Healthy snacking isn’t just about filling a craving; it’s a chance to fuel your body with nourishment. Making informed choices in healthy snacking involves more than grabbing the nearest option. It’s about consciously selecting snacks that nourish, energize, and align with your well-being goals – leaving you feeling good in both your mind and gut.
How to Choose the Right Healthy Snack
Here’s a concise guide to empower your healthy snacking journey, towards informed and healthy snacking choices.
Read Labels and Ingredients
Start by understanding what goes into your snacks and opt for recognizable ingredients. LesserEvil’s Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn has only 3 easy-to-read ingredients:
Consider Nutritional Value
Opt for functional snacks rich in nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. These elements not only satiate hunger but also contribute to sustained energy levels throughout the day, compared to heavily processed, sugar-based snacks.
Mind the Portions
Turn mindless eating into mindful snacking! Even with healthy snacks, portion control matters. It’s easy to overindulge, so portion out your snacks beforehand to avoid endless eating. Our Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn can be found in convenient snack packs 0.46 ounce bags that are easy to take on the go!
Variety is Fun
Experiment with diverse healthy snack options. LesserEvil offers a variety of flavors in our snacks – from veggie, sweet, or savory options, to dairy-free “white cheddar,” paleo, or vegan snacks, all in varieties of Popcorn, Power Curls, Space Balls, and more!
Stay Hydrated
Often overlooked, water is a crucial key for establishing a healthy snacking routine. Sometimes what we perceive as hunger is actually thirst. Stay hydrated to make more conscious snack choices.
Stay Healthy Snacking with LesserEvil
By implementing these healthy snack practices, you empower yourself to make informed choices in your snacking habits. Remember, healthy snacking is about nourishing your body with natural ingredients and wholesome foods for sustained energy and overall health.
LesserEvil brings fun flavors and nourishing ingredients to your everyday healthy snacking. From paleo puffs, organic corn puffs, and sweet or salted popcorn options, you can shop a healthy snack for every craving!
Embrace this journey toward healthier choices with our healthy popcorn brand and let your snacks reflect your commitment to your well-being.
Browse the full collection from our healthy snacks brand or get more Health & Wellness tips from our Blog.
Featuring: LesserEvil Berry Blast Cosmic Rings
Yield: 6 cups
Time: ~1 hour, or so
Ingredients:
Directions:
Notes:
When it comes to the toppings, you can customize these however you like!
Featuring: LesserEvil Outer Planet Pizza Space Balls
Ingredients:
Toppings (optional/customize to your liking):
Cheese, of choice
Pepperoni
Directions:
In a world where snackers are increasingly conscious of the foods they eat, knowing exactly what’s in them is more important than ever. Here at LesserEvil, we take pride in our commitment to transparency and quality. That’s why we’re excited to announce that our products are a part of the Clean Label Project, and we’d love to share why it’s so important to us!
The Clean Label Project: What Is It?
The Clean Label Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting transparency in the food and consumer product industries. Their mission revolves around providing consumers with information about product safety, ingredient quality, and overall product integrity. The organization conducts rigorous, independent testing on various consumer products, including food items, supplements, and more.
What Does it Mean for Our Snacks?
Being a part of the Clean Label Project means that our snacks have undergone thorough scrutiny and testing to ensure it meets the highest standards of safety, quality, and purity. The Clean Label Project assesses products for contaminants, toxins, and potentially harmful substances. Our commitment to transparency means that we’re willing to go the extra mile to guarantee the integrity of our product.
Why Is This Important?
Consumer Trust: When you see the Clean Label Project certification on our packaging, you can trust that we’ve taken every measure to ensure it’s a safe and high-quality product. This trust is vital in a world where food safety is paramount.
Health and Wellness: We care about your health, and we know you do too. Clean Label Project testing helps ensure that our snacks don’t contain harmful additives, contaminants, or allergens, promoting a healthier option for you and your family.
Transparency: We believe in transparency throughout our production process. By participating in the Clean Label Project, we’re not only saying we care about the quality of our product, but we’re also showing it through rigorous third-party testing.
Sustainability: The Clean Label Project’s focus on ingredient quality and purity aligns with our commitment to sustainable sourcing and ethical practices in the food industry. We’re not just about great-tasting popcorn; we’re about responsible snack choices.
