The Power of the Peanut: Science and Snacking

It's easy to laugh at all of the self-help gurus out there with their incandescent smiles and frighteningly perfect hair. But the sheer number of them suggests we are all looking for… something. Something greater than ourselves. Something great within ourselves. Something to sink our teeth into. Something comforting and nourishing.

Like maybe a PB&J?

Planters is buying into our spiritual hunger with their Power of the Peanut campaign. The iconic Mr. Peanut (voiced by the indomitable Bill Hader) delivers his nuggets of wisdom from the platform of a motivational speaker who encourages the audience to harness the power of the peanut as a means by which to ascend the ladder to snacking success.

Using a spokespeanut as an inspirational life coach figure is inspirational in itself! Mr. Peanut has always been classy and successful. You can tell the latter by the fact that he wears an ascot. Only successful folks do that. 

We've all known Mr. Peanut forever. He's never, ever let his diminutive stature get in his way. Or his poor eyesight, for that matter. Heck, he very well might bring the monocle back into fashion. With his top hat and waistcoat, he could go Downton Abbey or Portlandia hipster. Obviously, peanuts are very versatile… you could make Thai food with them or an Ethiopian stew. Maybe even drop some boiled ones in a bottle of Coke, although that seems pretty sketchy to me.

Seriously, the versatility and endurance of peanuts is remarkable. George Washington Carver invented more than 300 uses for the humble little legume almost a century ago and people are still coming up with ways to use them. Some folks say they're the answer to world hunger. I say they're delicious and that's enough for me right now.

"Lots of guys talk success… but do they actually get up in you with six essential vitamins?"


Everyone is perfectly imperfect, right? Even the humblest of peanuts.

What's your power that needs harnessing?

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received a gift card to buy beef for this post. No additional compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own. 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.