHRISTOPHER: Your used dum dum?
LORELAI: It’s not used. It’s vintage.- S07E09

The freeze dried meatballs in episode 4 (Fall) of the revival were a little out of character for Lorelai. But then again, that was the whole point! “How wild it was, to let it be”

LORELAI: Oh, come on… Something about this trip has gotta be fun. Sticking… Sticking to the roof….- E4 FALL

The revival also brought back the late-night munchies. In episode 4, Lorelai and Rory gather coffee, ice cream, red vines, pop tarts, donuts and take out for another session of mother-daughter confessions in the middle of the night.

Pizza is a staple food in the Gilmore household. In fact, one of Lorelai’s fondest memories with Christopher involves pepperoni pizza.

LORELAI: It’s weird… it’s just being this hungry makes me think of this time when we were in 10th grade, and, for some reason, I had to make up this chemistry exam during lunch, and it went on and on and on forever, and then finally, when I was done, I came out.. and there you were, waiting for me. And you took this slice of pizza from the cafeteria out of your coat pocket, and you gave it to me.
CHRISTOPHER: Pepperoni — I remember.
LORELAI: Even then, you were so sweet.
CHRISTOPHER: Head back to the hotel?
LORELAI: Mm-hmm. You don’t still have that pizza anywhere, do you?
CHRISTOPHER: Different coat.
LORELAI: Darn!- S07E07

Lorelai and Rory are seen eating pizza on multiple occasions in season 1.

LORELAI : A pizza for your thoughts.
RORY : I wish I could figure out a way to get Paris off my back.
LORELAI : Yeah, angry chicks are the worst. When I was in high school I had a Paris.
RORY : Yeah?
LORELAI : It was horrible.
RORY : How’d you get rid of her?
LORELAI : I got pregnant and dropped out.
RORY : What if I just learn to french braid her hair.
LORELAI : Even better. – S01E02

In S01E08, frozen pizza left by the maid ends up being the saving grace for Rory, Emily and Richard during a snowstorm. Remember Lorelai’s trick to delicious frozen pizza? Freshly grated parmesan cheese!

EMILY: Oh, Rory, you’re not serious.
RICHARD: That hardly looks like dinner.
EMILY: I agree. Rory, that’s food you eat at a carnival. Or in a Turkish prison.
RORY: I promise you’re gonna love it.- S01E08

Pizza is also the “pièce de résistance” at every movie night with Dean. And, in S01E17, pizza and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream serve as comfort food for Rory after her breakup with Dean.

LORELAI: Oh yeah, get back in your pajamas, go to bed, eat nothing but gallons of ice cream and tons of pizza, don’t take a shower or shave your legs or put on any kind of make up at all and just sit in the dark and watch a really sad movie and have a good long cry and just wallow. You need to wallow.- S01E17

Season 1 also introduces us to Toaster Pizza, an Italian’s worst nightmare.

LORELAI: I can’t wait to try the toaster pizza. It looks so gross which is usually the mark for a great junk food.
RORY: Beefaroni.
LORELAI: Enough said.
RORY: I’m gonna go plug in my new wall air freshener. Give me five minutes and then come sniff my room.
LORELAI: Cheese or pepperoni?
RORY: Whatever.- S01E17

In season 3, we get a little more insight into Lorelai’s favourite pizza toppings. How can you go wrong with garlic, extra cheese and a side of free cheesy bread?

RORY: I can’t believe you got into a fight with Pete.
LORELAI: Hey, you do not suddenly decide that garlic is an extra topping, not after five years, not after all we’ve been through. We single-handedly helped Pete pay for that new delivery truck of his, and I thought he needed to be reminded of that fact.
RORY: Very loudly.
LORELAI: Not that loudly.
RORY: Dogs started barking.
LORELAI: Because they heard about the garlic incident, and no one likes getting screwed, Rory, not even a Schnauzer. Pete’s a swindler. He takes advantage of single mothers and their innocent children and for that, he must pay – what?
RORY: He gave us free cheesy bread.
LORELAI: He did? Oh!
RORY: Yeah.
LORELAI: I love the cheesy bread.
RORY: I know you do.
LORELAI: It’s all hot, too.
RORY: Now doesn’t someone feel a little silly?
LORELAI: Me?
RORY: Should we call Pete tonight?
LORELAI: Okay, after cheesy bread.
RORY: Fine, after the cheesy bread.
LORELAI: I’m gonna go get the mail – go on inside.
RORY: Okay, I’m gonna go melt some more cheese on the pizza.
LORELAI: Melt away- S03E05

Rory also has her fair share of pizzas with Paris. In fact, the combination of pizza and “The Power of Myth” was simply too alluring to resist during spring break in S04E17.

RORY: Oh, my God, I’m starving.
PARIS: I can’t believe what a great video store that was.
RORY: A little research before a trip never hurts.
PARIS: Pizza and “The Power of Myth”
RORY: A perfect evening. – S04E17

Pizza also remains the ultimate go-to for unexpected visitors. In season 7, when Jackson crashes at Lorelai’s place to avoid the chicken pox, Lorelai orders pizza with pepperoni, meatballs, sausage and garlic cheese knots.

JACKSON: Lorelai, it’s Luke! We thought you were the pizza guy. We’re getting pizza tonight, with pepperoni and meatballs and sausage and those extra-crispy, cheesy garlic knots, and we’re eating everything on the couch.-S7E19

As for the revival, a subtle exchange between Luke and Lorelai says it all.

LORELAI: Last piece.
LUKE: Please.
LORELAI: Come on! We’re gonna be married in 10 hours. This is what married people do.
LUKE: Force-feed each other like veal?
LORELAI: Yes, I look at you, I see veal.
LUKE: Take it.
LORELAI: All right, fine. – E4 FALL

Ice cream is another very beloved food for The Gilmores.

LUKE: There’s nothing in here but ice cream, candy bars, cookie dough, canned frosting. Why are you not four hundred and fifty pounds?
LORELAI: I know. Scientists call it the Lorelai Paradox.-S5E17

There’s always room for a frozen dessert, right?

MAX: Ugh, I can barely walk.
LORELAI: Bad shoes?
MAX: I ate a cow.
LORELAI: You had a steak.
MAX: Plus the sides. Four people, six baked potatoes.
LORELAI: Uh, you always exaggerate.
MAX: Am I exaggerating?
DEAN: Nope.
RORY: Ooh, ice cream!
LORELAI: Ooh, I’m right behind you!
MAX: How can they possibly eat more?
DEAN: Kind of surprised.
MAX: I know. They’re bottomless pits.
DEAN: I mean at you. You’ve known them long enough not to be so confused.- S02E03

One of Lorelai’s favourite flavours of ice cream is definitely Rocky Road, which was even mentioned in the revival during Lorelai’s wedding preparations.

LUKE: What are you doing?
LORELAI: Gotta fit in the wedding dress.
LUKE: Wedding’s in three days.
LORELAI: So you see the need.
LUKE: You could just forgo the ice cream.
LORELAI: Get out.- E4 FALL

In S02E19, Rory and Jess take a break from their study session to get some ice cream (in cones of course!)

JESS: Admit it, it’s always better in a cone.
RORY: It’s always better in a cone.
JESS: Putting ice cream in a dish, eating it with a spoon?
RORY: What is wrong with people?- S02E19

In S04E04, when Lorelai gets a cease and desist order, she heads to the soda shoppe for a serious talk with Taylor. This eventually leads to a scoop of butter brickle crunch for Lorelai and a serving of chocolate chocolate chocolate for Rory.

TAYLOR: Well, hello there. Lorelai, Rory, what can I get for you?
LORELAI: Oh, well, gosh, look at all the choices, really hard to pick. I think I’ll try a scoop of butter brickle crunch. Rory?
RORY: I’ll try the chocolate chocolate chocolate.
TAYLOR: Coming right up- S04E04

And when boredom, creativity and cravings strike all at once? Well…you best believe it’s fried ice cream time!