Choice and Information: In an era of diverse dietary preferences and restrictions, you deserve to know what’s in the food you consume. Being part of the Clean Label Project helps you make informed choices that align with your values and dietary needs.
Our Promise to You
At LesserEvil, our snacks are more than just a healthy alternative; we have a commitment to your well-being and the well-being of our planet. By being a part of the Clean Label Project, we’re not only meeting industry standards; we’re setting a higher bar for quality, transparency, and trust.
The next time you enjoy a bowl of our popcorn, remember that it’s not just a delicious treat – it’s a testament to our dedication to clean, safe, and transparent snacking. Thank you for choosing LesserEvil, where quality meets conscience.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we continue our journey towards better, cleaner snacks for you and your family. Together, we can snack smarter and make better choices for a healthier future.
Featuring: LesserEvil Interstellar Cheddar Space Balls
Ingredients:
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil on the stove. Once boiling, add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender.
Drain the broccoli and space the florets on a towel to dry. Pat down the broccoli gently to remove any excess moisture.
Add the avocado oil to a skillet on the stove over medium heat.
In a food processor, crush the LesserEvil Interstellar Cheddar Space Balls until a powder is formed.
While the skillet and oil heat, mix together all of your ingredients and combine until smooth.
Separate the dough into 8 equal parts and roll into balls of dough.
Using your fingers, gently press out the dough to flatten the ball into a circle.
Place each fritter in the pan and cook for 7-10 minutes on each side. Be sure to check that they don’t burn. You’ll want a perfect orangey golden color!
Once finished, set the fritters on a towel to absorb any excess oil.
Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions!
In the swirling cosmos of health trends, one term has risen to celestial fame: alkalinity. It’s like the secret password to unlocking a realm of vitality and well-being. Hold on tight as we embark on an odyssey through the enigmatic universe of alkalinity, decoding its essence, significance, and how you can dance with the stars while maintaining your body’s harmonious pH balance.
Before we start unraveling the mysteries, let’s get cozy with the basics. Alkalinity is a chemical measurement of a water’s ability to neutralize acids. Now, pH is our universal translator, measuring the acidic or alkaline levels of a solution on a scale from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 sings a neutral tune, while below 7 strums the acidic chords and above 7, well, that’s the sweet serenade of alkalinity.
Cosmic Choreography of pH Balance
Picture our bodies as a grand cosmic dance, where pH balance is the choreography that keeps the show running smoothly. Each system in our body boasts its own pH groove: the stomach finds its rhythm with high acidity for digestive jazz, while our blood twirls gently around the slightly alkaline pH of 7.35 to 7.45.
When the dance falters due to an uninvited guest—pH imbalance—the show goes awry. From digestive disharmony to immune system jitters, this cosmic dance is more intricate than meets the eye.
One star-studded phenomenon in the realm of alkalinity is the alkaline diet based on the unproven notion that there are health benefits to be gained by moving your body chemistry to the alkaline side of the scale. While debates surround the science of the alkaline diet, it’s an astronomical truth that a diet abundant in fruits; grains like wild rice, oats and quinoa; legumes;
non-starchy vegetables; nuts; and seeds offer universal benefits. Any food brimming with essential nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants is going to light up your inner wellness constellation.
Mystical murmurs about the benefits of alkalinity abound, though remember, not every star is a supernova. Some whispered benefits include:
Stellar Digestion: A balanced pH can set the stage for smooth digestion and chase away the acid reflux shadows.
Galactic Energy Surge: Rumor has it that an alkaline spaceship revs up your energy engines, making you feel ready to launch to the stars.
Bone Odyssey: Maintaining a celestial pH balance could be linked to preserving those precious bones and thwarting the villainous osteoporosis.
Anti-Inflammatory Celestial Symphony: Some hint at alkaline diets composing an anti-inflammatory opus, battling the dark forces of chronic inflammation.
Cracking the Celestial Cipher: Stellar Strategies
Whether you’re donning a spacesuit for the alkaline adventure or simply aiming to keep your pH in harmony, consider these strategies:
In the grand tapestry of health–with a whole-food diet being the foundation–alkalinity adds a cosmic hue. As you set forth on your cosmic journey, remember that consulting with an Earth-bound healthcare sage is a stellar move before making major shifts. So, gear up, embrace the cosmic dance, and let alkalinity be your guiding star to wellness!
