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Your Guide to Hostess Gifts for Thanksgiving & Christmas

Your Guide to Hostess Gifts for Thanksgiving & Christmas

A tin of Hubs Virginia peanuts is one of the easiest gifts to bring. Your host can open it for guests right away or save it for after everyone heads home.

In this guide, we cover our favorite hostess gifts for Thanksgiving, our picks for Christmas, and simple ways to serve Hubs when you’re the one hosting.

Why Peanuts Make a Good Hostess Gift

  • Easy to share: Your host can open the tin for guests or save it for later.

  • Stays fresh: We pack our peanuts in reusable, vacuum-sealed tins.

  • Gourmet peanuts: We use only Super Extra-Large Virginia peanuts, blister fried the way Dot Hubbard pioneered.

  • A flavor for every host: Choose from salted, sweet, spicy, or chocolate covered.

Not sure which flavor to choose? Our guide to every Hubs flavor breaks down each one.

Thanksgiving Hostess Gift Ideas

Thanksgiving guests often arrive hours before dinner is ready. Bring a tin of Hubs and a recipe to go with it, and your host has something to share while the turkey finishes.

  1. Sweet Heat Virginia Peanuts

Our Sweet Heat Virginia Peanuts are made with all-natural spices and mild sweet chili peppers. They bring bold flavor to the Thanksgiving football game without being too hot.

For a bigger game-day bowl, make Sweet and Spicy Peanut Trail Mix and add a handful of Sweet Heat.

  1. Honey Kissed Virginia Peanuts

Our Honey Kissed Virginia Peanuts have a light coating of all-natural honey and a touch of salt. They’re a natural match for fall desserts.

Bake the National Peanut Board’s Pumpkin Layer Cake with Honey Glazed Peanut Cream Cheese Filling and top it with chopped Honey Kissed peanuts.

Christmas Hostess Gift Ideas

December brings office parties, open houses, cookie swaps, and family dinners. Keep a few tins on hand and you’ll always have a gift ready.

  1. Salted Virginia Peanuts

Our Salted Virginia Peanuts are where Hubs began. They’re lightly salted, so the flavor of the peanut comes through.

For a holiday movie night, make the National Peanut Board’s Caramel Peanut Popcorn with our Salted Virginia Peanuts.

  1. Chocolate Covered Peanuts

Our Chocolate Covered Peanuts start with Super Extra-Large Virginia peanuts coated in chocolate. Rich chocolate and a big Virginia crunch in every bite make them a natural fit for the Christmas dessert table.

Headed to a cookie swap? Bake the Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Millionaire Bars and set a few Chocolate Covered Peanuts on top of each square.

  1. Happy Hour Mix

Our Happy Hour Mix is made for holiday parties. Open the tin, set it out on the bar, and serve it with the National Peanut Board’s The King’s Old Fashioned for an easy cocktail hour.

Once the peanuts are gone, your host can reuse the tin for cookies, ornaments, or holiday cards.

How to Host with Hubs

If the holidays are at your house, here are a few easy ways to serve Hubs.

  • Welcome snack: Set out an open tin of Salted Virginia Peanuts by the door or the bar.

  • Snack board: Add peanuts between the cheese, crackers, and fruit. Our snack board guide shows how to build a board with each Hubs flavor.

  • Salads and sides: Sprinkle Honey Kissed peanuts over a green salad or Sweet Heat over roasted vegetables.

Bring Hubs to Every Holiday Table

Whether you’re the guest or the host, a tin of Hubs makes the holidays a little easier. Browse our full collection of Virginia peanuts and pick a tin for every host on your list.

There’s nuthing better.

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Corporate Christmas Gifts for Clients & Employees: Virginia Peanut Gifts the Hubs Way

Corporate Christmas Gifts for Clients & Employees: Virginia Peanut Gifts the Hubs Way

