RFK, Jr. did NOT waste time.
In just the few months since he’s been appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services, he’s already made a number of big changes.
One, at the FDA, is already reverberating through the food industry:
A ban on eight different food dyes commonly used in the USA.
And as it turns out…
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They’re everywhere!
Extremely common grocery staples.
All kinds of places.
And even Buc-ee’s isn’t immune.
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Here’s the full list of newly-banned dyes:
– Citrus red 2
– Orange B
– Red 3
– Red 40
– Yellow 5
– Yellow 6
– Blue 1
– Blue 2
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The bans are voluntary (at least for now), so it’s up to companies and trade groups to decide whether they’re going to comply.
Most of them have more or less shrugged and said, “ok” – and commenced plans to swap out the banned dyes with other ingredients.
The FDA is fast-tracking approvals of more natural dyes to help facilitate the switch, with three recently approved:
– Galdieria extract blue
– Butterfly pea flower extract
– Calcium phosphate
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Buc-ee’s hasn’t said anything about what their plans are.
And let’s face it – they’ve got a LOT of popular snacks impacted.
Here are five that particularly caught my eye:
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Nug-ee’s are a classic Buc-ee’s snack (even if they’re not quite as well-known as the bigger Beaver Nuggets) – great flavor, plenty of spice, and just a little hint of spicy too.
And that bright orange color? Well, unfortunately that’s from Red 40, one of the newly-banned ingredients.
So that recipe is probably gonna have to change…
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Here they are:
– Cornmeal
– Sugar
– Vegetable Oil (Corn Oil, Canola Oil, and/or Sunflower Oil)
– Butter (Cream, Salt)
– Natural Flavors
– Salt
– Maltodextrin
– Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes)
– Tomato Powder
– Yeast Extract
– Spices
– Onion Powder
– Garlic Powder
– Red 40
– Paprika
– Citric Acid
– Lactic Acid
– Extractives of Paprika (Color)
– Annatto (Color)
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One of my favorite things about Buc-ee’s is their innovative flavors.
And one of my favorite things about saltwater taffy is…that there are ALSO a lot of flavors!
Put them together, and you get some pretty wild stuff.
Cotton candy. Watermelon. Cinnamon. Peppermint. Cotton candy. Just plain “sour.” State fair (for a fun assortment). So many more.
Unfortunately, those bright colors come at a cost – they usually contain dyes including Blue 1, Red 40, and Yellow 5.
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Here they are:
– Corn syrup
– Sugar
– Palm oil
– Monoglycerides and diglycerides
– Salt
– Soy lecithin
– Artificial flavors
– Blue 1
– Red 40
– Yellow 5
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Buc-ee’s is beloved for its gummies, which are generally a step up from what you can get in most gas stations.
Unfortunately, well – it probably won’t shock you that they also have some of these newly-banned dyes as well.
For example, their sour gummi bears have Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, and Red 40.
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Read ’em and weep:
– Corn syrup
– Sugar (from beets)
– Water
– Gelatin
– Lactic acid
– Citric acid
– Natural and artificial flavors
– Fumaric acid
– Pectin (derived from fruit)
– Yellow 5
– Red 40
– Yellow 6
– Blue 1
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I’ve always had a weakness for cherry flavor – maraschino cherries especially.
And I’ve always loved contrast, too!
Cherry sours really check both boxes, because you get that sour upfront taste followed by a sweet and sugary finish as you hit the chewy center.
And Buc-ee’s cherry sours are next level. No wonder they’re so popular!
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Just one to change!
– Sugar
– Corn syrup
– Dextrose
– Water
– Corn starch-modified
– Malic acid
– Citric acid
– Sodium citrate
– Artificial flavor
– Confectioner’s glaze
– Carnauba wax
– Beeswax
– Red 40
– Mineral oil
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Burnt peanuts are such a great, traditional snack – you get that fantastic combo of sweet and salty, plus lots of crunch from both the peanuts and the confectioner’s glaze all over the top.
10/10 every time.
Unfortunately, that beautiful red color comes from…you guessed it…Yellow 6 and Red 40.
So that’s going to have to change, for obvious reasons.
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I’ll admit, I didn’t realize Buc-ee’s burnt peanuts had quite this many chemicals…
– Sugar
– Peanuts
– Corn syrup
– Tapioca dextrin
– Confectioners glaze
– Natural and artificial flavor
– Red 3
– Yellow 6
– Red 40
– Blue 2
– Salt
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So there you have it – a short list of Buc-ee’s snacks that now contain banned ingredients.
Which popular snacks have I missed?
And does any of this change what you buy at Buc-ee’s?
Let us know in the comments!
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