As you may know, Made In Nature is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. Not only is this the greatest place to live and work (in our humble opinion), it’s also home to some of the most delicious and healthiest snack brands in the world. Maybe there’s something in the water? It couldn’t hurt that our city boasts miles of easily accessible trails, 300 plus days of sunshine a year, and some of the best snowboarding, rock climbing, mountain biking and more in our great square state. Whatever the case, we suspect that when the visionaries behind a product enjoy the great outdoors, it’s nearly impossible to create something that doesn’t in some way serve to help you enjoy life more – be that through nutrition, portability and/or sheer deliciousness. Here are our favorite Boulder neighbors and friends fueling our weekday adventures.
Quinn Popcorn
Oh. Em. Gee. Just say the words Parmesan and Rosemary and our mouths begin to water, forget about when someone in our office microwaves a bag for a midday snack. You won’t hear any groans in the kitchen because Quinn popcorn is organic and free from all the bad stuff found in traditional microwave popcorn. Plus this brand delivers gourmet flavors that you could never feel guilty about indulging in. While Rosemary and Parmesan is our favorite, we really love them all. Toss in some chopped dried apricots or mangoes and consider your salty, sweet craving conquered.
Justin’s
First of all, Justin Gold, the founder of Justin’s is a great guy. We just like hanging out with him. Second, his peanut butter empire is a revelation. Chocolate Hazelnut? Vanilla Almond? Just stop! Nut butters in squeeze packs? You had us at squeeze. This is our favorite grab-and-go snack for a quick protein boost on the road. Did you know that Justin started making his nut butters while in college to fuel his own outdoor adventures? He wrote his name on the jars to keep his roommates from eating his bounty. We’re so glad that didn’t work out.
HOPE Foods
Ummm … we just tried Hope Food’s Thai Coconut Curry Hummus and it might be the best hummus we’ve ever tasted, period. Seriously, these guys are taking the humble garbanzo bean to new levels. Kale Pesto? Lemon Peppercorn? Jalapeno Cilantro? Check. Dark Chocolate Hummus? Why not? Oh, and did we mention every product is 100 percent organic? That’s a tough find in the hummus world.
Perky Jerky
More than a clever name, Perky Jerky is a clever snack. Free from the harmful ingredients you find in traditional jerky, (nitrates, preservatives, and msg) it’s simply perkalicious. The name comes from all the health perks associated with such a clean snack. Plus, we dig the gourmet flavors and their fun names: BBQ with Seoul Beef, Jammin’ Jamaican Turkey, Hot & Bothered Turkey. Ha! and Yum!