Peanuts are a staple in the American diet, and they’re just as popular in other cultures. From Asian to African to American cuisine, peanuts and peanut butter are common ingredients in main dishes, desserts and sauces. 

Phyllis and Glen Walters know all about the versatile, cross-cultural peanut — they love taking nuts with them overseas on their mission trips to Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua.

“One of our favorite things to do when we go on mission trips is to take packs of peanuts from the Alabama Peanut Producers Association,” Phyllis says. “We hand them out to the children we meet, leave them with the orphanages and give them to missionaries. One missionary we work with always reminds us before we leave, ‘Don’t forget the peanuts.’”

Phyllis says many people take candy when they do short-term mission work in orphanages, but she feels better about giving the children peanuts. 

“There’s no nutritional value in candy,” she says. “It feels good knowing you’re bringing them something nutritious.”

The Walters also open their home yearly to the Ugandan Thunder Children’s Choir, a choir made up of Ugandan children ages 8 to 13 who perform at churches throughout the Southeast to raise awareness and support for orphans in Uganda. 

When members of the choir come to their home, Glen gives them tours of the farm, and Phyllis makes peanut butter Rice Krispie treats for everyone to enjoy. 

“They grow some peanuts there, but it’s nothing like the amount here,” Glen says. “And the men traveling with them could not fathom running a farm with just me and one employee.”