LORELAI: Hey, you know what would be amazing and really Asian? Fried ice cream.
RORY: Oh, cows must envy your stomach.
LORELAI: They do. I’m so full, I can’t move. I feel like one of those cats that’s bred to have no legs.
LORELAI: Oh don’t get me wrong – my stomach’s ready to explode. This is not a physical hunger. It’s more of a spiritual hunger.
RORY: For fried ice cream.
LORELAI: Yeah, it’s an eastern-philosophy thing. You wouldn’t understand. So, how do you think one actually goes about frying ice cream?
RORY: Probably in a frying pan.- S07E02

From social events (S02E07) and Friday night dinners (S01E03) to cozy evenings at home (S01E18), cake follows Rory and Lorelai wherever they go. Both mom and daughter love anything with chocolate and/or coffee, but, at the end of the day, cake is cake!

In season 2, Lorelai and Rory sample a variety of different wedding cakes at Fran’s Bakery including the mocha crunch cream which caught Lorelai’s attention.

LORELAI: With a crunch and a zing and a hm hm hm hm, hello!
RORY: Okay, our house is burning down, and you can save the cake or me. What do you choose?
LORELAI: Well that’s not fair. The cake doesn’t have legs.- S02E03

Lorelai also samples cupcakes from Weston’s in S02E08, after discussing the possibility of buying the old Dragonfly Bed and Breakfast from Fran.

FRAN: I’m very sorry, but I can never sell the place.
LORELAI: Oh, well thanks for your time Fran.
SOOKIE: Yeah, thanks Fran.
FRAN: Bye now.
LORELAI: Bye.
SOOKIE: Bye.
FRAN: You both look so sad. Would you like a cupcake?- S02E08

Weston’s is also THE place to be if you want to take up the daunting 12-layer German chocolate cake challenge. (Surely, in another life, Rory and Lorelai were professional mukbangers)

LORELAI: Hey, do you think today is the day we’re finally going to go through all twelve layers of the twelve-layer German chocolate cake? The bikers have demonstrated the importance of challenging oneself.-S05E22

In S06E07, Rory selects a chocolate praline crunch cake for her upcoming 21st birthday party.

RORY: And the chocolate praline crunch is the cake.
EMILY: A chocolate praline crunch cake. A chocolate praline crunch cake completely covered with pearls. Ah, to be 21 again.-S06E07

As for coffee meetings with Michel, it’s tradition for Lorelai and her grumpy French friend to dig into a generous slice of red-velvet cake.

MICHEL: We make the list at Weston’s over coffee. That’s what we do when we make the list. We go once a month to Weston’s together, and we sit, and we decide on the work for the handyman. That’s our thing. We get very large coffees, and we split a slice of red-velvet cake, and we gossip, and I eat the whole cake, and you never tell anyone.-S6E14

When the going gets tough, Rory often reaches from some chocolate for a little pick-me-up.

In S01E04, the straight-A student snacks on some chocolate in Sookie’s kitchen after receiving a disappointing grade at Max Medina’s class. We also see Rory grabbing a Kit Kat bar from her mom in S03E16 after an exhausting day with Paris.

Lorelai even mentions chocolate when Rory gets a little cranky in S04E08.

LORELAI: Are you okay?
RORY: Yeah, I’m the happiest unpublished writer in the newspaper biz.
LORELAI: You are not unpublished.
RORY: I am recently unpublished.
LORELAI: Don’t forget your lacrosse-story triumph.
RORY: Yeah, maybe lacrosse is the only thing I’m good at writing about, and I’d never heard of it before I was assigned it.
LORELAI: Now, come on.
RORY: Hopefully, there will be plenty of well-paid, full-time lacrosse-writing positions for me at the major news organizations.
LORELAI: You need chocolate.
RORY: Chocolate and talent.
LORELAI: Stop that.
RORY: Maybe I’m just not cut out for college journalism. Maybe I peaked in high school. Aw, man, that’s a depressing thought.
LORELAI: You didn’t peak. This is just a different environment and a bigger league, and that’s half the fun, isn’t it?
RORY: Kind of. – S04E08

In S03E08, when dinner fails to be served on time, Rory and Richard resort to chocolate to curb their hunger.

RICHARD: Ah, here we are, ice. And. . .chocolates.
RORY: Bless you.- S03E08

And, in S07E03, Rory decides on a chocolate brownie during her dinner with her dad.

CHRISTOPHER: So, do you want the rest of this key lime pie or should I take it with me?
RORY: I don’t know how you ordered key lime pie when there was chocolate brownie on the menu.
CHRISTOPHER: Because you’d already ordered a chocolate brownie.
RORY: But just the one.- S07E03

Lorelai and Rory usually get their pies from Weston’s or Luke’s. Check out some of their most notable pie adventures:

-In S3E10, Rory and Dean share a custard pie after deciding to remain friends post breakup.

-In S03E21, pie fuels a very excited Lorelai and a very studious Rory as they plan for their Europe backpacking trip.

-In S04E11, pie and coffee create the perfect cozy atmosphere for Lorelai on a snowy winter’s day.

-In S05E16, Lorelai and Rory enjoy pie, alongside Rum balls, as Rory vents about her recent fight with her grandmother.

-In S05E20, Rory snacks on a lemon meringue pie that Lorelai ordered for her as they discuss the upcoming dinner with Logan at Richard and Emily’s.

-And, in S07E18, Logan, Rory and Lorelai head to Weston’s to pick up some cherry pie, banana-cream pie and strawberry-rhubarb pie after enjoying their homemade paella.

Pie is also a go-to snack for Lorelai when she can’t sleep. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and the Sandman is bond to show up.

LORELAI: Since we’re up, do you think we should have some pie?
LOGAN: Yeah.
LORELAI: Really?
LOGAN: Yeah.
LORELAI: You think we should have some vanilla ice cream on it?
LOGAN: That’s my favorite. I love vanilla ice cream.-S07E18

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a rarity in the Gilmore diet. However, there are a few occasions when fresh produce finally takes centre stage.

In S01E05, we see Rory eating a red apple the morning of the Chilton bake sale.

As for Lorelai, apples usually serve as an appetizer while she waits for the pizza delivery guy to show up (S01E06).

But when the apple craving gets too strong in S05E21, worry quickly settles in.

LORELAI: Okay, see, I’m eating an apple. Now, normally, this would not be a sign of anything except hunger. Except I don’t eat much fruit. I know I should, but I don’t have a hankering for it. Had it when I was pregnant with my first kid, though. Kept craving those apples. And this morning, boy, was I craving an apple.
DOCTOR: Well, that could be a sign.
LORELAI: It could?
DOCTOR: Or not.
LORELAI: Okay. You’re nice. You’re sweet. I’ve taken up too much of your time. Thank you.-S05E21

S01E14 is the only time we ever see Lorelai buying fresh fruits at Doose’s for some much needed immune-boosting vitamin C.

LORELAI: OK. I need to stop at the market and get some fruit.
RORY: Why?
LORELAI: I think I’m getting scurvy.
RORY: Really?
LORELAI: Yeah. Well that or a cold, but either way, I need some fruit.- S01E14

Fruit salads do appear on occasion in Rory’s school lunches as well as in Luke’s meals (S02E07, S02E08, S3E11). And Lorelai also snacks on fruits here and there at the Inn when she checks up on Sookie in the kitchen.

Besides apples, strawberries seem to be another favourite for Lorelai, who once tried to learn how to make strawberry tarts from Sookie.

