Another theory is that workers who were on the road a lot in that time period would have been driving stick shift, so putting peanuts in the Coke bottle gave them a free hand as opposed to holding a drink and trying to grab individual peanuts from a bag while driving.
If you try this trend, make sure you choose regular Coke, not diet, and salted peanuts. If you can find Coke in a glass bottle, even better – everyone knows Coke just tastes better in a glass bottle! Many people say that the combination of the sweet Coke and the salty, crunchy peanuts is incredible. While this food phenomenon may seem odd or new to us, it’s one that’s been going on for generations in the South – and I am definitely curious to try it for myself!