The holiday season is the perfect time to thank the people who make your business what it is. Clients, customers, and employees all play a part in a great year, and a thoughtful corporate Christmas gift is one of the best ways to show your appreciation. The best company Christmas gifts are the ones people actually enjoy, share, and remember long after the decorations come down. That's what makes a gourmet food gift such a natural fit. At Hubs, we've been sharing exceptional Virginia peanuts and a little Southern hospitality for more than 70 years. From our signature favorites to festive gift sets, there's something special for everyone on your list. Why Hubs Makes a Great Corporate Christmas Gift A good company Christmas gift should be easy to love and easy to send. Hubs checks both boxes. Only the top 1% of the crop: Every Hubs peanut is a Super Extra-Large Virginia peanut, the kind you notice the moment you open the tin. Made the same way since 1954: Our peanuts are blister fried in Sedley using the method Dot Hubbard pioneered. A flavor for every palate: Classic salted, chocolate covered, honey kissed, or a little heat. There's something for everyone on the list. Made for sharing: A tin of Hubs is easy to pass around the office, the break room, or the holiday table. Simple to send at scale: Ship to one person or hundreds, add a personal message, or put your own logo on the label. Family-owned and still cooking in Virginia, Hubs is the kind of gift that says you put some thought into it. Hubs Gift Sets for the Holidays Our Virginia peanut gift sets take the guesswork out of holiday gifting. Each one brings together Hubs favorites in a ready-to-give package, so you can check names off your list without a second thought. The Gift Duo pairs our signature Salted Virginia Peanuts with our Choco Covered Peanuts, two 20 oz tins in a festive gift box. It's an easy choice for clients, holiday hosts, and anyone who can't decide between classic and indulgent. Order a single Duo or a case of six. Three tins, three flavors, one gift. Our Gift Trios come in three combinations (Savvy & Savory Threesome, Sweet Treat, and Hubs Trifecta), each bringing together different Hubs flavor profiles. They're available individually or by the case of 4 or 12, which makes them a smart pick for gifts for employees across a whole team. Made for the season. The Holiday Gift Trio offers three 12 oz cans, with options that lean sweet or mix sweet and savory. Like our other trios, it's available individually or by the case of 4 or 12. Corporate Christmas Gifts for Employees Your team carried a lot this year. A tin of Hubs on every desk is a simple way to say you noticed. Bulk Gifts for Employees When you're gifting a whole office, ordering by the case keeps things simple. Our gift sets come in case quantities, and you can send cases to one location for easy handoff at the holiday party, the last meeting of the year, or the morning everyone comes back from break. Gift Duo: 6 per case Gift Trios and Holiday Gift Trio: 4 or 12 per case Harvest Gold: 4 per case Client Gifts and Customer Appreciation Gifts The people who keep your business going are spread across offices, cities, and time zones. Hubs makes it easy to reach every one of them. Send to Multiple Recipients With our multi-recipient gifting, you can Upload your list of recipient addresses Ship right away or schedule gifts in advance Write a personalized message for each gift Track every gift as it ships, for you and your recipients It's an easy way to handle client gifts and customer appreciation gifts all in one order, without addressing a single box by hand. Put Your Name on It Want your gift to stand out? With Hubs private labeling, your company name, address, and logo go right on the label. Your clients get the Virginia peanuts they love, with a reminder of who sent them. Looking for something more custom? Contact our team and we'll help you build a gift of your own. How to Order Corporate Christmas Gifts from Hubs Getting a head start on holiday gifting is easy. Pick your gifts: Browse our gift sets or flip through the Hubs catalog online. Choose how to ship: Send gifts to each recipient with multi-recipient ordering, or order cases to one location. Add a personal touch: Include a custom gift note, or make it yours with private labeling. Plan ahead: Our seasonal gift sets are available November through March, and chocolate products ship weather permitting. Have questions or a big order in mind? Give us a call at 800-889-7688 (PNUT) and we'll help you get everyone checked off your list. Make This Holiday Season One to Remember From clients and customers to the team down the hall, Hubs has something for everyone on your list. Super Extra-Large Virginia peanuts, cooked in Sedley the same way since 1954, packed and ready to give. There's nuthing better. Shop Hubs gift sets and start checking names off your list today.