SOOKIE: Yeah. Hey Lorelai, remember when I decided to teach you how to make strawberry tarts and the entire kitchen was stained red and I had to repaint that one wall red just to make it look normal? Do you remember? Wasn’t it?
LORELAI: Mmm, it was. Sookie, let’s go powder our noses.
RUNE: You’ll need a lot of powder.
LORELAI: We’ll be right back. Come on hon.
SOOKIE: Oh, ok.-S01E12

We also see Lorelai snacking on fresh strawberries in S07E11 as she struggles to write the perfect character of reference for Luke’s court case.

As for Rory, S07E21 reveals her particular fondness for avocados (in the form of guacamole).

RORY: I just couldn’t answer him. You know I just kept saying, “I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.” It was awful. He was obviously disappointed and upset. You know he made all these plans about the house we would live in and the avocado tree in our backyard.
LORELAI: Well, you do like guacamole.- S07E21

Fresh greens usually aren’t welcome at Lorelai and Rory’s house, except for that one scene in S01E10 in which Lorelai is seen eating a pre-washed salad straight out of the bag after drenching it in what looks like ranch dressing.

Chinese food is mentioned in multiple episodes including S01E07, S01E14 and S02E06. In the latter, Rory prepares for her coming out at the Daughters of the American Revolution Annual Debutante Ball. The girls’ take out order includes Kung Pao chicken and egg rolls.

LORELAI: See now, only a lady can gracefully walk around a room with a book on her head while eating Kung Pao chicken. And a great lady can even spit the peanuts back into the container without anyone noticing.
RORY: Wow.
LORELAI: Yeah, well, don’t be intimidated. You have to practice and practice to get to my level.
RORY: Anyone want the last egg roll?
DEAN: Uh, no.
LORELAI: Heh. Where are you going?
RORY: To get the egg roll.
LORELAI: You’re getting the egg roll yourself?
RORY: Yes.
LORELAI: No! Ladies never get their own egg rolls. Ladies never get their own anything. They don’t even get their own ideas.
RORY: Oh boy.
LORELAI: They just sit helplessly and wait for some young strong man to come by and assist them. They don’t step in puddles, they don’t step over puddles. They can’t even look at puddles. They actually need to be blindfolded and thrown in a sack and carried over puddles.
RORY: Isn’t there a moratorium on how long ladies are supposed to talk?
LORELAI: Uhh, no. Now repeat after me, I am completely helpless.- S02E06

In S02E12, Lorelai mentions Al’s garlic chicken and egg foo young (a.k.a fluffy Chinese-style omelet).

RICHARD: Who could eat all that food?
LORELAI: I almost added the garlic chicken.
RORY: Add it.
RICHARD: There are only three of us.
LORELAI: Yes, but we like choices.
RORY: Let’s call, I’m starved.
RICHARD: Lorelai, you cannot order all of that food. You’re teaching your daughter wastefulness and gluttony.
LORELAI: Um Dad, we do this all the time. We order way too much and then we eat like a third of it and live off the leftovers for a week and a half. It’s a finely honed system. Now please, just sit and read something or watch TV.- S02E12

Jess’ visit in S02E15 also reveals more about Lorelai and Rory’s regular Chinese orders. Along with garlic chicken and Kung Pao chicken, the girls also order Szechuan chicken and chicken in brown sauce. They REALLY love chicken…

JESS: So you guys aren’t too hot on vegetables, huh?
LORELAI: What are you talking about? There’s green pepper in the Kung Pao.
JESS: My mistake.- S02E15

Rory also has Chinese food with Paris after her break up with Logan in S06E17.

PARIS: Hey this is gonna be great. You and me and a freshly painted apartment, no men — just lots and lots of Chinese food.
RORY: We are going to get huge.
PARIS: That’s okay. We’ll get a treadmill.
RORY: Yeah, you always wanted a treadmill.-S06E17

And in S06E20, Lorelai refuels with some take out after helping out with April’s birthday party.

LORELAI: Ah, Kitchen! Thank god. I am so nutrition-deprived. All I’ve eaten in the last two days is cake, candy, cookies, and about 10 pounds of flavored lip gloss.
LUKE: Well, then, let’s eat.
LORELAI: Good now do you want to be civilized and eat off plates or just right out of the containers? I know you don’t approve, but I think there is some sort of origami thing happening with these containers that makes the food taste better in them. It’s like Feng Shui for noodles. And I’m not just saying that because I’m lazy and I don’t want any cleanup. That’s only part of it.
LUKE: Out of the containers is fine.- S06E20

The combination of donuts and coffee is one that is treasured by Lorelai and Rory alike. In fact, the mother-daughter duo even have a special tradition of eating donuts at midnight at the first snow of the season.

RORY: So how soon is it supposed to hit?
LORELAI: Hmm. Tomorrow. Definitely tomorrow.
RORY: Okay, then tomorrow it is.
LORELAI: What?
RORY: You, me, donuts, coffee, standing out in a snowstorm. . .
LORELAI: At midnight?
RORY: At midnight.
LORELAI: You are my favorite daughter!-S01E08

Clown-shaped donuts fuel Rory’s early mornings at Chilton in S01E18 and Krispy Kreme donuts make an appearance in S03E02 at the Student Body President meeting.

RORY: You just spent an hour walking around talking about your agenda.
PARIS: I’m student body president – that’s my job.
RORY: But we got donuts, and we didn’t touch the doughnuts. The doughnuts are still sitting next to the coffee that we never passed out. We were supposed to spend this time to talk, bond, get to know each other.
PARIS: Geez, Rory, we’ve been sitting in a room together for sixty minutes – what else do you want, a ring?-S03E02

In S02E05, Lorelai orders chocolate, cinnamon and sprinkles donuts at Luke’s.

Donuts and coffee also serve as an early breakfast for Lorelai when she goes on a fishing trip with Alex in S03E12.

LORELAI: Oh great. It’s 5:30 a.m., and I have no coffee in my system.
ALEX: Hi.
LORELAI: Hi.
ALEX: Coffee and donuts.
LORELAI: Ah, I like you. Come on in. Right in here. This is Rory.
ALEX: Hi, I’m Alex.
RORY: Nice to meet you. Would’ve been nicer in the daylight, but. . .
LORELAI: Okay, let’s get going. It’s not like the fish are gonna wait for us all day, right? I’ll take that coffee now. Thank you. I got it, I got it.-S03E12

In S06E12, Logan gifts a box of donuts to Rory, along with a letter from Lorelai, in an attempt for forgiveness.

RORY: I’ll call you.
LOGAN: Good enough. Good enough. You promise you’ll call?
RORY: Leave the donuts. -S06E12

And, in season 7, we are introduced to the weird but “why not” combination of muffin and donut for breakfast.

LORELAI: Me too. Hey, should I have a doughnut or a muffin?
LUKE: Whatever you want.
LORELAI: How about a doughnut with a side of muffin?-S07E21

To keep their hunger at bay while visiting loved ones at the hospital, Rory and Lorelai mainly resort to vending machine food.

ln S01E10, Rory purchases chicken soup and some Pez while Richard is at the hospital.

A few seasons later, in S05E21, Lorelai heads to the hospital for Sookie’s labour and ends up snacking on an apple, a Moonpie, a Ding-Dong and an Orange Crush.

LORELAI: It was a false alarm. I’m not pregnant. The crisis has passed.
RORY: Oh, Mom. Good. I’m glad.
LORELAI: You’re glad? Huh. As the sight of babies isn’t freaking me out anymore, I can enjoy the maternity ward again.
RORY: So what was with the apple?
LORELAI: I don’t know. But I just had a Moonpie and a Ding-Dong and washed it down with an Orange Crush in the cafeteria, so no desire for anything nutritional.-S05E21

Lorelai’s friends also provide some much needed sustenance during hard times. In S07E13, after Richard’s heart attack, Luke stops by the hospital to drop off some food and Sookie sends a hospital care package with sweets like lemon bars and pecan squares.