Featuring: LesserEvil Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups white chocolate
2 cups chocolate cookies, crushed
Directions:
The Sales Team is an extremely integral part of our organization. Often on the road or in their home offices across the country, they are our boots on the ground. They are the main touch point between us and all our customers. As with most businesses, our customers are the life force of our organization, and their day-to-day happiness has a direct correlation with how we grow and how fast we grow. We, therefore, tend to be selective with the amount and type of customers we have given that our sales organization needs to have the bandwidth to make them feel like we can adjust course when they need us to be nimble.
Beyond selling, the sales team works cross-departmentally, from operations to make sure our scale of shipping is met; to marketing to make sure our brand, voice, and presence align with our consumers values; and our logistics and finance teams to make sure our weekly, monthly, and yearly goals are all on track for success. Categorized by different regions and markets, our Sales Team networks with all the top dogs in the CPG world, from small natural grocers to major mass retailers, to ensure that an assortment of products are visible and available for hungry shoppers everywhere.
Get to know the savvy sales team that gets the goods into your favorite stores!
Josh Reed – VP of Sales
When did you start working at LesserEvil? August 2020
What is your background (schooling, internships, previous jobs)? I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics & Biology. I have been in the Food & Beverage industry for over 12 years and have been fortunate to work with several great brands like Pirate’s Booty, BodyArmor, Saffron Road, & Barnana. Now with LesserEvil, I have developed a whole new love for building brands!
What made you choose this field? It chose me! I am a third generation in the CPG industry.
What is your favorite part about working at LesserEvil? Most importantly, the people and friendships that have been made. Celebrating mutual success. Seeing people grow their experience/careers and become extremely valuable within the organization that will continue to propel them in their future.
What does a typical day look like for you? In my position, there is most definitely no “typical” day. Every day comes with a new set of challenges and roadblocks, but that is what makes it fun!
What is your favorite LesserEvil snack? Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn will always be the GOAT!!
What is one concept, idea, or lesson you recently learned that you believe to be important enough to share? Good things don’t come easy. I have always said, “Hope is not a strategy.” Having success is up to you and the amount of effort you put in every day. It’s about having a genuine ability in learning from your mistakes. At the end of the day, there is no one that will fight your battles with the same devotion as you.
Mike Walker – Director of Sales, National
When did you start working at LesserEvil? September 2021
What is your background (schooling, internships, previous jobs)? 30+ years selling salty snacks.
What made you choose this field? I didn’t choose the field; it chose me. I worked with a beer company while in college and liked it. I sent my resume to a few food companies before I graduated, and Frito Lay gave me an offer.
What is your favorite part about working at LesserEvil? The people and culture.
What does a typical day look like for you? Walmart, Walmart, Walmart!
What is your favorite LesserEvil snack? Himalayan Pink Salt and Himalayan Gold Popcorn
What is one concept, idea, or lesson you recently learned that you believe to be important enough to share? Love people.
When did you start working at LesserEvil? January 2021
What is your background (schooling, internships, previous jobs)? I graduated from the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk!) and worked at both a radio station and a really amazing unicorn of a company called Nebraska Furniture Mart before moving back to Colorado and beginning my career in CPG with Kellogg. I started in Sales Planning and Trade Management before moving to RXBAR, where I helped grow the west grocery business and eventually the west small format business.
What made you choose this field? I honestly fell in love with the industry during my time at Kellogg. Food is communal and something that is a huge part of our everyday lives. We need to eat to survive, but food is also part of our celebrations, memories, and how we show love to others. Sharing my work with others and seeing people enjoy our products is what makes this job so fun.
What is your favorite part about working at LesserEvil? There is a level of responsibility I feel in this industry to work for companies that are honest about what ingredients they use and the nutrition being provided. I want to grow companies that care just as much about how they are sourcing raw materials, the way they process those materials and the people producing the final products, as they do about how those products taste. That’s what brought me to LesserEvil, and that is what makes me love being here every day.
