Peanut packs on planes have largely become a thing of the past with growing concern over serious nut allergies. But fans of Southwest Airlines will soon be able to get their hands on a package of the company's signature peanuts, which haven't been served on flights since 2018.
The Southwest Store (the airline's digital retail destination) sells a lot of branded items, like fleece blankets with Southwest planes, cloud socks and even a Build-a-Bear flight attendant.
But earlier this summer, it unveiled one of its most popular items ever when it started selling a very limited quantity of the same nuts it once offered in the air. They were so popular that they quickly sold out. But don't worry, the airline is bringing them back this fall.
Instead of tiny bags, however, these peanuts will be packed in old-school lunchbox tins. The special item not only celebrates the airline's 48th anniversary, but it also allows peanut fans to get their hands on both the lightly salted nuts, as well as the honey roasted variety, which Southwest stopped serving on planes in 2018, before replacing them with pretzels.
"We love to have specialty items from time to time that are fun, unique and remind customers of our brand," Ro Hawthorne, a spokeswoman for Southwest, told TODAY Food by email.
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The tins are double sided with a bright yellow design for the honey roasted nuts on one side and bright blue on the other for the salted nuts. Each tin is packed with one 10-ounce bag of each variety, so people can really go nuts.
After the airline first took its nuts off the snack roster, many folks took to Twitter, sharing how much they missed their beloved snack.
But unlike those little baggies of yesteryear, Southwest's signature peanut tin is not free. In fact, it's pretty pricey at $29. Southwest expects a bigger batch of the nut tins to be back in stock by late October, just in time for the holiday shopping season. The company also said customers may choose to be notified when the item is back in stock by selecting the "Save for Later" option in the online store.
If you're willing to fly or travel for snacks, a few tins are currently available for sale at a store in Southwest Airlines' corporate office located in Dallas, Texas.
For the true nut aficionado, there are several other peanut-related items for sale online.
There's a Peanut Power Bank for $19, a pouch to hold make-up or accessories for $9, a peanut-shaped burp cloth for $9 or, the latest addition, pillows with the lightly salted or honey roasted packaging design, for $29.
For those who aren't ready to cough up $29 for peanuts, Southwest says customers may contact the manufacturer, King Nut Companies, directly at KingNut.com.
It's also possible to snag some older bags from airline customers on eBay, though the company will not guarantee their authenticity. Most single-serve bags are available for about $5 on the auction website.
If peanuts aren't really your fancy when it comes to beloved airline food, United Airlines has its own fans when it comes to one signature snack: the stroopwafel, which is now being served (again) on select flights.
Thankfully, it's pretty easy to find those delightfully chewy cookies in many grocery stores these days.