SOOKIE: What can I do?
LORELAI: Oh, nothing, hon. I’m fine.
SOOKIE: Well can I send you anything? You know I made lemon bars and, ooh, pecan squares, I packed them up and I’m sending them over with Katie right now.- S07E13

In S01E11, Max cooks an Italian speciality of braised veal shanks for Lorelai called Osso Buco.

MAX: Twenty minutes ago we were sitting at the dinner table were we not?
LORELAI: Yes we were.
MAX: There were candles and flowers and plates and knifes and cloth napkins.
LORELAI: I love the little sombrero napkin holders, very ole.
MAX: And the whole time we were at said dinner table, you ate two maybe three bites of this amazing dinner I made for you.
LORELAI: Pass the bread.
MAX: And yet, as soon as that dinner’s over and I start cleaning up, suddenly that’s when you’re starving.
LORELAI: What can I say – watching someone work makes me hungry. If I hadn’t stopped watching “This Old House” I’d be 500 lbs right now.-S01E11

Busy mornings usually call for coffee and donuts or coffee and pop-tarts (S01E12, S01E13, S04E13). Pop-tarts also act as pre-dinner snacks and palate-cleansers for Rory and Lorelai.

LORELAI: Okay, coffee’s on, Pop-Tarts are pop-tarting-S04E13

In S01E13, Rory serves pop-tarts to Madeleine, Louise and Paris as an appetizer while they wait for the pizza to be delivered.

LORELAI: Talking, chatting, no work being done – there’s friend potential going on.
RORY: Maybe – with Louise and Madeline at least.
LORELAI: Two out or three formerly psychotic enemies – not bad. There – pop-tart appetizers to tide you over till the pizza comes.
RORY: Thanks -S01E13

We even get the back-story on Lorelai’s love for pop-tarts after a very frustrating Friday night dinner in S07E03.

LORELAI: I can remember the first time I had a pop-tart. It was at my friend Erica Catcha’s house, and she said, “do you want a pop-tart?” And I knew my mother would recoil at the very idea of me having a pop-tart. I could just picture her. “A pop-tart?!” And so, I had one. And I opened the little silver wrapper, and I took a bite, and I thought nothing had ever tasted so good. I thought it tasted like freedom. It tasted like I was my own person. The pop-tart tasted like freedom and rebellion and independence.
RORY: Wow. That’s some pop-tart. What flavor was that?
LORELAI: But now I think I don’t know if I like pop-tarts. What if I don’t like pop-tarts? Would I like pop-tarts if Richard and Emily had served me pop-tarts on a silver platter and demanded I eat every bite? I don’t know.-S07E03

In episode 4 (Fall) of the revival, Lorelai and Rory snack on pop-tarts while Luke shows off his wedding attire to Jess.

LUKE: You’re supposed to be at the inn.
LORELAI: I was. They don’t have Pop-Tarts.-E4 FALL

In S01E14, after the Donna Reed argument with Dean, Rory goes all out to prepare a homemade dinner consisting of steak, green beans, mashed potatoes and Lime Fantasy Supreme.

RORY: Wait, wait, you want to save room for dessert, right?
DEAN: Oh, that’s right. So…what’s for dessert?
RORY: Lime Fantasy Supreme.
DEAN: Which is?
RORY: Green Jell-o and Cool Whip!
DEAN: You are insane.-S01E14

For their three-month anniversary, Dean and Rory share a romantic restaurant dinner with three different kinds of pasta, salad, cheese bread and tiramisu.

WAITER: One tiramisu, two forks, and uh, one meatball to go.
RORY: Thank you.
DEAN: You wanna explain the meatball?
RORY: It’s a mother-daughter thing.-S01E16

While dating Dean, Rory also has dinner at his house. In S02E20, after the car accident with Jess, Dean invites Rory over for a roast dinner.

DEAN: Okay. You wanna come in?
RORY: What?
DEAN: You can stay for dinner, my mom’s making a roast. You like roast, right?
RORY: Um, yeah, I like roast.
DEAN: Okay, come on.-S02E20

In S07E11, we are introduced to the Gilmores’ Christmas traditions. First on the menu: red and green M&M breakfast cereal!

CHRISTOPHER: What other traditions am I in for?
RORY: On Christmas morning, we put red and green M&M’s in our cereal.
CHRISTOPHER: Down with that.-S07E11

Rory and Lorelai also embrace the festive season with treats such as candy cane coffee and cookies from Weston’s, eggnog and homemade frosting.

RORY: Oh, we always go to Weston’s for a cup of holiday candy-cane coffee, which is so delicious.
LORELAI: Delicious. And we bake cookies.
CHRISTOPHER: You bake?
RORY: Well we put on Christmas music, drink eggnog, and pretend to bake the cookies we bought from Weston’s.
LORELAI: We do, however, make our own frosting. We use a handheld electric mixer from the dark ages so that Rory can continue the tradition of licking the beaters.
RORY: Yes, a skill which I have perfected over the years.
LORELAI: And then on Christmas eve, we leave the cookies out for Santa’s reindeer.
RORY: Santa prefers gum.-S07E11

In S01E10, we also discover Lorelai’s love for the apple tarts served every year at Emily and Richard’s Christmas party.

RORY: Well what about the apple tarts? You wait all year for those apple tarts.
LORELAI: I can live without the apple tarts.
RORY: You’ve made up songs after eating five of them with lyrics that contradict that last statement.
LORELAI: Oh you know what? You have to go, you’re late.
RORY: You really won’t come?
LORELAI: What, I’m sorry, is somebody speaking? Couldn’t be Rory, she’s already half way to Hartford.
RORY: Fine, I’m going.
LORELAI: Drive carefully. Watch out for ice. And bring me back one of those..tarts!-S01E10

Town meetings really make you work up an appetite! Hence the snacking amid very serious business.

From chocolate-covered espresso beans and ring pops (S01E21) to hot dogs (S01E08), red vines and marshmallows (S05E03), the opportunities are endless!

MAX: Okay, we’ve got food, drink, reading material, chocolate covered espresso beans. Have I left anything out?
RORY: I think that about covers it.
LORELAI: You’re such a good provider.
MAX: I try my best.-S01E21

The tradition continues in episode 2 of the revival, when Lorelai sneaks in a bag of profiteroles at the latest town meeting.

LORELAI: You’ve got my full attention, Taylor.
TAYLOR: I believe that bag of profiteroles you snuck in has at least part of your attention.
LORELAI: Well, develop a creamy filling, and I’m all yours.- E2 SPRING

In S03E18, Tobin, the night manager, brings bagels at the emergency staff meeting after the fire at the Inn.

TOBIN: Michel, did you get a bagel?
MICHEL: I don’t want a bagel.
TOBIN: Are you sure? They’re Kosher.
MICHEL: I don’t eat bagels. Bagels are like glue in your intestines and ensure that everything that enters your body will remain there until you die.
SOOKIE: Ew, shut up.-S03E18

Business meetings can quickly become tasting panels when Sookie is around. Ever tried those Italian waffle cookies called pizzelle?

TOBIN: Oh, I see you’re trying the pizzelles. Are they not pieces of heaven shaped like cookies?
LORELAI: Wonderful.
TOBIN: You know, they’d be perfect for breakfast, too, with cappuccino.
SOOKIE: I’ve never thought of them for breakfast. Great idea.
MICHEL: It occurred to me.
TOBIN: You know, you could serve them on that green platter we bought yesterday. The colors would juxtapose nicely.-S04E10

Nothing scream roadtrip like mixed nuts from Haden’s Nut House, right?

LORELAI: You know what, I love road food.
RORY: I love it too.
LORELAI: I mean, what can be better then what they serve at a Haden’s Nut House?
RORY: Unless you don’t like nuts.
LORELAI: As if those people exist. You know, if I was in a rock band touring and stuff, I’d make the bus driver stop at every Haden’s Nut House we pass.
RORY: Wow, your Behind the Music is gonna be really wild.-S02E04

In season 3, Lorelai researches the best tacos in New Haven in preparation for the one-day visit to Yale.

