The older I get the less things from my youth are readily available. Favorite cereals have come and gone. Favorite candies have magically disappeared. Even toys that I once loved to play with are just a faded memory.
There is one “favorite” from my youth that is readily available (thankfully). In fact it’s been around for 120 years, and I have a feeling it will be around for another 120+ years. What “favorite” might I be referring to? Cracker Jack snacks!
My favorite part of Cracker Jack snacks growing up were the peanuts and the prizes. In fact that last time I went through my “Box of Memories” I found a couple of Cracker Jack snack prizes. One was a round plastic thing (I think it’s a top, or something like that) and a few temporary tattoos. I wish I had my Box of Memories handy to snap a picture of them. The box is currently in my father’s basement.
Check out this interesting infographic about this iconic snack.
Unlike other products that are “new and improved” which end up drastically changing their taste, Cracker Jack snacks have remained the same. They taste the same way today as they did when I was a young. I’m in my mid-40’s now, so that has been a very long time.
To celebrate Cracker Jack snacks 120th year, the makers of Cracker Jack snacks has introduced two new flavors – Kettle Corn and Butter Toffee.
I have never even heard of Kettle Corn until I married my husband 17 years ago. We often buy it when we go to street fairs. It’s a family favorite.
Cracker Jack snacks Kettle Corn has the same sweet and salty taste that street fair or carnival Kettle Corn has, although a bit lighter. Often the kind you buy at fairs and carnivals is either too sweet or two salty or just too much of both flavors. The Cracker Jack snacks Kettle Corn has just the right amount of sweet and salty favor to it. It’s not “overkill”.
It’s great that we can enjoy the yummy goodness of Kettle Corn year round without having to wait until we go to the country fair or a street fair. My husband LOVES Kettle Corn (he’s the one who introduced me to it), and he tends to be picky and he loves the Cracker Jack snacks Kettle Corn variety.
The new Butter Toffee variety is also very flavorful. In fact I am eating some right now as I type this.
I often through that caramel and toffee had similar flavors. They really don’t. When I eat regular Cracker Jack snacks and then try the Butter Toffee Cracker Jack snack there is a distinct difference. They are both very sweet, but in a slightly different way from one another.
The Butter Toffee variety does not have nuts. In a way I wish it did. I think the nuts would only add to the over all delicious taste of the Butter Toffee popcorn.
In addition to the two new flavors, Crackers Jack snacks has added more peanuts to it’s original flavor. YEAH! The peanuts are one of my most favorite parts about Cracker Jack snacks. They are usually hanging out at the bottom of the box or bag. For me they are the best parts, so it’s as if they saved the best for last.
The prizes were also the highlight of my Cracker Jack snack. I would always wear the temporary tattoos and stick the stickers on my books.
There is now a new twist to the prizes you’ll find inside every Cracker Jack snack package. You’ll not only find classic stickers but you’ll also find fun facts and digital codes that can unlock surprises at the new FREE Cracker Jack snack branded app. The app features two nostalgic games – Baseball and Pinball. For more information visit www.CrackerJackApp.com or do a search for the app in the app store. I have it on my iPhone. I’m still trying to master the pinball game.
“After 120 years, we knew it was the right time for the Cracker Jack brand to modernize to really suit the changing snacking preferences among our biggest fans – while still remaining true to our nostalgic roots,” said David Skena, vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay. “By offering improved prizes, more peanuts and delicious new flavors, we’re giving our fans a new and improved product experience that still celebrates what they’ve loved about Cracker Jack snacks all these years.”
The new Cracker Jack products, Cracker Jack Butter Toffee Popcorn Snack (4 oz. SRP $1.49, 8.5 oz. SRP $2.29), Cracker Jack Kettle Corn Popcorn Snack (3 oz. MSRP $1.49) and Cracker Jack Original Caramel Coated Popcorn and Peanut snacks with “More Nuts” (4 oz. SRP $1.49, 8.5 oz. SRP $2.29), will be available nationwide wherever Cracker Jack brands are sold.
Have you tried the new flavors yet? If so, what did you think about them? Feel free to comment.
