This post sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. All opinions are mine alone. #homegrownfare17

Today kicks off Teacher Appreciation Week! In many schools in the country, it’s a popular tradition to send some creative presents to the teachers every day during the week. As a mother of three kids, I have several amazing teachers to recognize the lasting contributions they make to my children’s lives.

This year, the task of finding a fun and delicious gift got easy after discovering Tastebuds Popcorn, a North Carolina-based company that creates the world’s best popcorn! Their gourmet popcorn offers authentic ingredients such as imported Madagascar vanilla or European sea salts to bring the most exciting and delicious popcorn that I have ever tried before!

More than 200 Flavors!

Last week, Tastebuds sent a nice amount of samples to my family. Opening the box felt like Christmas morning! We were so excited to try the different flavors and discover by ourselves why they are known as the world’s best popcorn. Each different flavor of popcorn came into an air tight container bag that helped to keep it fresh.

We got a good mix of chocolate, candy and savory flavors in our box. As a chocolate lover, Decadent Dog was definitely a favorite in my book. This delicious flavor is hand crafted caramel popcorn coated in dark chocolate and pieces of Twix candy. Can you believe that?

My husband loved the dill pickle flavor. He was so impressed with its freshness and the quality of the popcorn. My kids were in heaven jumping between the “Soda Madness” flavor and “Eggnog” flavor. It’s safe to say that Tastebuds Popcorn offers the favorite flavors of everyone!

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to talk to Jen Colangelo, the general manager of the company. She kindly introduced me to the product and explained how every unique flavor is tested and perfected using authentic ingredients without any preservatives or additives.

Tastebuds Popcorn was created by Jay Pithwa as a result of his love for popcorn and the caramel that he brought over from his native England. He mixed those two things that he loved and that is how the first flavor of Tastebuds Popcorn was born. Today Tastebuds Popcorn offers their products in several locations and has been featured on popular networks such as Food Network Magazine, ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox.

I think the beauty of this product is not only its delicious taste, but also that it serves as a great option as a party favor, holiday gifts birthday presents, and, even as a great fundraiser opportunity. It’s the perfect gift! I know this delicious gourmet popcorn has me set for Teacher Appreciation Week!

If you are local, be sure to try Tastebuds Popcorn at the The Got To Be NC Festival on May 19-21 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Tickets are only $3 for adults and it’s free for kinds under 12. The good news is that if you bring your Lowes Foods Fresh Rewards loyalty card, you’ll receive two free admissions to the Homegrown Fare.

Plus you can get a free gift by mentioning Hispanic Mama at the Got To Be NC merchandise booth. Be sure to tag your social media shares with #homegrownfare17. Can’t wait to see you there!