Cheez Balls Cheez *Powder* Is Actually A Thing To Sprinkle On Food, & You Can Win It

I am a total child of the '90s, so I remember with explicit detail the thrill of popping open a tin full of orange puff balls coated in cheesy goodness as I planted myself in front of my parent's TV to watch the latest episodes of Boy Meets World and Full House every Friday night. For years, there was a giant Cheez Ball-shaped hole in my heart when these blissful balls were nowhere to be found. Now, Planters Cheez Balls are back in stores and you can win a shaker of Cheez Powder to make all of your cheesy food dreams come true.

In 2018, Planters brought Cheez Balls back to select stores for a limited time, and fans of the iconic snack got to enjoy the nostalgic treat for the first time in 12 long, cheese-less years. Now, the same blue tin you know and love with the beloved Mr. Peanut character on the front, is back on store shelves and will be a permanent grocery store staple, so you can get your Cheez Ball fix anytime you want. Retailing for $2.49 per 2.75-ounce can, Cheez Ball lovers can nosh on the neon morsels day and night.

As if the news of Cheez Balls returning to store shelves is not exciting enough, Planters has also launched a contest where fans can win a limited-edition shaker of Cheez Balls Cheez Powder. Remember how your fingers used to get coated with that delicious cheesy powder each time you would indulge in consuming a few dozen Cheez Balls as a kid? Now, you have the chance to win a shaker full of Cheez Powder that you can use to sprinkle over any of your favorite foods to add a burst of cheesy goodness. That completely beats licking it off of your fingers — especially since you're a grown-up now, and well... germs.

“After seeing fans’ excitement last year when Cheez Balls returned, we knew we had to find a way for Cheez Balls to stay,” said Samantha Hess, brand manager for Planters in a press release. “To celebrate Cheez Balls being back, we’re giving fans more of the iconic flavor they’re obsessed with so they can enjoy the cheezy flavor on any food.”

The contest runs Aug. 20 to Sept. 1 on Twitter. You can tweet photos of food you would want to cover with Cheez Powder to @MRPEANUT using #CheezBallContest to enter the contest. At the end of the contest, 350 lucky winners will be chosen to win a shaker of Cheez Powder. Personally, I would love to sprinkle this deliciousness over some popcorn or even on top of a bowl of pasta to up the intensity of the dish's cheese-level. Yum!

If you're local to New York City, you can also enjoy the culinary wonder of Cheez Powder by tasting a Cheez Powder-filled menu on Aug. 21 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST at Astor Place. In partnership with Planters and Made From Scratch food truck, chef and restauranteur Richard Blias has created a menu chocked-full of cheesy delights including Mac and Cheez Powder Poppers and Gooey Gouda Grilled Cheez for New Yorkers to try. If you attend the event and want to take the Cheez Powder-inspired menu items to the next level, you will have the option to add ground up Cheez Balls to the top of the cheesy dishes. I would be running to this event if I didn't live many states away.