Update: This giveaway is closed.
Fall is here, and so are many beautiful things: pumpkin patches, canning and baking sessions, amber-colored trees – and school, glorious school 🙂 Gone are the days of summer and the luxurious long break I loved so much. It’s fall, I’m back into the classroom to teach several demanding classes, and I need quality food to keep me going. I know from experience that popcorn is one of the best options to have on hand to appease hunger pangs in-between school sessions. Filling, tasty and nutritious, popcorn has been one of my favorite snack options in recent years. While it keeps me satisfied for hours, it also brings back beautiful childhood memories. I just love to go back in time and to remember those many evenings I spent popping corn with my parents, in the kitchen of our tiny apartment. Those were some really happy days!
Enter G.H. Cretors Popped Corn for the perfect school snack 😉 I had seen this brand on shelves at my local healthy food grocery store, but I wasn’t really familiar with its products until earlier this year, when I attended the Sweets&Snacks Expo (you can check out my review here), talked to their reps and sampled lots of their popcorn, which I thought was amazing. This is why I was very excited when I was contacted recently to review their products and to host a giveaway for my readers.
G.H. Cretors have been popping corn for five generations – since 1885, to be precise. Their mission: to create “the most obsessively delicious popcorn you’ve ever tasted.” The company stays true to its commitment to quality ingredients and artisanal craftsmanship by using non-GMO corn and other ingredients whenever possible in their flavors, and only organic ingredients in their Organics line. As someone who has done a lot of research on GMO food, I find their approach refreshing and reassuring.
G.H. Cretors sent me a box full of products as well as a tote bag and a S’well bottle to make my snacking-on-the go a breeze this fall:
I took G.H. Cretors popcorn to school a few days in a row, and I am happy to report their Honey Butter Kettlecorn is my new favorite snack. Organic and certified gluten free, this popcorn is not overly sweet, and the butter flavor works well with the honey to keep me full and satisfied for longer. There is no greasiness and no metallic or sickly sweet artificial flavors or aftertaste, and the popcorn has a perfect crispy texture and an appealing overall appearance. Here’s a wholesome and delicious way to keep up with a long, exhausting day!
If you’re more into salty snacks, then I highly recommend the G.H. Cretors salted butter popcorn, which is a fluffy organic popcorn drizzled with organic salted butter and just a pinch of sea salt. This variety has pleasant light buttery notes, and it’s the closest in taste to the popcorn I used to make with my parents when I was growing up. Its honest and straightforward flavors do not allow for gimmicks or artificiality. It’s as close to natural as possible, just like nature intended:
As a cheeseaholic through and through, I had a lot of fun sampling the Just the Cheese Corn variety. G.H. Cretors melt the cheddar in special kettles before pouring it over the non GMO corn, and then add non GMO sunflower oil. Decadently cheesy and fulfilling, this popcorn keeps hunger at bay long-term: I ate a handful around 6:30pm and it kept me full all through the evening class, which ended at 9pm:
For a lighter cheesy popcorn, you can go with the white cheddar variety. In line with G.H. Cretors’ commitment to authenticity and closeness to nature, the list of ingredients is minimalist (popcorn, white cheddar cheese and sunflower oil), and they are all organic. Clean, light and delicious flavors: what’s not to like?
Even before receiving the box from G.H. Cretors I had my reservations about their Organic Dill Pickle variety. As a fan of popcorn and dill pickles eaten separately, I was concerned these two might not work well together as part of a single product. Once I tried this variety however, my worries were put to rest. Made of organic corn, organic sunflower oil and organic dill pickle seasoning, the popcorn actually benefited from the inclusion of the special seasoning, which provided kosher deli-inspired deliciousness and did not overpower the other flavors.
In the end, eating popcorn tasting of dill pickles proved to be an enjoyable experience. I would definitely eat this as a midday snack:
If you want to satisfy both sweet and savory cravings, you can go with G.H. Cretors The Mix, a combo of Buttery Caramel & Real Cheddar Cheese popcorn. Made of non GMO corn treated with no artificial flavors or colors, this truly is sweet&salty snacking perfection. Being the sweet-toothed gal that I am, I just loved the caramel popcorn, which was chock-full of decadent caramel melting away in my mouth and releasing heaps of flavorful sweetness. Sooo good!
Overall, I enjoyed the minimalist, close to nature approach displayed by the G.H. Cretors popcorn varieties I tried, and for this reason I believe they are a better snacking option than other options currently on the market. I also like the portability of this popcorn, which can easily be stored in containers and transported to and from work with no ensuing loss of flavor or staleness. As a fan of both popcorn and healthy snacking, I think G.H. Cretors are on the right track on a gourmet market which is increasingly appealing to consumers everywhere.
G.H. Cretors is offering Chicago Loves Panini readers the chance to win one pack of delicious popcorn products to snack in style this fall.
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and answer the following question: Sweet or savory? How do you like your popcorn?
Giveaway open to US residents only 18 years of age or older. One entry per person. Deadline for entries is 6PM central time on September 29, 2017. One winner will be chosen on or around September 30, 2017 by using a random number generator and will have 72 hours to respond to the winner notification email. I reserve the right to pick an alternative winner if the original winner does not contact me 72 hours after receipt of winner notification email.
Good luck!
