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Growing up in a Southern California suburb, we didn’t eat a lot of bagels, and we certainly didn’t have many delis. So when I moved to the East Coast for college, I made a promise to myself to eat at least three bagels a week (I pretty much do…Dunkin’ Donuts bagels are very good, and most East Coasters scoff at me for saying that…snobs!). I’ve gotten very creative since freshman year with what to do with my bagels, so here are my bagel filling recommendations. I’ll also make up some names for them, too:

The Zesty Treat: Well, don’t call it that in public. Toasted plain bagel with scrambled eggs, fresh chopped tomatoes, shredded pepper jack cheese, chopped avocado, tons of hot sauce and a tiny little sprinkle of kosher salt. A little bit of chopped cilantro doesn’t hurt, either.

The Walnut-Honey-Brie Knockoff: Toasted apple-walnut bagel (available at Bruegger’s and Wegman’s) with light cream cheese and a swirl of honey. It’s divine.

The Grilled PB + J: Take a cinnamon raisin bagel, scoop out some of the insides and fill it in with peanut butter and jelly — not too thick, though! Grill it on a George Foreman Grill or a panini press until toasted, and eat this with a tall glass of milk.

The Mal: This is my favorite way to eat a bagel. Toasted pesto bagel with veggie cream cheese, loads of sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, cucumbers and most importantly, Tabasco sauce.

The Classic: Toasted plain bagel with smoked salmon, a very, very thin layer of light cream cheese (so it doesn’t overpower the saltiness of the salmon), thinly sliced red onion, a few capers and a sprig of dill. Serve open-faced.

The Snobby Girlfriend: Marinate 6 sliced strawberries in 1 tbs balsamic vinegar, a splash of white wine and 1 tbs sugar for about 30 minutes. Strain. Take a toasted plain bagel, slather it with goat cheese, and gently place the macerated strawberries on the bagels. Serve open-faced.