Why Virginia Peanuts Are the Best: Learn More From 12 About Town Today

Why Virginia Peanuts Are the Best: Learn More From 12 About Town Today

Since 1954, Hubs has cooked Super Extra-Large Virginia peanuts the same way Dot Hubbard did when she started the business in Sedley, Virginia.  In this segment from 12 About Town Today, Marshall, grandson of Hubs founders Dot and HJ Hubbard, explains the family’s story, why southeastern Virginia grows such exceptional peanuts, and why a handful of Hubs is a powerhouse of energy. Watch the full video to learn more.  09 02 National Peanut Day Homegrown Harvest Festival in Franklin In This Segment 0:20 How Hubs began in 1954 0:36 The top 1% of the crop and blister frying 0:48 Why peanuts are a powerhouse of energy 1:18 The taste test 2:23 Why Virginia grows the best peanuts 3:30 Visiting the Hubs Vine in Franklin Where Are Virginia Peanuts Grown? Most Virginia peanuts come from a small group of counties in the southeastern part of the state. Southampton, Surry, Sussex, Isle of Wight, and Suffolk are all part of this peanut-growing region. Southampton County leads the way. It grows more peanuts than any other locality in Virginia, and back when Dot was getting started, it was the largest county in the country growing the type of peanut she wanted to cook. That’s where the Hubs story begins. Dot grew up in Sedley, and her first peanuts came from her father’s farm. She believed most people had never tasted a really good Virginia peanut, and she set out to change that. So what makes this land so good for peanuts? Two things, the soil and the climate. The Soil Peanuts don’t grow on trees. They’re legumes that grow beneath the soil, so the ground they’re planted in makes all the difference. The soil here is just right for the Virginia-type peanut. The Climate Soil is only half of it. Virginia-type peanuts also need a long, warm season, roughly 130 to 150 warm days, to fully mature. Here’s how a growing season usually goes. May: Seeds go in the ground, and the first plants appear within about 10 to 12 days Fall: Harvest begins After digging: The peanuts rest on top of the field for several days to dry naturally Fall is a special time in Southampton County. As harvest gets underway, an earthy aroma settles over the fields. Why Are Virginia Peanuts So Big? Virginia-type peanuts are the largest peanuts grown in the U.S. Their size is why they’re known as the ballpark peanut, and why so many are sold in the shell or as gourmet peanuts. At Hubs, we take size even further. We use only the top 1% of the crop. Dot only wanted the biggest peanuts, and she picked them out by size long before anyone had a name for them. The industry eventually caught up and named that grade Super Extra-Large. Every Hubs peanut comes from that top 1%. You’ll notice it the moment you open a tin. What Are Blister Fried Peanuts? A great peanut still needs the right cook, and that’s where Dot’s other big idea comes in. Working from a family recipe, Dot developed a way of cooking Virginia peanuts called blister frying. It went on to become an industry standard. More than 70 years later, we still cook every batch her way. Two Steps, More Than 70 Years Soak: Raw peanuts are soaked in hot water. Fry: They’re fried at high heat in coconut oil. Simple, and done the same way every time. The result is a peanut with full flavor and the crunch you hear across the room. The About Town host tried a spoonful of our Salted Virginia Peanuts on air and summed it up as a nice crunch with just enough salt. Are Peanuts a Good Source of Protein? The simple answer is, yes.  A 1-ounce serving of peanuts, about 35 nuts, has 7 grams of protein. That’s why we call peanuts a powerhouse of energy. Peanuts also naturally contain a range of nutrients, including Fiber Folate: A B vitamin Niacin: Another B vitamin Arginine: An amino acid Resveratrol: A plant compound also found in grapes Our ingredient list stays short, too. Our Salted Virginia Peanuts are made with peanuts, water, and salt, then fried in coconut oil. Hubs Flavors to Try Every Hubs flavor starts with the same Super Extra-Large Virginia peanut. From there, it’s up to you. Salted Virginia Peanuts: The classic Hubs peanut, blister fried and lightly salted. It’s one of our bestsellers and the one the host tasted on air. Honey Kissed Peanuts: Finished with an all-natural honey coating and a touch of salt. Lightly sweet, and just as good over ice cream, yogurt, or salads as it is by the handful. Chocolate Covered Peanuts: We cook these in Sedley, then coat them in chocolate at the Hubs Vine in Franklin. In warmer months, they ship with cool gel packs to help keep them fresh, and they’re a favorite heading into the holidays. We also brought our Happy Hour Mix and Peanut Brittle to About Town. Not sure where to start? Our guide to finding your Hubs peanut breaks down our most popular flavors. Visit the Hubs Vine If you’re ever in Franklin, stop by the Hubs Vine. It’s our market, plus a 7,000-square-foot event space where we host lunches and events and bring in music, chefs, and artists. We also give back close to home. Sales of our Single Origin peanuts [LINK: Single Origin product page] go directly to our local food bank. Those peanuts are grown at Izzy’s Field in Franklin, the first farm-to-food-bank project in Virginia. Grown in Virginia. Cooked in Sedley. Since 1954. From the sandy fields of Southampton County to Dot’s blister frying method, every part of the Hubs story starts right here in Virginia. Same peanuts. Same process. Same standard. There’s nuthing better. Shop Hubs Virginia Peanuts or watch the full About Town segment.

