Crunch Time: 11 Surprising and Entertaining Snack Facts You Need to Know!

1. Insect Snack-tacular

Move over, Timon and Pumbaa: it's time to start singing "Hakuna Matata" for real, because those creepy-crawlies on your plate might just save the planet! No worries for the rest of our days: edible insects are a highly nutritious and eco-friendly alternative to traditional livestock, offering a solution to feeding the ever-increasing human population while minimizing environmental impacts.
Source => frontiersin.org

2. Vegemite: B Vitamin Super Spread

Did you hear about the veg-spread that came from "beer-pressure" and loves to B? Yes, it's Australia's very own Vegemite: a popular snack made from leftover brewers' yeast extract, which is rich in B vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate for numerous health benefits. However, it's advised to enjoy the salty spread sparingly due to its high sodium content that may raise health concerns.
Source => webmd.com

Did you know potato chips were invented in 1853 after a chef's act of defiance against a picky diner's complaint? Learn about this culinary tantrum and how it turned into the beloved snack we know today!

=> Fun Facts about Potato-Chips

3. Gummy Ancestry: A Chewy Timeline

Feeling beary confused about your gummy candy ancestry? Allow us to chew on the historical facts and serve them up for your delectation: Gummy candies actually have their roots in Turkish delight and Japanese rice candy, typically made with rice or corn starch instead of gelatin, with Haribo gummy bears bowing down to Britain's wine gums of 1909 as their chewy predecessor.
Source => bonappetit.com

4. Fried Pickles: The Crispy Southern Darling

In a pickle over what appetizer to order? A trip down to Arkansas in the swinging sixties might solve your munchie dilemma: Fried pickles were invented by Bernell "Fatman" Austin at the Duchess Drive-In in Atkins back in the 1960s, where a basket of 10 crispy pickle chips were a mere 10 cents. Today, this funky southern staple has infiltrated restaurant menus nationwide, including big chains like Hooters, Chili's, and Buffalo Wild Wings, with variations in batter and dipping sauces aplenty. With The Pickle Guys in New York soon to open a dedicated fried pickle joint, it's safe to say this tangy snack has left a deep-fried dent in America's snacking heart.
Source => eater.com

5. Cheese Puffs: From Animal Feed to Snack King

Move over cheese whiz, there's a new dairy monarch in town: Cheese puffs, your gloriously orange guilty pleasure, have a humble origin story that dates back to 1939 Wisconsin when an animal feed manufacturer unintentionally created a snack revolution by extruding low moisture cornmeal. This serendipitous invention paved the way for other classics like Cheetos and cheese balls, proving that one man's animal feed is another man's snack time treasure.
Source => shariblogs.com

6. Donut Holes: The Sweet & Savory Origin

Donut underestimate the quirky origins of your favorite sweet ring: the doughnut hole was probably born from culinary necessity since adding egg yolks to recipes caused uncooked centers, while a nautical tale credits Elizabeth Gregory's son - a sea captain - with skewering the holes onto his ship's wheel spokes for easy snacking during his voyages.
Source => food52.com

7. Disneyland's Doritos Genesis

When life gave Disney's Casa de Fritos stale tortillas, they made Doritos lemonade: The famed corn chips were invented at Disneyland in the 1960s, as a clever way to repurpose unsold tortillas bought from a local vendor, before Frito-Lay launched them nationally in 1966.
Source => businessinsider.com

8. Japan's Hot Vending Machine Wonders

Ever felt like grabbing a can of soup from the vending machine to warm your soul, or wished for a portable hot beverage to appease your sweet tooth? Well, Japan's got a souper solution: vending machines in the Land of the Rising Sun offer a variety of hot delights, including canned oshiruko – a sweet red bean paste dessert soup – as well as canned minestrone and drinkable baked apple with honey, each chock-full of distinct flavors and locally-sourced ingredients!
Source => soranews24.com

9. The Birth of the Potato Chip

In a crunch heard 'round the world, a picky potato patron unknowingly sparked a snacking sensation: George Crum, a cook of Mohawk and African-American descent, unintentionally invented the potato chip, also known as the "Saratoga chip," in 1853 at Cary Moon's Lake House in Saratoga Springs, all thanks to a complaint about thickly-cut fried potatoes.
Source => thevintagenews.com

10. Senbei: The Shape-shifting Japanese Crackers

Hold onto your sushi rolls: senbei, Japan's tantalizing rice crackers, are as diverse as a reality show's cast! They come in a smorgasbord of shapes, sizes, flavors, and can even be made with funky fish or lavish lotus root instead of rice - that's right, no rice, no problem. These crunchy treats can be baked or deep-fried, flavored with a touch of soy sauce and mirin, and cozy up with some nori for the ultimate snacking experience. No, it's not sushi in disguise, it's just senbei stealing the show!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. The Great Global Custard Pie Battle

When life gives you custard, start a global pie fight: The World Custard Pie Championships, dating back 50 years, unites teams from around the world in Coxheath, Kent, battling it out with secret-recipe pies, featuring ingredients like flour and water, with participants even hailing from as far as Japan.
Source => theworldcustardpiechampionship.co.uk