Sno Balls
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Sno Balls are cream-filled chocolate
cake Cake is a flour confection usually made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients and is usually baked. In their oldest forms, cakes were modifications of bread, but cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elabor ...
s covered with
marshmallow Marshmallow (, ) is a confectionery made from sugar, water and gelatin whipped to a solid-but-soft consistency. It is used as a filling in baking or molded into shapes and coated with corn starch. This sugar confection is inspired by a medicina ...
frosting and
coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (biology), family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, ...
flakes formerly produced and distributed by Hostess and currently owned by
The J.M. Smucker Company The J.M. Smucker Company, also known as Smuckers, is an American manufacturer of food and beverage products. Headquartered in Orrville, Ohio, the company was founded in 1897 as a maker of apple butter. J.M. Smucker currently has three major b ...
. Sno Balls are usually pink; however, they are also available in chocolate, lemon, white, green, blue and other colors for specific holidays and times of year. They come in packages of two and are sold at many convenience and
grocery store A grocery store ( AE), grocery shop or grocer's shop ( BE) or simply grocery is a retail store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday US usage, however, "grocery store" is a synon ...
s in the United States. A similar cake produced by
Tunnock's Thomas Tunnock Limited, commonly known as Tunnock's, is a Scottish confectionery company based in Uddingston, Scotland. It is headed by Sir Boyd Tunnock, Boyd Tunnock, grandson of Thomas. In 2013, a joint report by Family Business United and Clo ...
, called a "
Snowball A snowball is a sphere, spherical object made from snow, usually created by scooping snow with the hands and pressing the snow together to compact it into a ball. Snowballs are often used in games such as snowball fights. A snowball may also be ...
", is often sold at
supermarkets A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. Strictly speaking, a supermarket is larger and has a wider selecti ...
in the United Kingdom; these cakes are typically covered in
desiccate Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container. The ...
d coconut, but are typically brown rather than pink, because they have chocolate on their outside.


History

Sno Balls were first introduced in 1947. Hostess attributes their initial popularity to Americans being released from the
flour Flour is a powder made by Mill (grinding), grinding raw grains, List of root vegetables, roots, beans, Nut (fruit), nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredie ...
and
sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...
rationing during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Originally, the cakes were colored white and lacked the crème filling. The crème filling was added in 1950. A little later the pink coloring was added to the shredded coconut in one of the two cakes in each package, but eventually the company decided that it was more efficient to have both cakes the same color, and they decided to color both cakes in each package pink. Other colors (sometimes with their own names) besides pink are sold at particular times of the year, including: * Green ("Lucky Puffs") –
St. Patrick's Day Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (), is a religious and cultural holiday held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Chri ...
* Lavender ("Hoppers") –
Spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a he ...
* Neon green ("Glo Balls") –
Halloween Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...
* Orange ("Glo Balls") – Halloween * Orange ("Scary Cakes") – Halloween * White –
Winter Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year in temperate and polar climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Dif ...
/
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...