Raw Peanuts: The Best Ways to Use Your Bag

Raw Peanuts: The Best Ways to Use Your Bag

Raw peanuts show up in a lot of recipes for a reason. They let you control the flavor from the start instead of working around whatever seasoning or roast level a package already has. If you've never bought a bag of raw peanuts before, here's what to know about what they are, what they offer, and how to put them to use. What Is a Raw Peanut? In simple terms, a raw peanut is a peanut that hasn't been roasted or cooked.  It's the peanut in its natural, unprocessed state, which means the flavor is milder and the texture is softer than what you'd get from a roasted variety like our Salted Virginia Peanuts. Because they haven't been through a roasting process, raw peanuts should always be cooked before eating, whether that's roasting, boiling, or using them in a recipe that calls for heat. Types of Raw Peanuts Not all raw peanuts are the same. In the U.S., peanuts are generally grown as one of four types, Virginia, Runner, Spanish, and Valencia, each with its own size and flavor profile. Virginia peanuts, the type Hubs grows, are known for their larger size. You'll also see raw peanuts sold a couple of different ways. Some are shelled, with the outer shell already removed, while others are sold in-shell, left whole for roasting or boiling at home. Redskin peanuts, sometimes labeled "red skin raw peanuts," keep the thin natural skin underneath the shell instead of having it removed. That skin holds some of the peanut's own nutrients and antioxidants, and leaving it on gives the peanut a noticeably deeper, more robust flavor once cooked compared to a blanched peanut with the skin taken off. Once roasted and salted, that same redskin peanut becomes our Big Reds, a bolder, more full flavored alternative to a standard salted peanut. Benefits of Raw Peanuts Raw peanuts are a solid source of plant protein and fiber. According to USDA FoodData Central, raw Virginia peanuts provide about 25 grams of protein, 49 grams of fat, and 17 grams of carbohydrates per cup, with roughly 8.5 grams of dietary fiber, working out to around 7 grams of protein and 2.4 grams of fiber per one-ounce serving. They also contain calcium and iron in modest amounts. You can look up the full nutrient breakdown yourself on USDA FoodData Central, the federal database for food composition, if you want to compare raw peanuts to other foods in your diet. Uses for Raw Peanuts Raw peanuts are a starting point more than a finished snack. Some of the most common ways to use them include the following. Home roasting:Roast them in the oven or an air fryer and season them yourself. Boiling: A Southern classic, especially with in-shell peanuts simmered in a salty brine. Peanut brittle and candies: Raw peanuts are a common base for homemade brittle, similar to our own Peanut Brittle. Homemade peanut butter: Roasting and grinding your own peanuts gives you full control over the texture and salt. How to Buy Raw Peanuts When you're buying raw peanuts, look for peanuts that are fresh, uniform in size, and free of any off smell, since raw peanuts don't have a roasting process to mask quality issues. Hubs sells raw Virginia redskin peanuts by the bag, sourced from the same Virginia crop used across the rest of the Hubs lineup, including our Big Reds and Salted Virginia Peanuts. Frequently Asked Questions Q: What are the benefits of eating raw peanuts?A: Raw peanuts offer protein, fiber, and minerals like calcium and iron, all in their unroasted, unprocessed form. Q: How can I use raw peanuts in cooking?A: Roast them, boil them, grind them into peanut butter, or use them as the base for homemade brittle. Since they're raw, they should be cooked before eating. Q:Where can I buy high-quality raw peanuts? A: Look for a source that sells peanuts fresh and sourced directly from the crop. At Hubs, we sell raw Virginia redskin peanuts by the bag for home roasting and recipes. 

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