Popcorn

Illinois State Snack Food

caramel-popcorn.jpg

Caramel popcorn

Caramel popcorn;  the ultimate snack.  Photo by Dana McMahan/Flickr (Noncommercial Use Permitted with Attribution).

Official State Snack Food of Illinois

Illinois designated popcorn as the official state snack food in 2003 (corn is also the official state vegetable). All State Foods

There are 333 farms in Illinois that grow popcorn on 47,000 acres​. Corn is native to the Americas, probably first cultivated in Mexico about 5,000 years ago; native Americans started growing corn in Illinois about 100 A.D​.

Second and third-grade students at Cunningham Elementary School in Joliet proposed popcorn as the state snack food (with help from their teacher, Fran Hollister). State Senator Larry Walsh sponsored the bill.

Illinois

Images

Watching popcorn pop; popcorn is the official state snack food of Illinois.  Photo by keith.bellvay/Flickr (use permitted with attribution).

Popcorn popping

Fresh popped popcorn; the official state snack food of Illinois.  Photo by Andrew Rivett/Flickr (use permitted with attribution).

Fresh popped popcorn in a bowl

Videos

How Popcorn Is Made | Regional Eats

Garrett's Makes Chicago's Most Iconic Popcorn | Legendary Eats