*Disclaimer: GH Cretors sent me a pack of complimentary products to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Savory. Butter, cheese, salt and so on. I do like a good kettle corn too though.
I like my popcorn savory!
I really love sweet, thank you so much for the offer. I love your blog!!
Savory popcorn is my favorite.
Mood dependent, but overall savory.
i like it savory. i also like dipping popcorn in nacho cheese.
I love both, but Savory is my Favorite popcorn! Thanks for the awesome giveaway!!
I love sweet popcorn. I over mine drizzled with chocolate. I do like cheesy popcorn once in a while.
I like savory popcorn.
SAvory–Butter & Cheese, is best, but I wouldn’t turn my nose up at caramel.
I like my popcorn to be savory!
Such a hard choice since I love both, but I choose savory over sweet as my preference.
I like my popcorn sweet and buttery.
Sweet
I prefer my popcorn savory!
I like to mix caramel corn and cheese popcorn for sweet and salty! YUM!
sweet with nuts……yummmmmm
Tough choice I’ll go with salty
I think savory is best, but I like them both!
Savory popcorn for me! But, I do enjoy kettle corn a couple of times a year.
Both! But if I have to pick, savory.
I like my popcorn to be savory! Bring on the salt and cheese!
I like savory popcorn.
I like sweet.
I like savory over sweet. Butter and cheese flavors are my favorite.
I prefer savory, more specifically cheddar cheese popcorn!
Definitely savory popcorn for me. Anything with cheese!
I prefer savory popcorn. I like cheese popcorn and my husband makes a wonderful stovetop recipe that just needs salt.
OMG I love popcorn – I prefer the savory popcorn, however sometimes mixing them is amazing
I prefer savory popcorn and eat with oreos for the sweet side.
I like my popcorn savory!
I like my popcorn savory but I wouldn’t turn down a good caramel corn.
I like my popcorn savory, but sweet is delicious too!
I like savory popcorn.
I like my popcorn sweet
Savory!
I like my popcorn savory!
I prefer mine savory! Now I really want popcorn!
I like savory popcorn. There are go to snacks when you want something sweet and go to snacks when you want something salty. I have never viewed popcorn as a member of the sweet category.
I like savory, but sweet is good too.
Sweet! Kettle Corn is my favorite.
I love savory popcorn
I’m a sweet fan! My favorite is Kettle corn!
Sweet & salty is the best!
I’m more of a savory fan.
savory with white cheddar
I like my popcorn savory.
I prefer savory popcorn.
I love both but if i had to choose id pick sweet 🙂
I like my popcorn sweet. I like kettle corn.
I like savory. I like cheddar jalapeno.
I prefer sweet popcorn.
I love savory. I usually have air popped popcorn with garlic salt.
I like sweet caramel corn and cheesy salty popcorn.
I like both….but probably savory more.
I love the sweet./ Either caramel or drizzled in chocolate
I love savory flavors!
The Chicago Mix is amazing. I like sweet & salty.
if i had to pick one i would pick sweet, but i do love to mix savory and sweet together
I like it savory! I’m all about white cheddar cheese popcorn!
I like the Chicago Mix–sweet & savory!
Savory is my favorite but sweet popcorn is a nice treat sometimes too.
I like savory popcorn best.
I like savory popcorn. I usually eat my popcorn with butter on it. But this looks good also.
I go for popcorn when I have salt cravings!
I love my popcorn sweet!
Like my popcorn sweet.
Savory. Butter and a little salt! Sometimes I add some parm cheese on it.
I like savory….either lots of butter or rich kettle corn.
I love both. I love sweet caramel popcorn, and I love white cheddar cheese popcorn.
I like mine savory.
Savory. One of my favorite flavors is Jalapeno.
I like sweet popcorn, but I love savory flavors!
I like my popcorn savory.
SWEET! I love adding M&Ms to my bowl of popcorn!! Chocolate and popcorn is the best together!!
I love salt and vinegar popcorn, so savory for this girl
I actually like both. I like savory flavors for snacking during the day, and I like sweet flavors for like popcorn during a movie at night. I just like popcorn. 🙂
I like mine savory
I love sweet popcorn best of all.
I like both. When it comes to popcorn I actually like savory more because you can be so creative with it.
It’s a tough choice! I’d say sweet and salty.
I prefer savory to sweet.
I like a little bit of both. The Chicago Mix is the best!!!!
I really would prefer sweet!
I usually prefer my popcorn on the sweet side. Kettle Korn and caramel corn are my favorites.
I like both, I also like salty/sweet.
At first, I was going to say that sweet popcorn was my favorite, but actually, white cheddar popcorn is my absolute favorite.
I like my popcorn sweet and kernel-free.
Savory! Unless I find it sweet and salty!!
Thanks for the chance to win!
I love savory
sweet is best for me
I love savory – cheddar cheese
Savory would be my favorite choose.
Savory is the best for me. My daughter says she likes both.
I like sweet AND I like savory. (Not necessarily together, although Isn’t that what they call the Chicago style?) I’ve had some sweet flavored varieties with chocolate and they were amazing.
I love my popcorn to be savory
I like mine Savory.
I love sweet popcorn especially caramel corn!
Savory…most of the time.
Thank you!
Savory for sure!
I love sweet – my favorite is caramel with chocolate drizzle!
wow what to choose i like the sweet and savory both and then the carmel look great and so do the ornge one wow what to choose