One lucky reader will win a six bags of the new flavors and more peanuts Cracker Jack snacks, compliments of the Cracker Jack brand.
This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on July 6, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply or a new winner will be chosen in their place.
To enter please comment on this post and share a favorite Cracker Jack snack memory with me – or – which new variety (More Nuts, Butter Toffee or Kettle Corn) are you must anxious to try.
For extra entries you can use the Rafflecopter widget (below) but you must complete the initial entry requirements or the additional entries won’t qualify (I do check). Extra entries are optional.
Kimberly
*I received free product samples to review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way. The Cracker Jack brand will be providing the prizes.
Rae says
My dad used to buy this for us and we were thrilled to find a prize. I would love to try them all.—
Jim Nichols says
Always a favorite! The butter toffee flavor sounds great!
Deirdre says
Butter toffee, yum! I will always remember opening my first Cracker Jack box and discovering the prize inside — it brought a smile to my face.
Michelle H. says
I want to try the toffee flavor.
tammy shelton says
Favorite memory … my PawPaw buying me my first box of Cracker Jacks & eating it when we rode along the backroads of East Texas in his old Ford Truck. Right now… I want to try ALL of the new flavors this Summer!
Maureen says
I look forward to trying the butter toffee.
When we would go to school sometimes as a treat my mother would put cracker jacks in our lunch as a special treat.
Shannon K. says
My mom teaching me the song…..butter toffee
Catie says
I remember fighting over the prizes with my siblings! More Nuts sounds great 🙂
Shana says
I’d like to try the butter toffee. I didn’t even know they made new flavors!
My mom always put cracker jacks in our christmas stockings. Food & prizes!
Rae Nelson says
I’d like to try Butter Toffee and my favorite memory- as a child we would all get a box of cracker jacks and my mom and dad would always give me and my brother their prizes! Back then that was the best part!
debbie says
I always had them when I went to work with my father. I would like to try the more nuts flavor.
Amy Honious says
when young, we only got cracker jacks for ‘special nights’-going to the drive in or the annual showing of wizard of oz or possibly the rare night when mom and dad would have company over to play cards. we would dump our cracker jacks into a bowl, get the prize and then put the jacks back in the box, lol. thanks for such great memories (you made me smile this morn) and for a very nice & tasty giveaway!
Carol says
I used to get cracker jacks as a kid and loved the prizes. would like to try the kettle corn & butter toffee.
Kristie says
I’m most anxious to try Kettle Corn 🙂
I remember my grandma used to give out Cracker Jacks for Halloween and we thought it was great to get such a neat treat and then there was a prize inside too! 🙂
Denise Taylor-Dennis says
I used to love eating Cracker Jacks as a kid and I couldn’t wait to see the prize inside. I really want to try the butter toffee.
Leona Olson says
I did not know they had Kettle Corn. I buy Cracker Jacks at Christmas time for the “Santa” bag when Santa comes to visit.
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Gigi says
The More Nuts variety sounds great. i also had no idea about the butter toffee flavor, I haven’t run across it in the grocery yet(maybe hasn’t made it to the Midwest yet)
Gigi says
Cracker Jack used to be the snack of choice when we went to the little carnivals in my podunk town in the 80’s. My mom could eat box after box of them, and she always shared them with us. Good times
Debbie Fitcher says
I loved getting Crackers Jacks when I was younger and couldn’t wait to see what the prize was.Loved Crackers Jacks then and still do. I would like to try the Butter Toffee or more nuts.
Anja says
butter toffee sounds really good. it was a cheap snack that was rich tasting when i was growing up
DorothyTeel says
I look forward to trying Crackerjack Kettle Corn, when we go to the state fair we frequently get kettle corn and love it. My biggest memory of me and Cracker Jack was me and my brother fighting over who got the prize in the box, and usually my mom got it until she had two then we each would get one, of course then it was he got the best…lol…
Zan Caperton says
Oh my gosh! butter toffee!!!!! Must have! My favorite memory is my younger brothers and I would each get a box and would race to find out who got the best prize and n gobble up all of the goodness.