What does a typical day look like for you? Working in the Alt Channel is kind of the last frontier. We don’t always have regular reviews scheduled, and there are so many different touch points. My channel spans across E-Comm, Drug, C-Store, Airlines, Tech Companies, Hospitality, Food Service, Military, and so much more. A typical day usually involves working with my brokers on new opportunities, sending out samples, and connecting prospective companies with my distributor partners, and really just pushing Himalayan Pink anywhere I can. Success for my channel would mean seeing small bags of Himalayan Pink or Himalayan Gold everywhere customers want to buy snacks.
What is your favorite LesserEvil snack? I like to mix No Cheese Cheesiness and Himalayan Gold Popcorn. I love them both individually, but mixed together is the best!
What is one concept, idea, or lesson you recently learned that you believe to be important enough to share? The Danish concept of Hygge (which simply means coziness or comfort) is a practice of creating special spaces in your home, your mind, and your heart that give you a feeling of comfort and joy. It is about simple indulgences like candlelight and dessert, but it is also both about human connection in addition to solitude. It is about creating the spaces and making the time for all the things that give you a cozy peaceful feeling in mind, body, and spirit.
When did you start working at LesserEvil? January 2021
What is your background (schooling, internships, previous jobs)? I went to St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and studied Food Marketing. Prior to joining LesserEvil, I worked for Krave and SmashMallow and started my CPG career at Burris Logistics selling hundreds of branded items into Acme and Giant.
What made you choose this field? I love everything about food and this industry! I knew I wanted to get into the food industry, and once I had my first role at Krave in the CPG world, I knew it was for me!
What is your favorite part about working at LesserEvil? The product and the people. Before joining LesserEvil, I would buy LesserEvil popcorn and Power Curls at my local Whole Foods multiple times throughout the week. I was a huge fan of the brand prior to joining the team! The people at LesserEvil play a huge role in why it’s so enjoyable to work here. There’s a family-like feel to the team, a team that can always rely on each other to help when needed.
What does a typical day look like for you? Every week and day is different! I’ll typically have calls throughout the week with our brokers or UNFI/KEHE account managers to work on salty and baby reviews. Also, I’m always looking to see where we can get off-shelf display opportunities for accounts in the East and Midwest to continue to help grow our brand awareness at key regional accounts.
What is your favorite LesserEvil snack? Watermelon popcorn and No Cheese Power Curls. I can crush a bag of each in one sitting, easily!
What is one concept, idea, or lesson you recently learned that you believe to be important enough to share? Over the last couple of years since I joined LesserEvil, it’s been amazing to see the steps on the operations side with us being vertically integrated. I’ve always worked with brands who use co-packers, so to see how it’s done from start to finish in our own factory has been a major eye-opening experience. I’ve learned so much from this team!
When did you start working at LesserEvil? August 2022
What is your background (schooling, internships, previous jobs)? 10 years in the natural foods industry in sales.
What made you choose this field? Interest in natural foods and sustainability.
What is your favorite part about working at LesserEvil? The product – so delish!
What does a typical day look like for you? Lots of calls and emails from brokers, buyers, and my fellow coworkers as we work to fill voids, launch new items, and execute display programming.
What is your favorite LesserEvil snack? Himalayan Sweetness! It satisfies my sweet tooth without the guilt.
What is one concept, idea, or lesson you recently learned that you believe to be important enough to share? Don’t sweat the small stuff, and practice gratitude always.
When did you start working at LesserEvil? 2015
What is your background (schooling, internships, previous jobs)? 44 years in the food business.
What made you choose this field? I love being a part of the ever-changing food industry.
What is your favorite part about working at LesserEvil? I love that teamwork plays a part in every phase of the company! There’s nothing like being a part of a great team that’s like family!
What does a typical day look like for you? Visiting the Independents in NorCal, taking care of Green Spoon reps in the West, and shipping samples to retailers and reps! Thinking of LesserEvil in the evening and waking up with a plan of spreading LesserEvil love!
What is your favorite LesserEvil snack? Himalayan Gold Popcorn.
What is one concept, idea, or lesson you recently learned that you believe to be important enough to share? Leave a footprint in the sand for others to follow.
Dan Perreault – Regional Sales Manager
When did you start working at LesserEvil? August 2016
What is your background (schooling, internships, previous jobs)? Musician, Landscape Construction Foreman, Mechanical Production.
