Q: What exactly is LesserEvil Kettle Corn? A: If you don't know what kettle corn is, there is still a good chance you've had the pleasure of smelling the sweet aroma at a county fair. The signature taste of kettle corn is quite simply the taste of popcorn with a subtle saltiness AND sweetness. One thing to note is the different varieties of kettle corns out there. Before we decided on our super-secret recipes, we tried all different kinds of kettle corn from all over the country. We quickly found that the kettle corns out there are all unique in their own respect. Try some from a county fair in Northern California one weekend and then a local brand from the Midwest the next and you wouldn't believe the uniqueness to each recipe. This variety is one of the reasons why we were inspired to create different flavors and in the future, create more and more. We absolutely love the fact that there are many different ways to kettle popcorn -- after all, isn't variety the spice of life? (answer: yes) Back to Top ↑
Q: What the heck is a Krinkle Stick? A: The unstoppable crunch of your favorite potato chip (and now veggie chips/sticks!) in the shape of those wonderfully greasy krinkle-cut French fries---but without all that grease! Instead of frying them, we bake our Krinkle Sticks in sunflower oil, making them 75% less fat than potato chips and 60% less fat than the veggie snacks out there! Now that's a lesser evil!
Back to Top ↑
Q: What makes LesserEvil Kettle Corn a "lesser evil?" A: Naturally whole grain and gluten free, our gourmet popcorn is air-popped and cooked in a huge copper kettle with only the best all natural ingredients. Keeping things simple, we sweeten with real evaporated cane juice, and work with genuine, real ingredients. Just as important as what's put in, is what's left out… no trans-fatty acids, no preservatives, no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial colors or flavors. Finally, to make sure you can enjoy guilt-free, we make sure all of our flavors are kept low fat (only 2 grams per serving, people!) and with a very reasonable calorie count (only 110 grams per serving!). Back to Top ↑
Q: What makes LesserEvil Krinkle Sticks a "lesser evil?" A: We know just how hard it can be to break a potato chip addiction—believe us, we're snackers too. So we were very careful in creating that same satisfying potato crunch without all the remorse that usually tags along for the ride. Instead of giving it a nasty dip in a greasy fryer, we found that baking our potato sticks in sunflower oil offered that same great crispy goodness with 75% less fat! We do the same with our Veggie Krinkle Sticks, keeping a serving (40 sticks!) to 2.5 grams of fat. And of course as a member of the LesserEvil family, our Krinkle Sticks are also free of trans-fatty acids, cholesterol, saturated fat, artificial flavors, preservatives, gluten ingredients, and guilt! Back to Top ↑
Q: Where can I find the nutritional info for LesserEvil Snacks? A: That's an easy one. Just head to the Our Snacks - Kettle Corns page for the Kettle Corn nutritional info and the Our Snacks - Krinkle Sticks page for the Krinkle Stick nutritional info. And prevent those Snackcidents while you're at it! Back to Top ↑
Q: How many different flavors of LesserEvil Kettle Corn are there? A: This is a moving target, because we keep getting great ideas from different folks and we continue to concoct some great seasonal recipes. Currently we have three delicious mainstay flavors: Classic KettleCorn (slightly sweet, slightly salty), Black&White (a mix of our classic kettle corn with our cocoa kettle corn), and MaplePecan (maple syrup and pecans… a backwoods snack for the whole pack!). For those LesserEvil peanut butter lovers out there, you'll probably remember our awesome PeanutButter & Choco (natural peanut butter & cocoa…need we say more?). We stopped kettle-ing this deliciousness for a short while, but don't you go worrying... we're just waiting for the right time to kettle again. For the holiday season, we go a little crazy and cook up some unique flavors and styles that bring out the best of the season: we even design the packaging in case you don't have the time to wrap it! Cocoa Coal – chunks of dark cocoa-covered kettle corn – is our stocking stuffer, perfect for the naughty and nice. Back to Top ↑
Q: How many different flavors of Krinkle Sticks are there? A: Right now, we're cooking up two kinds of Krinkle Sticks: Potato and Veggie. For the former, we've got the grease-less French-fry taste of our Classic SeaSalt (a secret seasoning) and a kid-friendly SourCream & Onion. For the Veggie Krinkle Sticks, we now have one flavor, but boy is it delicious: Lightly SeaSalted (yes, the same secret seasoning). Side note: some of you LesserEvil Lifers may remember a sweet mesquite delight we called Old School Bar-B-Que and a hot-peppered Cajun KaBOOM! As of now, we are not making those flavors, BUT we have them in the secret vault and there's always a chance we'll bring them back, especially if we hear from enough people (hint, hint). Back to Top ↑
