Chukar Cherries: A Good Snack is Hard to Find

Across the US children are back in the classroom which means a return to quick breakfasts and boxed lunches. As parents struggle to replace chips and sugary snacks with healthier options, a trend toward better-for-you snacks has emerged. For Chukar Cherries, simple ingredient lists are nothing new. 

In fact, Chukar committed to using clean ingredients over 30 years ago when Founder & CEO, Pam Montgomery, pioneered drying cherries without added sugar or preservatives. Since then, the company has sought new ways to offer delicious snacks that feature whole dried cherries without additives, and their products remain focused on local dried cherries without added sugar or artificial ingredients. Montgomery often remarks that a simple cherry is delicious enough. 

Sugar can sneak into kids’ diets in seemingly wholesome choices like juice boxes, granola bars, and cereal. The Specialty Food Association cites Samantha Cassetty, a leading dietician, as stating that “Popular buzz words include ‘no added sugar’ and ‘plant based,’ but these alone aren't indicators of healthfulness unless the ingredients are made from mostly whole food sources, like fruits, nuts, seeds, etc.” Chukar’s fruit & nut mixes fit the bill—whole fruits and nuts that are high in fiber, protein, and vitamins but still taste 100% delicious.

Chukar’s most popular snack offering is the Energy Mix Variety 12 Pack which contains all four of Chukar’s no sugar added fruit & nut mixes in handy 1.85 oz. bags. “The snack packs are a top seller this time of year,” says General Manager Tim Oten, “pure fruits and nuts pack a ton of energy and they’re easy to toss into lunch boxes or care packages for college students. They’re my kids’ go-to snack for after school, ballet rehearsal, and soccer practice.” Each fruit & nut mix is also offered in larger, resealable pouches. 

Chukar’s naturally dried cherries, organic offerings, and fruit & nut snacks are available online at chukar.com, at the company’s flagship store in Prosser, in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, and at a host of premier retailers.