Cheese-flavored corn puffs as a snack
Cheese-flavored corn puffs are a light, airy snack made primarily from cornmeal or corn grits, extruded into a puff shape and coated with a savory cheese seasoning. Originating in the United States in the mid-20th century, they became a global staple in the snack food industry.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
These puffs are a high-carbohydrate, high-fat snack with minimal protein, and a typical one-ounce serving contains around 150 calories. The cheese seasoning often adds a significant amount of sodium and can provide small amounts of calcium.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 150 kcal |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbs | 18 g |
| Fat | 8 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 300 mg |
| Potassium | 45 mg |
| Iron | 0.8 mg |
| Calcium | 20 mg |
| Vitamin A | 15 mcg RAE |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.5 mg |
| Folate | 30 mcg DFE |
| Phosphorus | 35 mg |
Per 1 cup (30 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, they represent the post-war boom in processed, convenient snack foods and are a classic example of 'junk food' nostalgia. Nutritionally, their unique texture is created by a high-temperature, high-pressure extrusion process that rapidly expands the corn starch.