Movie and television references

In television and movie references, Sno Balls are often used as an emblematic "junk food," or as a means of communicating caring from one person to another. * In the 2021 movie ''
The Starling ''The Starling'' is a 2021 American comedy drama film directed by Theodore Melfi and written by Matt Harris. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd, Timothy Olyphant, Kim Quinn, Skyler Gisondo, Loretta Devine, Ravi Kapoor, Daveed Diggs ...
'', Lilly Maynard, brings Sno Balls to her husband, Jack. He mentions that his mother always packed Sno Balls in his lunch. Also, she is seen several times perfecting the Sno Ball display in the grocery store where she works. * In the 1990 movie ''
Catchfire ''Catchfire'' is a 1990 American romantic action thriller film directed by Dennis Hopper and starring Hopper, Jodie Foster, Dean Stockwell, Vincent Price, John Turturro, and Fred Ward, with cameo appearances by several notable actors, in ...
'',
Jodie Foster Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. Foster started her career as a child actor before establishing herself as leading actress in film. She has received List of awards and nominations re ...
plays a character, Anne Benton, who is obsessed with Sno Balls, so the character Milo, played by
Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. He was considered one of the key figures of New Hollywood. He earned prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Internatio ...
, surprises her one morning by covering the bed with dozens of pink Sno Balls. * In the 1997 movie ''
Con Air ''Con Air'' is a 1997 American action thriller film directed by Simon West and starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack and John Malkovich in the lead roles. Written by Scott Rosenberg and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the film centers on a pr ...
'', the protagonist, Cameron Poe narrates a letter to his wife, in which he says: "I got your package. Those pink coconut things have made me quite popular. Met a guy just the other day - Baby-O. He sure does love 'em." 06:12-06:19 The video shows a package of Hostess Sno Balls in the care package she sent him, and a few seconds later, a pink Sno Ball being passed through prison bars from one inmate to another. * In the 1997 episode "
Homer's Phobia "Homer's Phobia" is the fifteenth episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 16, 1997. In the episode, Homer dissociates himself ...
" of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'',
Homer Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...
thinks
Bart Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area in California. BART serves List of Bay Area Rapid Transit stations, 50 stations along six routes and of track, including eBART, a spur line running t ...
is gay because he choose a Sno-Ball over a cupcake for dessert. * In the 1999 film ''
The Straight Story ''The Straight Story'' (stylised as ''the Straight story'') is a 1999 biographical road drama film directed by David Lynch. It was edited and produced by Mary Sweeney, Lynch's longtime partner and collaborator, who also co-wrote the script with ...
'', Dorothy is seen sunbathing and eating a Sno Ball. * In the ''
X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to May 19, 2002, on Fox, spanning nine seasons, with 202 episodes. A tenth season of six e ...
'' episode "
Tempus Fugit ''Tempus fugit'' () is a Latin phrase, usually translated into English as "time flies". The expression comes from line 284 of book 3 of Virgil's ''Georgics'', Vergilius Maro, Publius. ''Georgicon'', III. c. 29 BC. Hosted at Wikisource ...
",
Fox Mulder Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
and
Dana Scully Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
are eating at a restaurant; Mulder has arranged for the restaurant staff to sing "Happy Birthday To You" to Scully while delivering a pink Sno Ball with a sparkler on it to her at their table. * The sitcom ''
iCarly ''iCarly'' is an American teen sitcom created by Dan Schneider, which originally aired on Nickelodeon from September 8, 2007, to November 23, 2012. The series tells the story of Carly Shay (Miranda Cosgrove), a teenager who creates and hosts ...
'' regularly makes references to "Fat Cakes" (Season 4, Episode 24 "iToe Fat Cakes") which directly parody Hostess Sno Balls. * In the sitcom ''
Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American television sitcom, created by Glen and Les Charles, Glen Charles & Les Charles and James Burrows, that aired on NBC for eleven seasons from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/C ...
'' season 9, episode 25, "Rat Girl",
Woody Boyd Woodrow Huckleberry Tiberius Boyd is a fictional character on the American television show ''Cheers'', portrayed by Woody Harrelson. Woody, simple-minded but good-hearted, debuts in the season premiere of the fourth season, "Birth, Death, Love ...
announces that "Sno Balls are better because they're bite-sized" and proceeds to stuff the entire cake into his mouth. * In ''
Gilmore Girls ''Gilmore Girls'' is an American comedy drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. The show debuted October 5, 2000, on The WB and became a flagship series for the network. The show ran fo ...
'' season 4, episode 9 ("Ted Koppel's Big Night Out"),
Lorelai Gilmore Lorelai Victoria Gilmore is a fictional character in The WB series ''Gilmore Girls''. Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and portrayed by actress Lauren Graham, she appeared in every episode of the show from 2000 to 2007. Lorelai is introduced as a ...
and
Jason Stiles Jason Stiles (born June 28, 1973) is an American former professional football quarterback who played two seasons with the Portland Forest Dragons of the Arena Football League. He played college football at Western Washington University. Stiles ...
go on a date at a grocery store. Jason says he was curious about Sno Balls and had never tried them before. He says: "You wouldn't be curious about pink marshmallow coconut balls? Who makes these? How did the decision to dye the coconut pink occur? Why are they shaped like a chest? Is there any dessert on the face of the planet that could stimulate this much debate?” A few seconds later, Jason asks Lorelai: “Watch my Sno Balls please,” to which she responds: “Not on the first date, Mister.” * In the movie ''
Hurlyburly ''Hurlyburly'' is a dark comedy play by David Rabe, first staged in 1984. The title refers to dialogue from Shakespeare's ''Macbeth''. Plot ''Hurlyburly'' depicts the intersecting lives of several low-to-mid-level Hollywood players in the 19 ...
'' (1998), the character Mickey finds and brings up some Sno Balls, as a healthier alternative to the Bolivian cocaine breakfast, which Eddie and Phil are having. * In the movie ''
Zombieland ''Zombieland'' is a 2009 American post-apocalyptic zombie comedy film directed by Ruben Fleischer in his directorial debut and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. It stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, ...
'', the character Tallahassee is a fan of
Twinkie The Twinkie is an American snack cake, described on its packaging as "golden sponge cake with a creamy filling". It was formerly made and distributed by Hostess Brands. The brand is currently owned by Hostess Brands, Inc., in turn currently own ...
s, but not Sno Balls. When Tallahassee and Columbus happen upon a Hostess truck run off the road, they open the back of the truck in search of a Twinkie for Tallahassee. When they open the truck, packages of Sno Balls tumble out the truck's doors. * In ''
The Hot Chick ''The Hot Chick'' is a 2002 American fantasy comedy film directed by Tom Brady (in his directorial debut), from a screenplay by Brady and Rob Schneider, and starring Schneider, Anna Faris, Matthew Lawrence, Eric Christian Olsen, and Rachel ...
'', Jessica tells her friend April that she is a "
binger Binger is a German and Danish surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Carl Binger (1889–1976), American psychiatrist * James H. Binger (1916–2004), American lawyer and chief executive *Louis Gustave Binger (1856–1936), French ex ...
" for eating a Sno Ball and that "this is going to go straight to your ass." Jessica then takes a bite out of April's Sno Ball. Later, when Jessica finds herself in a man's body, Jessica and April meet in an empty stadium, where April is sitting on the
bleachers Bleachers (North American English), or stands, are raised, tiered rows of benches found at sports-fields and at other spectator events. Stairways provide access to the horizontal rows of seats, often with every other step enabling access to a ...
eating a Sno Ball.


See also

*
Snowball A snowball is a sphere, spherical object made from snow, usually created by scooping snow with the hands and pressing the snow together to compact it into a ball. Snowballs are often used in games such as snowball fights. A snowball may also be ...
*


References

{{Coconut American desserts American snack foods Brand name snack foods Hostess Brands brands Products introduced in 1947 Foods containing coconut American cakes