LORELAI: Anyhow, I looked through it and it just so happens that one of the best taco places on the East Coast is ten minutes from campus.
RORY: We like tacos.
LORELAI: Yes, we do.-S03E08

In S7E17, Lorelai, Rory and Emily stop at Winky’s, a fine eatery just off I-85 where Rory gets shrimp and Lorelai gets lobster and a hot dog for the table. Lorelai also mentions moonpies as a great roadtrip snack during this episode.

RORY: Hey, they have lobster.
LORELAI: Lobster for $12.95. How could you go wrong? I’ll have the lobster.
RORY: See, you’ll have lobster. I’ll have shrimp. We’ll make it a seafood night.
EMILY: Seafood in a place like this — very risky.
LORELAI: And a hot dog. A hot dog for the table.-S07E17

Scones are only mentioned three times throughout the seasons, including twice in season 2.

In S02E04, Lorelai and Rory wake up famished at the B&B “The Cheshire Cat” and head downstairs to find some freshly baked scones they simply cannot resist.

WOMAN: So push in some chairs. We’re gonna make some fresh scones.
LADONN: Yeah, they’re for tea this afternoon. I just brought out the first test batch. Have a taste.
RORY: A taste would not be bad.
LORELAI: Uh, maybe just a quick taste.-S02E04

In S02E21, Rory invites her grandparents to Lorelai’s graduation and gets a scone before heading out to catch the bus back home.

RORY: Those are the tickets. It’s Thursday, 7pm. It’s indoors so weather’s not an issue. You can use them or not, no hard feelings, do what you feel is best. And if you don’t mind, I would really appreciate it if you would keep this conversation between the three of us. That’s all I have to say, thanks very much for your patience. Now, I believe I have time for a scone before my bus leaves.
EMILY: Beatrice, the tea, please.
RORY: Emily, these look delicious. So, Richard, how was your day today?-S02E21

Finally, S05E16 reveals Sookie’s wonderfully scented scones which definitely caught Richard’s attention during his visit at the Inn.

RICHARD: Oh, my, what is that heavenly smell?
LORELAI: Scones.
RICHARD: I have never smelled anything as heavenly as this.
LORELAI: Wait till you taste them.-S05E16

In season 2, we are introduced to “Danish day” which Lorelai initially misses out on after her argument with Luke. Sad cherry danish…

LORELAI: Why don’t you give me half your Danish and some coffee?
RORY: I’ll give you the Danish but I’m keeping the coffee.
LORELAI: What is a Danish without coffee?
RORY: The eternal question springs up again.
LORELAI: There’s no point in even eating a Danish without coffee.
RORY: I’m going to school.
LORELAI: Sad Danish, lonely Danish, step Danish.-S02E05

In season 4, Rory orders a cherry danish and a large coffee at Weston’s while Lorelai gets her danish from Luke’s in S04E19.

LUKE: Now not only am I divorced, every time I look at my black thumb, I’m reminded that I’m divorced.
LORELAI: Sorry about your thumb.
LUKE: It’s okay. I have another one.
LORELAI: Hey, you know what might make you feel better?
LUKE: What?
LORELAI: Handing me a cherry Danish.
LUKE: Well, it’s certainly worth a try.-S04E19

Pastries are also part of Lorelai and Rory’s breakfast routine at Martha’s vineyard. But the question remains: Will Lorelai like the prune-flavoured pastries?

RORY: Hi, we’ve got coffee and pastries over there.
LOGAN: The best pastries on the island.
RORY: Yeah, you goto get them early or they run out.
LOGAN: Even the prune is good.
RORY: She will not like the prune.
LOGAN: She’ll like this prune.
LORELAI: They look great.-S06E15

And in season 7, Christopher brings croissants and café au lait for breakfast in anticipation of his upcoming trip to Paris with Lorelai.

CHRISTOPHER: I thought our stomachs should start adjusting to French cuisine, so I got croissants and café au lait.
LORELAI: I thought café au lait was Spanish.
CHRISTOPHER: No, it’s French for “coffee and milk.” “Lait” is “milk.”
LORELAI: Really, I thought it was “café olé,” like, “coffee! All right!”
CHRISTOPHER: You’re kidding. You’re not kidding. You are. You’re kidding. I can’t tell whether you’re kidding.
LORELAI: I’m a woman of mystery.-S07E06

In S01E19, Lorelai is gifted a jar of Jackson’s homemade raspberry & peach jam. (Rumor has it it’s really good jam!)

JACKSON: Yeah and I also brought some of my raspberry peach jam. I think you’re gonna like it. Put it on ice cream.
LORELAI: Okay.
JACKSON: Or take a graham cracker, spread a little on it, break up a chocolate bar, throw it in the broiler for a couple of minutes, and you’re gonna be singing show tunes all evening.
LORELAI: Must be some good jam.-S01E19

In season 2, Lorelai and Rory are served butternut squash soup during the Bracebridge Dinner at the Independence Inn.

KIRK: Soup for mi’ladies?
RORY: Why thank you, kind sir.
LORELAI: Hey Kirk, nice blouse.
RORY: Don’t let her make fun of you Kirk. You look great.
KIRK: Soup with garlands, gay and rosemary.
LORELAI: You’re gonna stay in character no matter what, huh?
KIRK: ‘Tis hot, so proceed daintily.
LORELAI: Hey, did you ever see that I Love Lucy where she goes to Buckingham Palace?
RORY: Mom.
LORELAI: She tries to get the palace guard to break character. That was a funny one.
KIRK: ‘Tis foreign to me good lady.
RORY: Hang in there, Kirk.
LORELAI: Those ones where she was in Europe, hands down, those were the best!
KIRK: No way, the Hollywood ones!
LORELAI: Ha!
KIRK: Damn!
RORY: I was rooting for you boy.-S02E10

And how can we forget Rachael Ray’s delish sammies in episode 2 (Spring) of the revival. Yum-O!

RACHAEL: You know, I got soup and sammies for days in here. Try one. They’re delish.
LORELAI: Well, if they’re delish…-E2 SPRING

Eggo waffles appear twice throughout the series including S07E02 when Lorelai prepare waffles, coffee, orange juice and an assortment of toppings for breakfast. Rory eventually drenches her waffles with a combination of syrup and chocolate sauce.

LORELAI: Morning, Rory.
RORY: Please tell me you haven’t been standing there all night.
LORELAI: I love you Rory.
RORY: Creepy. Ooh, waffles?
LORELAI: I got up early this morning. I thought, “what better way to pass time than make some of my famous homemade waffles?”
RORY: I can’t believe I forgot about your homemade waffles, seeing how famous they are.
LORELAI: Infamous, really.-S07E02

An empty fridge is fairly common for Lorelai and Rory (not including random leftovers). So when Christopher and Sherry stop by in S02E14, Lorelai and Rory resort to Halloween treats to welcome their unexpected guests after the Chilton debate tournament.

LORELAI: Ugh, they’re probably gonna want something to eat and drink.
RORY: Well, company usually does.
LORELAI: We have nothing.
RORY: We must have something.
LORELAI: Not unless Divine Providence has placed a miracle brie and cracker plate in the fridge.
RORY: We have leftover Halloween candy.
LORELAI: Aw, waste that on company?
RORY: Well, having company is about making sacrifices.
LORELAI: Martha Stewart?
RORY: I paraphrased Proust.
LORELAI: I should’ve known.-S02E14

Indian food is 100% a Rory thing. In fact, we never see Lorelai having Indian food.

In S02E16, Rory orders garlic naan, samosas, chicken vindiloo, rice and green sauce in preparation for a perfect weekend alone.