What made you choose this field? This was not a specific field that I ever thought I would pursue. I was working in manufacturing and was looking for another opportunity. The drummer of the band I was then playing in worked for Natural/Specialty Sales, he told me of a sales position that was open and I got the job. I learned, in turn, that I was good at it and here we are.
What is your favorite part about working at LesserEvil? Selling the absolute best products in their respective categories.
What does a typical day look like for you? Windshield view, walking, talking, selling, and winning.
What is your favorite LesserEvil snack? Either Himalayan Gold or the new Thrive Elote popcorn. Both are great flavors.
What is one concept, idea, or lesson you recently learned that you believe to be important enough to share? Get outside of your comfort zone. There is a whole new world out there to explore.
Featuring: LesserEvil Sugar Cookie Popcorn
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients:
Directions:
The glorious gut. The second brain of the body. The epicenter of health-related communication. It’s no surprise that your digestion is a huge indicator of the status of your system, and a healthy diet – free of gut-wrenching grains, excess sugars, and inflammatories – can substantially help ease debilitating issues. At LesserEvil, we’re super conscious about what we put into our snacks. We use clean ingredients such as coconut oil, avocado oil, cassava flour, pea protein, watermelon protein, and Himalayan pink salt to make the digestive system happy, not irritated!
If you experience discomfort in the gut, you’re not alone. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, “60 to 70 million people are affected by…digestive diseases” just within the United States. But isn’t it as easy as eating clean, getting some exercise in, and drinking lots of water? Sure, that’s a small portion of it. But Autumn Best, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP), Restorative Wellness Practitioner (RWP), and special guest on our Let’s Talk Sh*t series on Instagram, says “Digestion is so nuanced.” There’s so many fine details that go into the digestive system, but starting with some of these simple tricks can help offer some relief: chewing food thoroughly (to the extent of liquifying it) and without distraction, managing stress, and avoiding drinking a ton of water around meals. “Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes,” she goes on to say. Simply put, the length of time one has spent with old habits will factor into how long it’ll take to rebalance the system.
If there is one thing the healing journey is not, it’s fad diets and “magic” pills. It’s vital to go back to the beginning and get to the foundation of the digestive system. Maddie Scannapieco, Certified Health Coach (CHC) and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P), told us on Episode 4 of our series, Let’s Talk SH*T, that she believes in focusing on our ancestral roots. She is a big advocate for functional testing, including doing a full panel of blood work and stool testing to really find answers regarding infections, pathogens, overgrowth of bad bacteria, and inflammatory markers. With this approach, there’s concrete information to work with versus just taking guesses as to what the issue might be.
With so many digestive-based disorders out there – most with similar symptoms – it’s best to get as close to a confirmed diagnosis as possible in order to practice the correct daily habits that will heal the issue at its core. Taking a deeper dive into all the possibilities out there, we’ve compiled a list of the most common diseases and a brief definition of each. Please note: this overview is not meant for self diagnosis, but rather just an insight into the kinds of digestive issues that exist.
With so many different diagnoses with similar uncomfortable symptoms, it can be difficult to pinpoint what’s actually happening. Rachel Straining, also known as The No Gluten Girl, understands this all too well. When she joined us in our Let’s Talk Sh*t series, she opened up about her agonizing experience with Crohn’s Disease. Early in high school, she spent 2 to 3 years in and out of hospitals searching for answers before she got diagnosed. One of the most unique symptoms she had – totally aside from excruciating pain in her stomach – was joint pain, a symptom that is often dismissed in digestive-based disorders. She missed out on many quintessential social rights of passages and had to maintain her school work while in the hospital, but she kept a positive attitude, using it to fuel her journey toward healing. She says getting creative with anti-inflammatory foods and focusing on what you can eat instead of what you cannot can change the mindset into a positive experience for someone going through food intolerances. With her social platform, she is able to bring this positivity and hope to others who are struggling with similar situations.
If you are experiencing these symptoms and are not finding answers or the right people to connect with, you are not alone. Fortunately, there’s so much information out there and even better, people from all over the world who are experiencing these very issues. Just take a look at the amazing women we had on our Let’s Talk Sh*t series, who are part of that larger community and a great resource for ideas, help, and information. If you’re looking for more insight on all-things gut health and digestion, check out our Instagram where we continue the conversation with nutritionists, dietitians and more about what it takes to get a healthy gut!