Q: Are LesserEvil Kettle Corns kosher? A: Unfortunately, they are not. What gives? We are trying, we promise. In fact, we're in the process and we'll keep you posted. Back to Top ↑
Q: Are LesserEvil Krinkle Sticks kosher? A: You betcha yarmakule! Our Classic SeaSalt and Veggie Krinkle Sticks are OU certified, and our SourCream & Onion is OU-D certified. Back to Top ↑
Q: Is there any dairy in LesserEvil Kettle Corn? A: Yes, there is. The ClassicKettle, Black&White and MaplePecan are kettled with some clarified (the most pure) butter. Back to Top ↑
Q: What about dairy in Krinkle Sticks? Any in those? A: While SourCream & Onion does contain dairy, our other Krinkle Sticks (Potato and Veggie flavors) are completely dairy-free! Back to Top ↑
Q: How many calories are in a single serving of Kettle Corn? Krinkle Sticks? And what constitutes a "single serving" anyway? A: Our ClassicKettle and Black&White have 110 calories in a 30 gram serving. This serving size translates into about 1 cup: or about 3 big-ol' fistfuls of our Kettle Corns. In fact, we had our E.S.T.s (Emergency Snacking Technicians) sit down with a measuring cup and an abacus, and a whole lotta kettle corn, and their estimate for a cup was between 55 and 65 kernels. Our Krinkle Sticks have 110 in a 28 gram serving, which is about 40 sticks (a.k.a. HUGE). Bottom line, for both snacks, you're getting a whole heap of guilt-free goodness. Back to Top ↑
Q: Where did Foosball originate? A: There is a highly charged debate on the creation of the original foosball table, some believing it was first crafted in France by a guy named Lucien Rosengart, who lived from 1880 to 1976 and called the game "babyfoot." The other side of the debate is that it was created in Germany in the 20's & 30's explaining how we got to the name "foosball" (The German word for field soccer is "football" spelled FuBball. The funny-looking "B" is pronounced like two S's). Those of us at LesserEvil have not taken an official side in this debate, but we do love talking trash to each other when we play on our table. Back to Top ↑
Q: How are LesserEvil Kettle Corns made? A: We've got our super secret recipes locked up in a high-security underground vault with one of those 3/8" thick, triple reinforced plate steel doors, retinal scans, heat-sensitive rooms, spiked booby-traps…the whole works! Actually, while our exact recipe is classified, our process is almost as simple as our ingredients; we air-pop premium grade corn, heat up natural sugar and a touch of butter, drop the popped corn in and mix vigorously. Then we heat up these mammoth copper kettles and add our gourmet ingredients and this huge stirring thing mixes them all up while they are cooking. Finally, everything is cooled down a bit and sealed up in our freshness bags. This is exactly how we did it in our own kitchen the first time we made it, just now it's in a "kitchen" designed for a 40-foot chef. (OK, so we don't keep our recipes behind a 3/8" thick, triple reinforced plate steel door, but we are secretive). Back to Top ↑
Q: Can I see how LesserEvil Kettle Corns are made? A: You sure can! Check out the feature on Food Network's show Unwrapped!
Q: What is the "shelf-life" of a LesserEvil Snack? A: A lot shorter than a Twinkie. We use quality ingredients you can actually spell and unlike many snack products, LesserEvil Snacks have NO preservatives. From when our Kettle Corns and Krinkle Sticks come off the production line (and directly into our metallicized freshness bags), we print an official "best by date" right on the front of the bag, one year from its creation—but c'mon, who can keep our delicious snacks unopened for that long?? Back to Top ↑
Q: What are trans-fatty acids anyway? A: Trans fatty acids are found in many foods - especially in commercially packaged goods such as cookies and crackers, commercially fried food such as French fries from some fast food chains, other packaged snacks such as micro-waved popcorn as well as in vegetable shortening and some margarine. Indeed, any packaged goods that contain "partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils" or "shortening" most likely contain trans fats. Trans-fatty acids increase LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) and lower HDL cholesterol (the Good cholesterol) therefore increasing the risk of heart disease. Some studies also showed that a diet high in trans-fatty acids might be linked to a greater risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Back to Top ↑
Q: Are your snacks Gluten Free? A: For all of our products (except our new Veggie Krinkle Sticks), no gluten ingredients or sub-ingredients are used. As we state on our packaging now, our Kettle Corn and Krinkle Stick snacks are produced in a facility that runs wheat products.