DEAN: You wanna be alone to do laundry?
RORY: And watch TV and eat the Indian food that I love but my mom hates the smell of and go to bed early and. . .are you mad?
DEAN: Why would I be mad? You wanna spend tonight alone.
RORY: But hey, tomorrow, the whole day is all about you. I mean it, from morning ‘til night. You plan it, or I’ll plan it, or we can get a professional to plan it, whatever you want. Just don’t be mad.
DEAN: I’m not. I’m not mad.
RORY: Good.
DEAN: I’m confused, but I’m not mad.-S02E16

Rory does manage to convince Jess to order some Indian food in S03E18 despite his initial reluctance.

RORY: Hey, last night when we watched Ed Wood we got burgers like you wanted to.
JESS: Okay, fine – tonight, Indian food, but tomorrow, Saturday Night Fever and Thai food.
LANE: That’s so cute. You’re like a really sweet old agoraphobic couple.-S03E18

And in season 7, Rory has Indian food during her and Logan’s disastrous double date with Lucy and Marty.

LUCY: Fun! We’ll have to go to Panchali’s. It’s this new Indian restaurant right off campus. It’s awesome and I swear no matter how much food you order, you cannot spend more than 7 bucks.-S07E10

In S03E09, Lorelai and Rory take on the daunting task of having four thanksgiving meals in one day. However, only three dinners actually take place: Sookie and Jackson’s deep-fried turkey, Ms. Kim’s tofurky dinner and Luke’s more traditional meal made up of stuffed turkey, mashed potato, cranberry sauce, peas, carrots, bread rolls, yam & marshmallows.

LUKE: So, how did the four dinners work out? You guys must feel more stuffed than you’ve ever been.
LORELAI: I don’t know. Is this more stuffed than the great Six Flags hot dog consumption of ‘99?
RORY: No, or the taffy binge of ’97.
LORELAI: Not by a long shot. See, we didn’t eat at my parents because of the upset, so we really had three dinners, not four.-S03E09

At the first annual Stars Hollow End of Summer Madness Festival, Rory and Lorelai fuel “those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer” with cheese sticks, hot dog and cotton candy.

LORELAI: Okay, so, do we do cheese stick, hot dog, cotton candy, or do we mix it up a little – start with the cotton candy and end with the cheese stick?-S03E01

At the 24-hour dance marathon in S03E07, Rory grabs Ms. Kim’s eggless egg salad sandwiches during her 10 minutes break before heading back to see her mom on the dance floor.

RORY: What is that stuff?
LANE: Eggless egg salad. Though this year my mom added food coloring to make the egg-like product look more eggy.
RORY: Smart.
LANE: And every sandwich comes with your own personal pamphlet “Dancing for the Devil,” an illustrated look at the effect of dancing on your chances of spending all eternity in hell.
RORY: Boy, her flames are getting really good.
LANE: Well, she just bought a new color printer. You can do a ton of stuff with it.-S03E07

In S03E10, at the Stars Hollow High winter carnival, Dean gets cherry snow cones for Rory and his sister Clara. Rory eventually brings back a snow cone for Lorelai who missed the Carnival to attend a dinner with her parents and Trix.

LORELAI: I was a little proud. Although I’m bummed I missed the carnival.
RORY: There’s a snowcone in the freezer for you.
LORELAI: How’d it finally end with Cheech and Chong?
RORY: Jess knows I’m friends with Dean, Dean knows I’m dating Jess, and they both seem fine with it. What?
LORELAI: I just like that once in awhile, you still seem like a little kid.
RORY: They do, I swear.
LORELAI: Let’s just watch the snow.-S3E10

At the Stars Hollow Hockey 2003 semifinals in S03E15, Rory, Lane and the rest of the crowd enjoy some pizza, hot dogs and churros while watching the game.

RORY: If I had known sports were so much about eating, I would’ve come to a lot more of these.
LANE: I know. There’s something deeply satisfying about watching other people exercise while eating junk food.-S03E15

In S01E06, Rory celebrates her birthday with family, friends and a huge frosted picture of her face.

BABETTE: Happy birthday.
LORELAI: And in honor of this very special girl I now invite you all to help me eat her face.
SOOKIE: And you may have the first cut.
RORY: There’s something very strange about hacking into my own head.-S01E06

Potato salad seems to be all the rage for kid-related parties! Lorelai first has some potato salad at Sherry’s baby shower in S03E06 and once more at the baptism of Sookie’s children in S06E04.

In S03E18, for Lorelai’s birthday, Rory orders a four-foot chocolate cake with individual vanilla cupcakes on top spelling out “Happy 16th Birthday Lorelai” with butter cream and whipped cream frosting. Mallomars are also used to write out “Happy Birthday Lorelai” on the kitchen table. But the crème de la crème is, without a doubt, the humongous pizza created by Stars Hollow’s very own pizza guy, Pete.

RORY: Now you three listen to me. We agreed that this was going to be the world’s largest pizza. That was the concept. Now I realize it can’t be the world’s largest pizza because that pizza was insane, but it is still going to be large. Very large. Crazy large.
PETE: But we –
RORY: No buts! That was the concept – get back to the concept! This is not Gangs of New York now with Cameron Diaz. This is Gangs of New York twenty years ago with Meryl Streep as Scorsese originally imagined it. Come back, refocus, remember the goal. Am I making myself clear?- S03E18

That same episode, the girls celebrate Lorelai’s surprise cheque for seventy-five thousand dollars by eating mac&cheese out of a huge bowl.

LORELAI: We could buy a boat.
RORY: We could, but why?
LORELAI: Because rich people always have a boat.
RORY: We could park it in the front yard.
LORELAI: Yeah, like white trash rich people.
RORY: God, this is amazing. No more clipping coupons.
LORELAI: No more picking loose change up from the ground. No more driving around looking for cheap gas.
RORY: Which totally defeats the purpose since you wind up using more gas looking for the cheap gas.-S03E18

At Lane and Zack’s wedding in season 6, hot dogs and fries are on the menu.

JACKSON: Kudos on the hot dogs, by the way.
LANE: Zack’s idea.
ZACK: Lane came up with the fries though.
LORELAI: You are so perfect together.-S06E19

And in season 7, Lorelai and Christopher celebrate their spontaneous Parisian marriage with chocolate mousse, Para liqueur and cheese.

EMILY: Lorelai, you ought to celebrate your marriage.
LORELAI: Mum we did, we did celebrate — right after we got married, we had a beautiful meal, didn’t we?
CHRISTOPHER: We had a beautiful meal.
LORELAI: Yeah we had chocolate mousse and Para liqueur and a cheese plate.
EMILY: A cheese plate? Since when is a hunk of fermented milk a suitable means for celebrating a marriage?- S07E09

Finally, no bash is complete without cake! This includes Lane’s baby shower in S07E16 and Mia’s wedding in S07E17.

ZACH: I was just wondering if we should bring the cake out now, because Lane’s got that low-blood-sugar look in her eye.
RORY: Oh, yeah, let’s do it.-S07E16

Digger is quite a character, don’t you think? Lorelai’s first dinner date with Jason actually ends up being an assortment of supermarket ready-to-eat foods including mac&cheese, salad and giant egg rolls from the West Hills Market.

JASON: Okay, I’m gonna go for the giant egg rolls. Do you want one?
LORELAI: Yes, please, and don’t forget the hot mustard.-S4E09

In that same episode, we get a glimpse of Lorelai’s ideal order at “Taco Barn”: tacos, taquitos and a beef burrito with no onions.

