Seeing how your favorite foods are made and then getting to sample the result can be a fun experience for the whole family. The Washington, D.C. area offers a veritable feast of snack-food factory tours, where visitors can observe first-hand the labor that goes into the products, from pretzels twisted into shape by robotics to handmade potato chips and delicately molded chocolates.
Snyder's of Hanover, maker of snack-food products, offers a free, guided walking tour of its Hanover, Pennsylvania Pretzel Bakery, located about 60 miles from Washington, D.C. Visitors get a chance to see the raw materials warehouse, the finished goods warehouse (where robotics are at work) and the packing room. They also learn how potato chips are made. The one-hour tour starts and ends at the Factory Store, and it includes a free bag of pretzels at the end. A Baltimore Sun article describing the tour said that it was "mesmerizing to watch the geometric rows of pretzels emerge from the oven, or to see bags of chips mechanically sealed at lightning speed." Tours are conducted year-round, Tuesday through Thursday, and reservations are required at least a day ahead. To take the tour, you must be able to climb stairs.
To see snacks made by hand instead of by machinery, a free tour of Route 11 Potato Chips in Mount Jackson, Virginia, is in order. The factory and food store are located off Route 81 South, about 30 miles from Route 66. Visitors will see how much more labor-intensive the hand-cooked process can be and then get a chance to enjoy the payoff with a free treat. Morning is the best time to watch the "spudmasters" at work, according to the company's website, but the factory is open to the public, Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in 2010. The owners suggest calling ahead to check the cooking schedule.
For a journey even further back in time, tourists might want to check out the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, near Hanover in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Founded by Julius Sturgis in 1861, it was the first commercial pretzel bakery in the United States. The factory is still in the family and operating at its original site. Visitors will get a "hands-on lesson in pretzel twisting," according to the website and will see the original ovens and learn about the history of pretzel baking in America. Tours are Monday through Friday and on Saturday. Admission in November of 2010 is $3 for adults and $2 for children. Group tours are welcome.
Moore's Candies, located in Baltimore, Maryland, a little over an hour from Washington, D.C., offers tours by appointment only. The company, named "America's Best Chocolate Makers," by the Food Network, offers gourmet items as well as candies for special occasions, such as weddings and holidays. In addition, Moore's Candies offers a complete confection line of Maryland-themed products, such as miniature chocolate crabs and oysters. Tours can be arranged Monday through Thursday. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.