Kimberly Schotz says
I am looking forward to trying the Butter Toffee
melina r says
I remember liking to see what prize I got. Want to try the butter toffee flavor
Anne says
In my childhood neighborhood, the most popular house on Halloween was the one that gave full-size boxes of Cracker Jacks. We loved it!
The flavor I’d most like to try (and most likely will buy) is the Kettle Corn.
BILL H says
Got a whistle in my first box…want to tyr more nuts!
Ken Ohl says
butter toffee sounds great
sarah k says
I would love to try the new butter toffee favor, thanks for the chance to try the different varieties.
diane says
the more nuts
tess says
the ketttle sounds good and i just remember the prize and we used to get them all the time
tcogbill at live dot com
Cindy Merrill says
I’ll go for the more nuts. My favorite memory of cracker jacks – I always took a few boxes of these treats with me to summer camp.
Margie says
I remember there were always fun prizes in the boxes.
I’d like to try the new Butter Toffee.
Thanks for the giveaway.
M.Clark says
I have no memory to share, but I would like to try the Kettle Corn.
Kate F. says
I’d like to try the butter toffee flavor.
Kiara says
I remember digging through the bag to get the prize. I would like to try the Butter Toffee.
Yona says
I’d like to try the Kettle Corn – I remember always wanting a box as a kid to get a prize. The smell brings back a lot of memories.
Robin Wilson says
I really want to try Kettle Corn! I will never forget when I was 6 years old and had my tonsils out. The only thing I wanted when I got home from the hospital was a box of Cracker Jacks. OMG ~ it hurt so hard to swallow them, but I made it through the whole box! I don’t know why that sticks in my memory, but I still love them!
Robin Wilson says
I am sure you probably already know that the tweet in the RC is for the Migraine giveaway. 🙂
Robin Wilson says
shared on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zuzu.wilson/posts/285785678234615
chadro says
opening my cracker jack box and so anxious to see what prize i was going to get, they had better prizes back 48 yrs ago
Melissa Hartley says
My brother & I used to compare prizes & see which of us had the better one:) I would love to try the Kettle Corn the most .. thanks!
Ann Fantom says
I remember my mom giving us cracker jacks as a snack by the pool during summer days.
I would like to try Cracker Jack’s Kettle Corn flavor
Maxine says
When I went grocery shopping with my mom when I was a kid, my “prize” for being good in the grocery store was a box of Crackerjacks — I was always soooo good! I would love to try the butter toffee!
Susan Christy says
We always got Cracker Jack when we would take a road trip. There were never enough nuts for me, so I am excited about MORE NUTS.
Marci says
More nuts! I remember being little and knowing what a huge treat it was when mom brought home Cracker Jacks!
Kay M. says
Oh, I used to love Cracker Jacks so much! We loved the toys they USED to have! My fave was the little animal on a string with a bead attached to the other end. You hung the bead part over the edge of the table and the animal would ‘walk’ to the edge! They just don’t put cute things like that in Cracker Jacks any more!
I think I would like to try the Butter Toffee, but More Nuts sounds good too. The peanuts were my favorite part of Cracker Jacks – after the toy!
Angela Kinder says
The only memory I have is when me and my twin sister got a box to share on the way to Dallas to visit our family members. Or maybe it was Six Flags….
I can’t wait to try the Butter Toffee!
Robin Wilson says
shared on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zuzu.wilson/posts/286197608193422
Denise B. says
I remember the riddle book as one of the prizes.
Christina Sparks says
There was a musuem back in Ohio that had a whole room dedicated to Cracker Jack and they had displays of the different cracker jack boxes and the prizes throughout the years which was cool. I would like to try the Butter Toffee.
Linda Lansford says
I want Butter Toffee and my memory is the prizes
Jessica To says
Butter Toffee sounds good to me. I remember that Cracker Jacks were a treat as a child and they had a prize!
Carol says
I like to trade my cracker jack prize. I’d like to try the Butter Toffee
Jessica Rose says
The Butter Toffee flavor!