LORELAI: Hi. Um, two tacos, an order of taquitos, a beef burrito with no onions, and, uh, don’t bother bagging it, that’ll just slow us down. Go ahead.
JASON: Uh, nothing for me.
LORELAI: What?
JASON: No, nothing, thanks.
LORELAI: You said you were starving.
JASON: Yeah, I’m just not big on Mexican food.
LORELAI: Trust me, this stuff bears no resemblance to Mexican food.
JASON: It’s okay, I’m good.
LORELAI: Okay. Well, I’m not gonna eat if you’re not gonna eat.
JASON: What is this, junior high?
LORELAI: No, no, I just, um. . .I don’t wanna sit in a car and eat by myself.
JASON: Why?
LORELAI: Because it’s not fun.
JASON: Well, does everything have to be fun for you?
LORELAI: When I’m on a date, yeah.-S04E09

While dating Jason, Lorelai quickly became accustomed to his homemade breakfasts. In S04E10, Lorelai has scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon at Jason’s apartment and in S04E17, Lorelai takes her French toast with bacon and maple syrup to-go in a ziploc bag.

LORELAI: You made French toast?
JASON: Well, I had a lot of energy after my run, so…
LORELAI: You went running?
JASON: Well, I had to wait for the laundry to dry. And I had already read the papers.
LORELAI: You had an entire day before I woke up.
JASON: Here, you want bacon?
LORELAI: You went out and slaughtered a pig between the running and the French toast?
JASON: Yes, and by the way, that whole ozone-layer problem… taken care of.
LORELAI: You’re my Green Party hero.-S04E17

Mall pretzels, yay or nay? In S01E20, Lorelai devours two sugar cinnamon pretzels while purchasing things for Rachel and Luke. Lorelai and Rory also shamelessly take advantage of the free pretzel samples at the mall in S04E15.

LORELAI: They put everything on pretzels nowadays. I love that
RORY: You’re our new best friend, Howard.
LORELAI: We don’t say that to just anybody.
RORY: Just anybody holding free food.
LORELAI: We’ll be back.
RORY: Stock up.-S04E15

S04E15 also introduces us to Lorelai and Rory huge food court order including hamburgers, kebabs, hot dogs, fried cheese, sweet-and-sour pork, pizza, Orange Julius and lemonade.

EMILY: I had no idea so many different kinds of foods came on sticks.
RORY: Well, some come on sticks, like the hot dogs and the fried cheese dipped in batter, but others are technically kebabs.
EMILY: What’s in the cups?
LORELAI: Well, you got your soda, your iced tea, root beer, lemonade.
EMILY: I’ll try this.
LORELAI: Ah, Orange Julius.
RORY: A classic.
EMILY: Oh, my. That’s very good. Your father and I know a man who owns a couple dozen of these stands as part of his holdings. Now I can sincerely tell him I like his product.
LORELAI: Excellent.
RORY: Oh, we forgot napkins.
LORELAI: Get some more little pepper thingies, please. So dig in, Mom. You’ve got sweet-and-sour pork and pizza and some wrapped thingy. I already forgot what it is, but it’s probably not healthy. -S04E15

Mushrooms are mentioned twice in the show, at very odd moments if you ask me.

Lorelai gets stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer during Gran’s funeral in S04E16. And, strangely enough, that same season, we are informed that Rory hates mushrooms during Stan Applebaum’s funeral ceremony.

EMILY: I can’t believe you wore those shoes to a funeral.
LORELAI: I’m going to go get a stuffed mushroom now.-S04E16

In S01E04, Lorelai stays up to help Rory to study for her next exam in Medina’s class. To keep the brain going, an endless supply of chips, rolo and, of course, coffee is supplied to the studious child.

In S04E22, after completing her first year at Yale, Rory returns home with a messed up sleeping schedule and a late-night craving for mac and cheese.

RORY: I’m still on my finals sleep schedule, and, man, am I wired. What time is it? Like, 3:00 in the morning? I cannot tell anymore. Want some mac and cheese? I love mac and cheese when I can’t sleep. Cool. Individual cheese slices. So, I’ve been making out my résumé so I can try to get a summer job, because there is no way that I am going to swipe cafeteria cards again next year. My whites are done. Do you know that the best time to do your laundry at Yale is in the middle of the night? You have your pick of washers, the place has just been swept, and the trash is completely empty. So, what do you think? -S04E22

In season 6, the girls pull an all-nighter to celebrate Rory’s return, with donuts, burgers, fries, onion rings and ice cream.

LORELAI: She’s back. She’s back at home, she’s back at school, she got a job, and she did it all on her own. She’s at Lane’s picking up her things, and then we’re going to pull a major all-nighter. We need burgers, fries, onions rings, and anything else you can think of. Oh! I’m going to go next door and pick up some ice cream at Taylor’s. She’s back. We can set the date. We can get married now because Rory’s back. Don’t skimp on the fries. We don’t want to lose her again.- S06E09

Rory and Lorelai usually grab Chinese take out. But with Logan and the guys, it’s all about eating out. In S05E15, Rory heads to “China Palace” with Marty, Logan and the gang.

JULIET: Oh, God, the smell of this food is making me ill.
RORY: Mmm, I think it’s delicious.
JULIET: How can you eat like that?
ROSEMARY: Juliet hasn’t eaten a meal since 1994.
JULIET: My metabolism simply doesn’t accept food.
LOGAN: Yes, that must be it. A modern medical miracle. -S05E15

Rory and the boys also grab Chinese food in S06E04, after the DAR mixer.

LOGAN: Well, this is how you get out of a bad mood, Ace. Hey, let’s get something to eat. I’m starving.
COLIN: Yes. Chinese food. No dairy in Chinese food.
FINN: Perfect. General Lee’s has that adorable waitress with a very tiny intellect. Let’s go.-S06E04

In season 6, Rory discovers Sri Lankan food for the first time with Logan.

RORY: I loved the dinner tonight.
LOGAN: I’m glad.
RORY: I’ve never had Sri Lankan food before.
LOGAN: I thought you’d like it.
RORY: And I appreciate you lying to me and answering “chicken” every time I asked you what I was eating.
LOGAN: Well, fifteen courses. One of them was bound to be chicken.
RORY: And that dessert.- S06E07

In S07E05, Rory and Logan enjoy tapas from a restaurant called “Ibiza” in a romantic rooftop dinner. Takeout includes duck, short ribs, gazpacho, cheese-pie and flan.

RORY: Ooh, flan! You got me flan?
LOGAN: Doesn’t take much to make you happy, does it?
RORY: Not when you’re on this continent.- S07E05

In S07E11, much to Lorelai’s dismay, Rory has Christmas cookies in London during her holidays with Logan.

LORELAI: I smell Christmas cookies.
RORY: Well there’s no way you can smell cookies from six days ago.
LORELAI: So there were Christmas cookies.
RORY: There may have been a little Christmas.
LORELAI: Unbelievable!
RORY: London, as a city, is very Christmas-obsessed. Okay I couldn’t help what was going on around me. But inside, I assure you, I was devoid of the Christmas spirit — a complete scrooge.- S07E11

In S07E15, Rory’s dinner with Logan and Mitchum involves an avocado and crabmeat amuse-bouche and a 24-ounce steak.

LOGAN: Do you know what I think impressed my dad the most? You eating a 24-ounce steak. Seriously, it was, like, a magic trick to him. It was a pretty fun dinner, though.- S07E15

Finally, let’s not forget Logan’s homemade chicken, sausage and shrimp paella that he prepared for Rory and Lorelai in season 7. (A great night that ended with lots of pie!)

In S05E08, Luke prepares a romantic feast for Lorelai involving lamb and artichoke stew, penne with pesto and potatoes, roasted garlic with rosemary focaccia, tomatoes stuffed with bread crumbs and goat cheese and a ricotta cheesecake with amaretto cookies and coffee.

LORELAI: Man, something smells crazy good in here. Oh my God, what are you making?
LUKE: Lamb and artichoke stew, penne with pesto and potatoes, roasted garlic with rosemary focaccia, tomatoes stuffed with bread crumbs and goat cheese, and ricotta cheesecake with amaretto cookies to go with your coffee.
LORELAI: You’re the perfect man.
LUKE: Thank you.
LORELAI: I used to think it was Kelsey Grammer, but it’s not. It’s you.-S5E08

In S05E20, dinner is no less than soft-shelled crab amandine with wild rice. Who knew Luke could cook such fancy food!