While we are confident that the ingredients we use are non-gluten and take measures in our production process to significantly reduce the risk of contamination, there are other foods being made at the facilities - and on the same lines - where we produce our snacks. We have tested our products to measure if they fall under the FDA's definition of "gluten free," which is less than 20 parts per million (PPM), and we pass this test. We state on our packaging that we produce in a facility that processes foods with gluten in order to provide the most transparency to anyone deciding to pick up a LesserEvil snack.
We are taking this transparency one step further and now printing "Made with Non-Gluten Ingredients" on the front of our packaging. You should see this transition within a few months, depending on the store where you shop and the flavor you purchase.
LesserEvil Snacks made with Non-Gluten Ingredients:
Classic Kettle Kettle Corn
Black&White Kettle Corn
MaplePecan Kettle Corn
Classic SeaSalt Krinkle Sticks
SourCream & Onion Krinkle Sticks Back to Top ↑
Q: What is Gluten, and why are most of your products made with non-gluten ingredients? A: Gliadin and glutenin together form what's known as Gluten, which is often used to leaven baked goods and give some snacks their chewy texture. While there is nothing specifically "evil" about Gluten itself, for many Americans (as much as 1%!), it can spell trouble. Growing epidemics like Celiac disease affect more Americans every year, and for those who can't safely consume Gluten, our snacks (except Veggie Krinkle Sticks) are a savory savior. Back to Top ↑
Q: Why do some people prefer Evaporated Cane Juice over the "High Fructose Corn Syrup" that's in so many other things we consume? A: Maybe for that very reason! Soft drinks, cereal, candy, cookies, ice creams, jams/jellys, syrups/sauces, etc., combined with the growing idea that too much of any one thing may not be good for you? Others avoid HFCS for other reasons, the mono/di-saccaride factor, the "natural" factor, political reasons, etc. We avoid it because we want our products to be as natural and simple as possible. KISS: Keep it Sweet, Salty. Back to Top ↑
Q: Are there nuts in any LesserEvil snacks? A: Yes, MaplePecan Kettle Corn contains nuts. Pecans, to be exact. Back to Top ↑
Q: Where can I find LesserEvil snacks? A: You mean they aren't in your pantry already?!? Quick, get yourself to your local natural/gourmet grocery store! We can also be found in some larger conventional grocery stores (usually in the natural aisle), but check out our online store locator first to see if any of your favorite stores are listed (we're in Whole Foods Markets nationally and many regional grocery stores like Wegmans, Publix, Fresh Market, etc). If you can't track us down then try asking the store manager to order some for you. They'll do it! Oh, and of course you can also order it directly through our online shop. Back to Top ↑
Q: How can I sell or distribute LesserEvil snacks? A: We are always looking for companies to sell or distribute our tasty products. If you are interested in selling LesserEvil snacks, talk to us! Back to Top ↑
Q: When will LesserEvil snacks be in my store? A: Our goal is to make LesserEvil snacks available to everyone. We hope to have our snacks in specialty shops in major U.S. cities (which we're doing – see above!) and soon after even in the smallest towns (e-mail us if you have a question about availability). Of course, our online shop is open for business 24/7, 365 days a year…. Back to Top ↑
Q: Where is LesserEvil located? A: LesserEvil is headquartered in the Village of Tuckahoe, New York. Before we moved into our office, it was a fully functional indoor playground. The disco ball in the conference room is just one piece of evidence of our predecessors. Come by for a visit and we'll show you a bunch more (and maybe even bust a move!). Back to Top ↑
Q: Can I come visit the LesserEvil HQ and eat your snacks all day? A: In the words of the Bob Barker... "Come on down!" We'd love to have you. And we've made it easy for you...