ELIZABETH C. says
I remember opening up the box & hoping I got the tattoos. Im also excited about the nuts !!
trisha kilpatrick says
I am so anxious to try the butter toffee. I remember eating Cracker Jacks as a child. I would get so excited when I would get a tattoo or magnifying “glass”.
Colleen says
Mmmm the butter toffee looks amazing. I’m drooling now:(
Jennifer T. says
I remember sharing Cracker Jack with my dad. I always got so excited about that little prize inside. I’d love to try the new Butter Toffee flavor.
jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com
Adriane says
I thought it was so amazing I could have yummy popcorn AND a prize. And they were cool prizes – always something different. I want the Butter Toffee/
Julie S says
I remember when they had REALLY cool prizes inside! We so looked forward to finding them in that box of caramel corn! Thanks for the chance to win!
Abby Kraynick says
Favorite memory is fighting with my sister when we were little for the prize!! I always won, lol
I’m excited to try the Butter Toffee
Jackie says
I loved to see what prize I would get. When I was young the prizes were all kinds of cool things. Like small charms that my grandmother would string together to make me bracelets
Jackie says
I loved to see what prize I would get. When I was young the prizes were all kinds of cool things. Like small charms that my grandmother would string together to make me bracelets
lisa says
My grandparents always had it at their house. butter toffee
Karen Gonyea says
The new butter toffee flavor sounds great. I used to love getting a little toy every time !!
Tanya White says
Digging in the bag for my prize and eating all the peanut first, lol I would like to try the Butter Toffee
Desiree Dunbar says
I loved getting the little prize in Cracker Jacks, as a kid this is very exciting. I’d love to try the new Kettle Corn flavor.
Kimberly Hilbert says
My grandfather used to get this for me b/c I liked the prizes so much.
In the 80’s the prizes became really terrible. Mostly paper. I hope they go back to cool prizes, although a diamond ring is going overboard.
Virginia Rowell says
We always loved the prizes and I have saved all of mine from 40 years ago! The butter toffee sounds yummy!
Angela M says
When I was young I used to beg for a box of Cracker Jacks whenever we went to the store. I couldn’t wait to see what prize was in the box. The tattoos were my favorite. 🙂
I really want to try the Butter Toffee.
Sarah Hall says
I remember going to the local store as a little girl and buying Cracker Jacks for a nickel. I would love to try the More Nuts.
Rona B says
The Butter Toffee sounds delicious.
Hannah Danielson says
Awesome!
Robin Wilson says
shared on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zuzu.wilson/posts/287553391391177
Christian Alejandro says
oh man the first time I realized a little prize was in these, I was hooked! I’d love to try the Kettle corn!
Shauntea Crutcher says
I have loved Cracker Jack’s since I was a kid. I would like to try the Kettle Corn flavor.
Debra Hall says
I always liked getting the tattoo’s
BusyWorkingMama says
I’d like to try the butter toffee flavor. I remember my first taste of Cracker Jack when I moved to the US when I was 7 – so sweet and delicious!
Cody Anderson says
We used to eat this whenever we went camping. My favorite is the kettle corn.
judy gardner says
i loved getting the prizes out of the box and iwould like to try the more nuts
Carly says
I remember having them on family vacations. I want to try butter toffee.
Jean Fischer says
I want to try the more nuts variety. I’ll always remember the prize inside.
Mariah says
I would like to try the butter toffee. We loved digging in the box for the prize it was always super exciting when we found a ring
Jake B says
love getting cracker jacks at baseball games! cant wait to try the kettle korn kind
Danielle D says
Toffee
Wendy Delmater Thies says
My sister and I always used to share a box of the Original, and we’d like to try butter toffee.
June Lisle says
I want to try butter toffee and the only childhood memory I have is trying to find the prize.
Bettye Short says
I love cracker jack and would like to try the kettle corn.
tina reynolds says
I would love to try the kettle corn
Denise Sachs says
I don’t have any memories because my mom wouldn’t buy them for me. I want to try Butter Toffee.
