What is the best part of Rice Krispie Treats? Ooey gooey marshmallows, of course. Marshmallows are soft pillows of delight that bring an explosion of joy to my mouth. After taking a bite, I chew slowly, fully absorbing the wondrous feeling of clouds dissolving. What a treat! Of the many uses for marshmallows—s’mores, sweet potatoes, fluff, fondue, and hot chocolate—Rice Krispie Treats are by far the best dessert of all.

One night, after a comedic movie and a brief adventure to Weis, my friend Zoë and I headed to my house for a night of food, fun, and gossip. Sauntering into my kitchen with groceries in hand, we laid out the supplies on the counter: a box of Rice Krispies, butter, and most importantly, marshmallows. I retrieved a pot, worn by its use in making many treats past, and ignited the burner. Zoë dropped in the butter and let it melt, stirring slowly while I eagerly poured in the fluffy Jet-Puffed marshmallows. When Zoë left to go to the bathroom, I hastily added more marshmallows, emptying the entire bag into the pot. When Zoë returned, she remained unaware of my revision to the recipe. The end result, however, was disastrous. What could have been delicious Rice Krispie Treats ended up as unappetizing blocks of sugar. Our treats were rock hard and had the potential to break our teeth. An item I thought would make anything better had morphed into my demise, as a chef at least. This disaster served to teach my childhood self a valuable lesson; too many marshmallows can ruin any treat. In a broader sense, moderation is the key to success in more situations than one may think.

Too much of a good thing, in this case marshmallows, will not necessarily enhance the end result. It is important to have self-control in everyday situations, whether it be food or otherwise, in order to maintain a balanced life. Life without restraint would be chaotic. Shows are even made about the lack of self-control people have, like “Hoarders.” Marshmallows may not be the solution to all life’s problems, but they made me realize that I need to appreciate the sweeter things in life without enough discipline to not constantly indulge in such things.