Q: Who owns LesserEvil? A: LesserEvil is a small business owned by a few entrepreneurs who are passionate about great snacks. Back to Top ↑
Q: What is a Snackcident? A: You're on your way to the dry cleaners and an ice cream truck playing that mesmerizing song lures you in for a triple-decker cone. SNACKCIDENT! You're in the office at 3pm and the four jelly donuts left over from the morning meeting find their way onto your desk. Minutes later the only thing left is a slight jelly smear on your status report. SNACKCIDENT! You pack a nice little baggie of carrots to hold you over on your road trip and at mile 134 the carrots are flying down route 60, replaced by a super-sized candy bar and a foot long beef stick. SNACKCIDENT! Simply put, Snackcidents are snacking occasions gone bad -- high fat, tons of preservatives, healthy but awful tasting. These all qualify. Part of LesserEvil's mission is to prevent Snackcidents from happening by sending out our Snackcident Prevention Team to patrol cities across the nation. It's a tall order, but we're committed to doing our best. Grab a box or bag today to avoid a Snackcident tomorrow. Back to Top ↑
Q: How do I get help for my Snackcident Problem? A: Well, if things get bad enough, there's always the Snackcident Prevention Hotline…give the Chief StoryTeller a ring at 866.874.4715. Back to Top ↑
Q: What are the best times to snack on LesserEvil? A: If you were to ask our West Coast EST Andrea, she'd say while watching "The Crimson Tide", but the truth of the matter is there are a ton of great LesserEvil occasions -- watching movies, during that "I'm a zombie" late afternoon at work period, when you're fending off a Snackcident, as a perfect side with a sandwich, while hand gliding over Mount Rushmore… oh the possibilities! Stop it now! LesserEvil Time! Back to Top ↑
Q: Krinkle Sticks look like french fries…can I dip them in things? A: Why of course. And oh are there so many options. What could be more American than taking something delicious and dipping it in ketchup (HungryGirl is a big fan of this idea)? Or you could go all European on it with some mayo. Hey, if you wanted to lose the "Lesser" part of our name altogether, some ChiliCheese Krinkle Sticks could probably be a full-out meal… Back to Top ↑
Q: What is LesserEvil's biggest challenge? A: Keeping plants alive in the office. Back to Top ↑
Q: What happened to the super cool popcorn-shaped boxes? A: That's a good question, my friend. Have a seat and grab some tissue because we have some sad news for you. We are currently not packaging our snacks in the boxes and do not plan to do so in the near future. (Tear, tear. We feel your pain and we'll miss them too.) Currently we are packaging our snacks in smaller, On-the-Go style bags; larger, Grocery store size bags; and for exclusive retailers, huge bulk bags. So why are we doing this and not the boxes? There are a few reasons, all benefitting you and the world: with regular snack bags, we can offer double the product for the same price as the boxes (booyah... economical!). Also, cutting out one piece of the package (the box) reduces waste and helps the environment (bam... it's green!). Lastly, with the bags, it's now easier for stores to fit more pieces on the shelf, on the racks, on the hanging clips, etc. (woo hoo... omnipresence!) Back to Top ↑
Holiday Related Answers:
Q: What kind of Holiday Snacks do you have? A: Two words: dark chocolate kettle corn. Wait, that was four. But hey, who's counting when it comes to this kind of deliciousness. If you haven't heard of our delicious Cocoa Coal Kettle Corn, where have you been the past three years?! Today is your lucky day, my friend. Cocoa Coal is here! Back to Top ↑
Q: What is Cocoa Coal? A: Delicious dark cocoa-covered kettle corn that's low fat (1.5 grams per serving) and free of all that junk: no preservatives, no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial anything and no gluten. It's the stocking stuffer that's perfect for the Naughty & Nice.
Back to Top ↑
Q: How long after the holidays do you sell your holiday snacks? A: Depends on how long you want to keep buying. We shoot for December 31, but if we're feeling especially jolly this year (i.e. if we have any leftovers!), we'll sell through January. Woo hoo!.
Back to Top ↑
Q: What kind of Holiday Gifts do you have? A: Now that's a great question, one that Santa would be delighted to answer. We have a tasty Stocking Stuffer, (Cocoa Coal, small bags sold by the case of 24 or by the dozen.)
Back to Top ↑
Q: Is Santa real? A: Is your watch moving clockwise? Of course.
Back to Top ↑
Lastly...
Q: What if I don't see my answer here? A: No problem! E-mail the Chief StoryTeller with your question. (and be sure to tell him he's not doing his job!)
Back to Top ↑