Jacob LaFountaine says
I liked breaking them open as a kid and finding some cheap plastic toy to keep me busy. I’d want to try the More Nuts variety
bryan clark says
getin the little games and butter tofee
G says
I remember getting boxes of cracker jacks and convincing my younger sibling that she wanted the prize that I didn’t want so she would trade me if I wanted her prize more than mine. I remember telling her all sorts of little things about why my toy was the coolest so she would want it, if I wanted to trade or talking hers up if I didn’t….she being the younger child believed every word. LOL. I may have been a slightly sneaky older sibling. I still have a box with many of my cracker jack toys in it from years ago…. The flavor from the new ones that I am most interested in is butter toffee as I’m crazy about that flavor but I’m also really wanting to try the other flavors as well, they all sound really yummy. Thanks for the chance to win.
Christina says
I’d love to try Butter Toffee (sounds great!). As a child my family moved around a lot (for my father’s work), but there were Cracker Jacks (and the prizes inside them about which I was always so curious) everywhere we went!
Jennifer Reed says
I remember eating Cracker Jacks with my grandfather in the summer at the ballpark. I would love to try the new variety -Cracker Jack Original Caramel Coated Popcorn and Peanut snacks with “More Nuts” because that sounds like it would make it even better.
Kelly H. says
I would love to try the butter toffee the most.
Kelly H. says
I remember eating Cracker Jacks when I would visit my grandparents.
david cosgrove says
I miss the surprises inside, I want to try the more nuts kind though.
Robin says
I would love to try the butter toffee, my favorite thing about the snack growing up was the secret toy suprise
Kari Flores says
I remember opening all the boxes in our pantry trying to find temporary tattoos. I would love to try the Butter Toffee flavor, even though all of them sound good.
kyl neusch says
eating at ball games
the toffee flavor
jules m. says
i remember being so excited about the prizes- and my dad loving to eat them so much.. he always bought them.. and i am looking forward to trying Butter Toffee.. omg that sounds good
Deb S says
Growing up I always hoped the prize would be temporary tattoos. I really would love to try the butter toffee.
Sarah says
I always went for the prize first and then the nuts, so I’d really like the More Nuts one.
Valeen N says
We used to have huge trades as kids whenever we ate CrackerJacks. We’d wait till everyone finished their Cracker Jacks, then the trading would commence!
Valeen N says
I forgot to add that I want to try the Butter Toffee!
natalia ryjova says
I would love to try butter toffee, but ive never tried any of these before.
Jenny says
I think the butter toffee would be something my husband and I would both love
Stephanie Gregory says
I used to enjoy these with my grandpa. I would love to try the more nuts version!
Kim Smith says
I would like to try the Kettle Corn. It is one of my favorite snacks
Tricha says
use to love searching for the prizes.
most anxious to try thr kettle corn
Ed Nemmers says
Butter Toffee!
Cracker Jack was a special treat with Dad at a baseball game!
natasha tucker says
my parents would always buy me cracker jacks and help me dig out the toy. i would love to try kettle corn!
Karrie Millheim says
i remember as kids all of us getting so excited waiting to see what kind of prize we won..we use to try to guess what we were going to find
Karrie Millheim says
I would love to try the Butter Toffee
kathy artis says
I always loved the prizes in cracker jacks as a kid…I’m anxious to try the Kettle Corn
kim e says
most excited to try the kettle corn, remember baseball games with my dad eating cracker jacks
Kayla says
I used to trade prizes with my friends at camp. I would love to try more nuts!
Jennifer says
I remember my mom buying these and my brother and I digging for the prize. I want to try the Butter Toffee.
Lisa says
I loved finding the prize! I’d like to try the Kettle Corn!
Gina P says
i remember my dad getting us cracker jacks at baseball games. I cant wait to try the toffee flavor
may avalon says
i have never had cracker jacks.
charlene says
I always got a box when we went grocery shopping. I want to try the more nuts
kristy says
The butter toffee sounds great! My favorite memory of cracker jacks was going to the ball park with my dad and sharing a bag while we cheered for the Reds!
Michelle Tucker says
I just remember that I couldn’t wait to get that box open to see what my prize was. I loved Cracker Jack. I’d like to try Butter Toffee.
