FAQ

Much Better Butters are handmade in small batches in California with certified-organic and Non-GMO ingredients.

All our butters are Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Peanut-Free. They are also no-to-low sugar, high in plant-based protein and school friendly.
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COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS

Even in normal times, we make sure everything from ingredients to processing equipment to food handlers are properly sanitized following USDA and CA Dept. of Health protocols. 

In this climate, however, we're being especially diligent. All workers in every phase of production are required to wear masks, there is extra hand washing and food protections in place, and no employee with any symptoms is permitted to work. 

NUTRITION

What kinds of nutrients do your butters contain?
Our butters are a delicious, super nutritious way to boost your meals and snacks. A single one-tablespoon serving packs 6-7 grams of plant-based protein as well as healthy unsaturated fats, and absolutely no cholesterol. Sunflower seeds, unlike almonds or peanuts, are a complete protein.

They’re also a great source of important nutrients like fiber, vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc and selenium. We add essential amino acids to every jar for increased health. Please see individual product descriptions for more details.   


I've heard sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E. Is that a good thing?
It sure is! According to the USDA sunflower seeds are very high in vitamin E, an important antioxidant that helps protect the body’s cells, reduces inflammation, and promotes healthy skin. 

One serving of Roasted with Sea Salt provides over half of the FDA Daily Recommended Percentage of vitamin E.

Non GMO Project Certified
Are your products Non-GMO?
Yes - all Much Better Butters are Non-GMO certified!

Why does that matter? Simply put, genetically-modified seeds have not delivered on their promise to reduce world hunger, improve nutrition and boost crop yields.

And according to the Non-GMO Project, GMOs in agriculture actually increase the need for herbicides and other toxic chemicals that have far-reaching effects on humans and the environment.

We believe Non-GMO is the way to go, and are proud to carry the Non-GMO seal on every jar.

Are your butters certified organic?
All our butters are made with USDA certified-organic sunflower seeds, our Honey-Kissed flavor is made with USDA certified-organic coconut oil and USDA certified-organic Hawaiian honey and our Chocolate-Treat is made with USDA certified organic cocoa powder and USDA organic sugar.

  • Sunflower seeds are Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth under the USDA Organic Regulations (includes Non-GMO certification).
  • Coconut oil in our Honey-Kissed is certified USDA Organic and Non GMO Project Verified.
  • Honey in Honey-Kissed is raw, unprocessed certified USDA Organic Hawaiian honey (includes Non-GMO certification).  
  • Our chocolate (cocoa powder & sugar) is certified USDA organic/Non-GMO.


Which of your butters are vegan?
Roasted with Sea Salt and Chocolate Treat are both vegan. Honey-Kissed contains honey so it is not considered vegan. 

Are all your butters gluten-free?
Yes. All of our flavors are free of gluten-containing ingredients and manufactured in a peanut-free facility on equipment that may also process tree nuts and wheat. Our equipment is cleaned and sterilized before every manufacturing run. 

Our butters are also free of most of the top food allergens, including peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, dairy, wheat, fish, and crustacean shellfish. They do contain a small amount of amino acids derived from soybean protein. 

I see amino acids listed in the ingredients. What are they and why do you use them?
One of the reasons Much Better Butter tastes so darn good is our unique recipe that includes a dash of essential amino acids derived from soybeans. Amino acids are organic compounds that are the building blocks of proteins, and they are essential to a healthy body. They’re also the key to our smooth, delicious flavor!

I've heard about California's Prop 65. Should I be worried about Lead or Cadmium in your Sunflower or Almond butters?
Even though Treat Street Snacks LLC (makers of Much Better Butter™) is less than 10 employees and therefore except from Prop 65 warning requirements, we care deeply about your (and our) health.

Treat Street Snacks LLC and our sunflower seed and almond suppliers routinely check for the presence of Lead, Cadmium and other CA Prop 65 chemicals to make sure our serving sizes are safe and below the Safe Harbor Levels

KINDER WORLD

What kind of organizations do you support to help make a better world?
We donate our products as well as a portion of all sales  to organizations such as:

  • Girl Ventures – inspiring girls to lead through outdoor adventure, inner discovery and collective action.

    Girl Ventures
  • The Mosaic Project – working towards a peaceful future by uniting children of diverse backgrounds and empowering them to become peacemakers.

