There’s nothing like cracking open a shell and tossing back a few crunchy salted peanuts, or enjoying a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Now there are even more ways to enjoy peanuts, peanut butter and other peanut ingredients like peanut oil and peanut powder. Small and large brands alike are embracing the latest trends in flavors, add-ins and packaging.
Take a Flavor Adventure
The flavors of Southeast Asia are featured in several newer peanut products. Thai Curry Lemongrass peanuts from Lord Nut Levington in Texas. Thai Tumeric Chili peanuts from Feridies in Virginia (pictured above). Spicy Thai and Garam Masala peanut butters from Oregon’s Eliot’s Adult Nut Butters.
Hope & Harmony Farms features a Southern Heat flavor of Virginia peanuts with habanero peppers.Chili lime is a new flavor of Planters peanuts available in a smaller six-ounce can.
Several brands are capitalizing on the meteoric rise of chia and pairing the ancient seed with peanuts and peanut butter.
More Convenience
Sometimes changing a package is all it takes to make a product more useful. Fans of gourmet peanut oil now have a smaller 250mL option from La Tourengelle (pictured above) to ensure there’s always fresh peanut oil at hand to bring nutty flavor to a salad dressing, marinade or dipping sauce.
Powdered peanut butter lovers can take it anywhere with ¾ ounce packages from PB Fit. Add water to create a traditional peanut butter-like consistency or add the powder straight to smoothies, protein shakes, soups and more for a protein and flavor boost.
Some nut butter companies have taken peanut butter into new territory with resealable pouches.Naturally More organic Valencia peanut butter is infused with probiotics and flax and comes in a 5.6-ounce pouch. Yumbutter features seven-ounce pouches in two organic peanut flavors: peanut butter with chia, hemp seeds and goji; and peanut butter with espresso, cocoa, vanilla and cinnamon.
Keep it Simple
Sometimes we fall in love with a story that we connect with and a simple product. Texas-based HomePlate Peanut Butter prides itself on its connection to America’s pastime, its short ingredient list and familiar varieties of creamy, crunchy and honey.
Georgia Grinders has a new peanut and pecan butter with the comforting yet familiar spices of vanilla and cinnamon. (They’re also gearing up to release powdered peanut butter and new on-the-go packaging.)
Classic favorites, chocolate and vanilla flavor new Protein+ Peanut Butter from Oregon’s Wild Friends (pictured above), which ups the impressive protein content of regular peanut butter (8 grams per serving) by 50 percent.
Perennial palate-pleasers, cinnamon raisin and chocolate flavor two of peanut butters from Minnesota company Buddy’s Small Batch Nut Butter.
Whether you’re looking to go on a flavor adventure, take your favorite snack to new places or stick with something tried and true, the options with peanuts are almost limitless.