Planter's Dry Roasted Peanuts---Beware!!!

[EllenL]

Even if you're not vegetarian, you may be as upset by this as I am. I bought a jar of Planters' Dry Roasted Peanuts and never thought to check the label until I got home. Eek! Gelatin! Who would have thought that peanuts would have gelatin in them? (I called Kraft about this---they say it helps the spices to adhere.)
And although they advertise that "pure sea salt" is used, there are many unpure, less than natural ingredients, including modified cornstarch.

Okay, call me naive, but I truly thought that dry roasted peanuts were a natural, "whole" type food. I didn't think that they were just another processed food. I do make my own spiced nuts for snacking, but liked to use these in salads and Asian dishes that call for peanuts.

Totally disillusioned! Anyone else feel my pain?

And can someone explain how they can be a kosher product (There's a big K on them) but still use gelatin that doesn't appear to be kosher gelatin?

[TieKitty]

Your post prompted me to check out the roasted peanuts I have in the pantry. They're from Safeway and have MSG in them. (as a flavor enhancer, it says). I never thought to read the label either. I just assumed they were peanuts and salt.

[HealthyinMN]

Yep! I stopped buying them long ago - we only buy peanuts now if the ingredients are simply peanuts, salt and (sometimes) oil. Just one more example that you have to read labels on everything!

Here is Planter's ingredient list!

PEANUTS, CONTAINS2% OR LESS OF: SEA SALT, SUGAR, CORNSTARCH, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (FLAVOR ENHANCER), GELATIN, TORULA YEAST, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, PAPRIKA, ONION AND GARLIC POWDERS, SPICES, NATURAL FLAVOR. CONTAINS: PEANUT. MANUFACTURED ON EQUIPMENT THAT PROCESSES SUNFLOWER SEED, TREE NUTS

[wallycat]

The first time I even considered buying roasted nuts, I read the label and refused...why add sugar and preservatives and dyes to a good product
Dh didn't think twice and inhaled a jar

[clairea]

Eeeeew! I haven't bought a jar of peanuts in a long time, mostly because like Wallycat's DH mine will eat an entire jar at one sitting. I do keep some of the Planters Nutrition Heart Healthy Mix go-packs in my desk drawer, so this prompted me to pull those out and look at the ingredient list. Fortunately, it looks a lot better: Peanuts, almonds, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanut oil, sea salt.

[Canice]

Yea, I had a handful of them at someone's house and they tasted awful, so I took a look at the label and was suitably horrified.

[Kate B]

Wow - thanks for the info!

As someone who does not eat red meat, I try for no gelatin, too. My only exception has been Greek yogurt when I can't find any without gelatin. Luckily there are several brands without it but my local stores often can't keep them in stock so I'm stuck with Yoplait Greek.

Again, thanks for pointing this out!

Kate

[charley]

I only buy the unsalted dry roasted peanuts. And that's all it is ... peanuts!

[Gecko]

It certainly makes you want to just go back to eating peanuts from the shell.

[Canice]

Like the label on Safeway's rotisserie chicken: how can a chicken with lemon and rosemary have an ingredients list as long as the Duggar's weekly shopping?

[ljt2r]

Wow I am now thrilled with Costco. I buy Ann's House peanuts--roasted and salted--from them, and they have peanuts, peanut oil, and salt.

[Andrea_2]

Like the label on Safeway's rotisserie chicken: how can a chicken with lemon and rosemary have an ingredients list as long as the Duggar's weekly shopping?

I've always wondered what they add to those rotisserie chickens. I had a feeling it probably wasn't good...

[cminmd]

I really love the Costco Kirkland Signature Brand Roasted and Salted Peanuts. Two 32 oz jars and the ingredients are Peanuts, Peanut oil and Salt.

[ljt2r]

I really love the Costco Kirkland Signature Brand Roasted and Salted Peanuts. Two 32 oz jars and the ingredients are Peanuts, Peanut oil and Salt.

Same with their cashews, which I belatedly realized I should also check as my youngest daughter is cashew obsessed. And yep, just nut, oil and salt. I've never see Kirkland peanuts, only the Ann's House brand, but like I said it is good too.

[jjsooner73]

Like the label on Safeway's rotisserie chicken: how can a chicken with lemon and rosemary have an ingredients list as long as the Duggar's weekly shopping?

Yikes. You know, that's one thing I never thought to check the ingredient list on. Wow. So much for my quick on a week night chicken and dumplings made from a rotisserie chicken. . . which I actually stopped doing anyway because they are up to about $8 each, which is ridiculous IMO.

[Valerie226]

Thanks for posting.. I hadn't looked at peanut ingredients either, and was pretty stunned. I thought it would be peanuts, peanut oil and salt, like the cashews. guess I need to find another source for peanuts. Geez, why can't they keep it simple? even my peanut butter is peanuts and salt, who would think plain peanuts needed additives?

[HealthyinMN]

Same with their cashews, which I belatedly realized I should also check as my youngest daughter is cashew obsessed. And yep, just nut, oil and salt. I've never see Kirkland peanuts, only the Ann's House brand, but like I said it is good too.

Yeah, our Costco used to carry the Ann's House, but they recently switched to a Costco in-house labeled version. They are a touch different, but have the same, clean ingredient list.

[heavy hedonist]

it is always annoying to find those hidden enhancers-- like when i tried some "pro-active" blueberry yogurt from Wegman's, and it had not one but three fish-derived ingredients. How disgusting can you get?
there's also gelatin in the frosting on Pop-tarts and most other brands of toaster pastries.
bummer.

[EllenL]

I knew y'all would understand my disgust/disillusionment. My friends IRL could care less about any ingredients---they just care about what tastes good and is readily accessible. In some ways, they have it much easier. But avoiding junky ingredients is almost a reward in its own right----a type of protest against processed food.

[oct2189]

TJ's (Trader Joe's) dry roasted nuts (almonds and cashews are what I get) are just nuts. No other ingredients.

[tbb113]

Target's Archer Farms Roasted Jumbo Peanuts (salted) have peanuts, vegetable oil, salt

[heavy hedonist]

Target's Archer Farms Roasted Jumbo Peanuts (salted) have peanuts, vegetable oil, salt

i buy those, and there pretty good. the raw almonds are the best, though. and very affordable.

[ande]

Yep, I was shocked when I read the dry-roasted peanut labels a few years ago. I think I was buying them for the America's Test Kitchen (or CI?) peanut butter cookie recipe at the time (which was really really good, by the way). I don't buy them very often, but I've bought the generic at Target a few times; I think it is Market Pantry brand?

ande

[Jazzmatazz49]

Mr. Peanut, I thought you were a friend of mine!

[KristiB]

I was appropriately enraged by this a year ago. I never thought to check the label and assumed it would be peanuts and salt.

And it seems the more ingredients they use the cheaper the product.

I was feeling too lazy to make homemade BBQ sauce the other day and checked out the bottled at Fry's. After reading a billion labels I sucked it up and made my own.

I wonder if the Costco chickens have a long ingredient list? I haven't bought one in years but I see they roast on site. I don't know about the seasoning though.