Kristi Gilleland says
I remember the little boxes and getting the prizes. I used to like to get the ones that had the little plastic pin ball like games in them – they were just cardboard and plastic but had a little ball and you had to tilt it to try to get it to go in the right place to ‘win.’
I’d like to try the Butter Toffee, because I love toffee.
sara woods says
butter toffee sounds good. My mom used to pack crackerjacks in my lunchbox as a kid. Great memories!
Barbara Stenby says
the more nuts one is the one for me! i used to share these with my dog when i was little
Shaunda E. says
I was always so excited to see what toy was in the box. I would like to try the butter toffee.
Deborah Wallin says
Every year in July, our church held a church picnic, where there was a stand that sold candy and cracker jacks. I skipped the candy, and headed straight for the cracker jacks. I looked forward to it each year.
Carolyn M says
Butter toffee sounds good! Will try it.
joni says
I remember always saving the very few peanuts for last—yum! I’d like to try the Kettle Corn.
Betty C says
I’m old enough to remember the little plastic figurines that were the toys. I had an entire collection of them. I’d like to try the More Nuts version.
Roxann says
I remember that we always took Cracker Jack with us when we went on fishing trips. I want to try the butter toffee.
mary gardner says
I remember being so excited every time I found the prize in the box! I would like the butter toffee.
Dorothy Deakyne says
when I was a child cracker jacks was our Friday Night treat to watch movies at home
Brad M. says
My mom would take me to the store on certain days that I had been good. I always looked forward for those days because I would get Crackers Jack. The reason I would get this was for the prize that was in it. I always loved to see what I was going to get and then share with my friends. I still do this on certain days too. I would like to get the more nuts one. Thanks for letting me share and for offering this contest. Happy Birthday, Crackers Jack!!!! <3
Brad M. says
I commented in my blog post at:
http://heartburnsblog.wordpress.com/2013/07/06/cracker-jack-contest/
Have a great day!!
Chris Noe says
Butter Toffee. We always got boxes of CJ in our Christmas stockings.
Jane H says
I would love to try the kettle corn.
A long time ago, my cousin gave his fiancee her engagement ring inside of a box of cracker jacks.
amy deeter says
eatting them with my grandpa and watching tv.i would love to try the Butter Toffee
Becky says
We used to eat cracker jacks on road trips..and always look for the prize first. I am looking forward to butter toffee.
Kat Emerick says
When I was 7 I remember my dad buying me a box before we went to the movies. I am 60 now and still love them.
melissaandkeith miller says
ball games eating the original cracker jack
Kim Reid says
As a kid, I was so excited to get Cracker Jacks – love them and the prize! I would love to try the More Nuts variety – sound delicious 🙂
Veronica Garrett says
When I was in elementary school we all enjoyed Cracker Jacks. We looked forward to the toys inside. I would like to try Butter Toffee.
wen says
I’m most anxious to try the new Butter Toffee flavor. I just remember, as a kid, being super excited when I got a prize that I really wanted and they had cool ones way back when.
Michelle C says
Going to the drive in movies and eating cracker jacks a s snack
Donna L says
I remember the great tattoo that came inside the box and applying them to my arm.
Krista W. says
I’d like to try more nuts– and have such good memories of my grandma giving me cracker jacks when I slept over!
Breanne says
I don’t really have any memories. I’d like to try butter toffee
laurie says
I use to eat cracker jacks at the ball games we use to go to
Tim Moss says
I ALWAYS loved Cracker Jacks when I was a little boy (which was a LONG time ago). I loved to see what prize I’d get but I also loved eating them! For a new flavor I want More Nuts.
Maggie M says
I remember my sister and I sharing a box at the park. Seems like a life time ago.
Erica C. says
I don’t really have any memories. The Kettle Corn sounds good.
Bryan E. says
Thanks for the giveaway… we want to try the Butter Toffee; when I was a kid they had much better prizes, but that was before they were worried about choking hazards !
Pixel Berry Pie says
I want to try the “more nuts” flavor! I used to love eating Cracker Jack with my brother when we would watch a movie together.
Ashley Morrow says
I remember trying to find my prize and comparing it to my sister’s.