    The Mosaic Project

What makes your organic Hawaiian honey so special?
Our Honey-Kissed sunflower butter is sweetened with raw, unprocessed USDA Organic Hawaiian honey. This special wild crop honey is from a small off-the-grid organic apiary nestled on the edge of old-growth forests on the slopes of Mauna Kea, Hawaii’s highest volcano. We chose Hawaiian organic honey because of its exceptional purity.

Did you know that Hawaiian honey is the only certified-organic honey in the U.S.? The USDA will not organic certify any honey from bees on the mainland since those bees can fly long distances and forage from non-organic crops and plants.

Bees from Hawaii Harvest Honey, our family-owned supplier, are geographically isolated and forage from wild crops that aren’t treated with chemical pesticides. Besides making a better honey, it’s better for the bees, the soil, and the ecosystem!

Is your packaging recyclable?
Yes! We only package in glass jars and metal lids- never plastic. The majority of plastic packaging (even the ones with those recycling arrows) is not really recyclable. Of the over 35 million tons of plastic waste in the US, less than 9% of it is recycled!!! Over 75% goes into landfill and the remainder is incinerated and winds up in our oceans and even in our bodies.  

Don't "Wishcycle" (putting a plastic container with a recycling number on it in the recycling bin and hoping for the best)– use glass. 

Besides, glass doesn't impart taste or chemicals into your food!

CARE & HANDLING

How long does Much Better Butter last once I buy it?
All of our jars have a Best Buy date stamped on the bottom. We recommend storing them in a cool, dark place. Once opened, they will last until the Best Buy date. 

Since our butters are delicious right out of the jar, please be sure not to put any contaminated utensils (or fingers) into the jar — no double dipping! 

Please note: keeping opened jars in the fridge will increase the shelf life and keep any natural oils from separating, but will make it harder to spread. 

Can my kid take Much Better Butter to school?
Yes! All of our flavors are peanut-free and made in a peanut-free facility. 

Roasted with Sea Salt and Chocolate Treat are also nut-free. Our facility does process tree nuts but not during the shifts they are making Much Better Butters.  

Honey-Kissed is not considered nut-free since it contains coconut oil. (Yep, coconuts are still classified as nuts!)

Some of the baked goods I make with your sunflower butters get a green hue. Why does this happen and is it ok?
While developing our recipes, we quickly learned that adding sunflower seed butter to baked goods can sometimes result in a totally delicious but slightly green-colored treat. 

Turns out, baking soda reacts with the naturally occurring chlorophyll (chlorogenic acid) found in sunflower seeds when they’re baked together. This is why you might notice an olive green color develop when your baked goods cool. 

It doesn’t affect taste, but if you want to keep the “green” out, try one of these suggestions: using baking powder instead of soda; substituting brown sug­ar, honey or molasses for white sugar; adding citrus juice, vinegar, or other acidic ingredients such as cream of tartar, raisins and dates.

GENERAL

What was the inspiration for your sunflower seed butters? Which flavor did you make first?
Like many families, we’re always looking for nutrient-rich foods to keep us healthy and strong. But we also need delicious.

We searched high and low for a better chocolate spread—one that was nutritious, school-friendly, not too sweet, made with organic ingredients, and that our kids actually enjoyed eating. Turns out that wasn’t easy to find, so we made our own.

That’s how the recipe for Chocolate Treat Sunflower Butter was created: in our home kitchen, with a dream to share healthier spreads with families everywhere.

Why are your organic sunflower seeds from Europe?
When Tina first started roasting and blending sunflower seeds into butters, she tested a lot of varietals. She found the petite non-oilseed seeds to be best—resulting in a smooth, high protein butter that is superior to other sunflower seeds. 

After some searching, Tina was thrilled to find a responsible, ethical supplier for her petite Dutch and Bulgarian beauties. Our seed supplier works directly with farmers and processors to support existing organic programs as well as new transitions to organic.

Europe also bans the use of neonicotinoids, a systemic insecticide used to coat seeds prior to planting, that is allowed in the USA through an EPA loophole. Neonicotinoids affect the central nervous system of insects- especially bees, causing paralysis and death. Read more about The Center for Food Safety's lawsuit trying to close this loophole

These sunflowers seeds, along with her unique recipe, ensure a tasty spread that is never bitter.

Have more questions about our products, our company or our values? We’d love to hear from you! Please contact us anytime.