LORELAI: Oh my God, this smells good. What is this?
LUKE: It’s nothing. Just some soft-shelled crab amandine on a bed of wild rice.
LORELAI: Okay. There is no sentence in the English language that begins with ‘it’s nothing’ and contains the word amandine.-S5E20

In S06E05, Luke makes pasta with a homemade tomato sauce for dinner with Lorelai.

LUKE: Pasta’s almost done, sauce is close, too.
LORELAI: Luke, you could have just used the store-bought sauce I have.
LUKE: Ugh, that stuff is junk.
LORELAI: It’s delicious Italian sauce.
LUKE: OK, first off, it’s not. Second, all you had was four already-opened jars, two of which I couldn’t get the lids off of.
LORELAI: Somebody needs some gym time.- S06E05

Season 6 also showcases a “Yay, no more home renovations!” risotto and delicious-smelling fried chicken.

LORELAI: What smells so good?
LUKE: Fried chicken.
LORELAI: Luke, will you marry me?
LUKE: Set the table?- S06E07

Dinner with Luke is also a common occurrence during the revival, which comes to no surprise considering the serious relationship between Luke and Lorelai moving forward.

To celebrate Rory’s return to Stars Hollow in episode 1 (Winter), Luke prepares mac & cheese and parmesan cutlets with garlic bread. (A taco and a mini donut may or may not have been eaten in the making of dinner…)

LUKE: You’re eating tacos!
LORELAI: Tater tots go great with tacos.
RORY: Tater tots are great in tacos.
LORELAI: Yes!
LUKE: No! Hey! I mean it!
LORELAI: They’re organic.
LUKE: All right, negotiation’s over! Put the tater tots back, finish your tacos, wash your hands, dinner’s almost ready! Ah! And I saw you grab those mini donuts. Put ’em down right now. I cannot believe the conversations I have in this room.
LORELAI: I thought cooking was supposed to be relaxing.- E1 WINTER

Speaking of tacos, tacos and coffee ceremoniously greet us as the first foods to appear in the revival of “Gilmore Girls”. (Who else thought it was going to be donuts, pizza or movie night junk food?)

LORELAI: How long’s it been?
RORY: Feels like years.
LORELAI: Coffee and tacos.
RORY: Princess Charlotte iced tea spoons.- E1 WINTER

For dinner time in episode 2 (Spring), Lorelai’s choice lands on linguine with meatballs.

LORELAI: Got chicken scaloppini for you, linguine with meatballs for me and a hanger steak for Paul Anka- E2 SPRING

As for episode 3 (Summer), Rory, Lorelai, Luke and April all enjoy a homemade meal comprised of salad, bread and mac & cheese (with extra cheese).

Two food references concerning Lorelai’s eating habits as a child appear throughout the seasons.

The first one is mentioned in S01E08 when Emily recalls making mashed banana on toast for Lorelai when she was sick as a little girl. Clearly the memory of it was nicer than the real deal.

LORELAI: You know what? Let me give it a try…Hmm.
EMILY: Yes?
LORELAI: It’s even more disgusting than I thought it was going to be.
EMILY: Oh it is not…Oh my God, it’s horrible! What on earth was I thinking? – S01E09

The second food reference is brought up in the final episode of “A Year In The Life” when Lorelai remembers the pretzel covered with mustard, Red Hots and popcorn that her father bought her after she had been bullied by a boy at her school.

LORELAI: And finally, I got up enough courage…To look up at him, and he was standing there…With a pretzel. A giant pretzel covered with mustard. And he handed it to me and he said, “Let’s go.” And he took me to the movies. We saw Grease and An Unmarried Woman. Something for me and something for him, he said. He bought me popcorn and Red Hots, and we sat in the dark and we watched. And then he took me home, and he gave me his sweater to cover up the stolen top, and he told you that he’d picked me up from school and taken me to the club for a soda. And that was it. We never discussed it again. It was the best birthday I ever had.-E4 FALL

It’s a no-brainer that most international meals at Stars Hollow come from Al’s Pancake World. That being said, “International grab bag night” at Al’s is very hit or miss….

RORY: I don’t think this is Moroccan – or at least not recently.
LORELAI: Want some of mine?
RORY: Nope.
LORELAI: Yikes. Luke’s?
RORY: Let’s go.-S3E11

Restaurants around Yale also proves to be very multicultural. In season 4, with the help of Lorelai, Rory and her new friends try out a plethora of ethnic cuisine including Indonesian, Singaporean, Vietnamese, Indian, Mexican, Japanese and Chinese takeout. Oh, and pizza too!

RORY: We ordered too much food.
LORELAI: Hello, the point. We need a wide cross section for our local takeout test.
TANNA: I still smell glue from your glue gun.
PARIS: You’re rich, you know that?
LORELAI: What is this? You’ve eaten Indian food, yet I see nothing about Indian food on the chart.
RORY: We’ll get to it.
LORELAI: The whole point of getting everything within delivery distance is so we can judge the quality of food, speed of service, cuteness of delivery guys on a scale of one to ten. We cannot work from memory on this.-S04E02

In S07E02, Sookie teaches Lorelai how to make California rolls and meat-loaf sushi in preparation for Rory’s Asia-themed evening.

SOOKIE: Okay, this is easy. Put in your snow crab. Put in your avocado. You put in your cucumber. You mash it together And then you just roll it up. Slice it up like this, and voilà. Or whatever they say in Japan. Arigato.
LORELAI: Karate. It’s those little coin shapes, just like in a Japanese restaurant. Arigato karate, babe.
SOOKIE: Yep. Okay. I’m gonna make one more California roll, and then we can make your meat-loaf sushi.
LORELAI: Yay, do you want to put suntan lotion in there?
SOOKIE: Did you just say sun – oh! Of course. California roll would have some suntan lotion in it.
LORELAI: You’re such a pity laugher. Mmm! Good.
SOOKIE: Good!
LORELAI: So good! It’s the best non-meat-loaf sushi I’ve ever had.
SOOKIE: Ooh! What about fried-chicken sushi?
LORELAI: With some slaw in it. That would be so good. Or Chinese-food sushi. Or P.B.-And-J. Sushi.
SOOKIE: Or, hey, dessert sushi.
LORELAI: Oh, my god, that’s genius. That is why you are the chef. That and because you’re the one who can cook. – S07E02

Lorelai and Rory also snack on fortune cookies and explore the strange yet wonderful world of dessert sushi.

LORELAI: You are honestly asserting that you like the “Tootsie-roll marshmallow Twizzler” roll better than the “butterfinger junior mint chocolate-chip jujube” roll?
RORY: Hey call me crazy. I don’t think butterfingers go with jujubes.
LORELAI: Crazy. The limitations of your palate astound me.
RORY: Hey, I liked the “Oreo red hot” sashimi.
LORELAI: Me too.
RORY: See, I’m not a hater.
LORELAI: Did you notice how the red hots acted as a dessert-Sushi Wasabi?
RORY: I did, which is something we should remember when we go to mass-market these.
LORELAI: I am telling the invention of dessert Sushi is gonna make us our first million.
RORY: And our second.- S07E02

During episode 2 of the revival, Rory, Lorelai and Luke explore the “Spring International Food Festival” at Stars Hollow hoping to get some Swedish meatballs, Peruvian salchipapas and Indonesian rice porridge.

LORELAI: Let’s start with the Swedish meatballs, then get some Peruvian salchipapas and then the Indonesian rice porridge.
LUKE: Head straight for the Norwegian stomach pump.
RORY: It all looks good.- E2 SPRING