kiddie consumerism
Kiddie consumerism
A quick run through the grocery store reveals several things:
1) We are in the era of convenience. Possibly to the point of calling it the era of laziness instead.
2) Packaging has gone out of control. I thought that by now most companies would be of the tree-hugging variety and offer minimal packaging instead of boxes that take 5 hours and three different types of pliers to open.
3) The health and nutrition of children is of paramount importance to no one in particular.
I see a woman in the vitamin/drug aisle. She is filling her cart with all kinds of natural remedies. Green tea and ginseng pills and some vitamin made out of onions and garlic and split pea soup that allows you to have twice the energy of your ordinary superhero. Also in her cart are 4 boxes of high-sugar cereal, 2 oversized packages of Oreos and a case of Code Red Mountain Dew. Mixed messages in that wagon.
I stand in the cereal aisle, scanning the shelves and feeling thankful and a bit smug that my children like "healthy" cereal like Special K with strawberries and Rice Krispies. Cookie Crisp makes me gag. A bowl of cookies for breakfast? Doesn't that seem a bit absurd? Breakfast cereals made with Reeses and Nesquik and maple syrup. Mmmm delicious and nutritious! When I was young, at least they called them what they were. Sugar Pops, not Corn Pops. That's right, the word SUGAR was right there on the front of the box. Now they just pretend to be healthy. At least my parents were honest about it. Here, have some sugar, dear. Now it's, Who wants corn for breakfast?!
These kids today. Everything has to be bright and flavorful and represent their favorite television/movie icon. As an adult, I find it quite disturbing to submurge Buttercup in a bowl of milk and then munch on her. I bought the SpongeBob crackers and the SpongeBob mac and cheese, but I can't bring myself to chew Patrick's head. Don't even get me started on the Nsync gummies. They have a moist liquid center that squirts a refereshing blob of Timberlake into your mouth when you suck on them! Eww.
Nothing is ever left alone. Ketchup is purple and green and pink. Margarine comes in colors. French fries come slathered in chocolate and cinnamon. Margarine tubs talk to you. Applesauce is blue.
Sometimes I wonder, do these things appeal more to the kids or the adults. I have seen more grownups squealing over Star Wars cereal and Kellogg's Mickey Magix than kids.
I know that convenience appeals to adults. Looking in people's shopping carts I can see that it is all about pre-packaged, pre-cooked foods. Meals in a box for people on the go. Doesn't anyone cook anymore? Doesn't anyone like to linger over a simmering meal, stirring and basting and boiling? No? Is everyone in that much of a rush?
Not me. Nope, not me. You will not find any of that stuff in my house. I don't care about brand new flavors. I don't fall for movie tie-in promotions. I don't fall for tv characters sales pitches. I don't believe in convenience or too much packaging or funny colors.
Not me.
Comments
I refuse to buy purple ketchup or blue apple sauce. and there is nothing good about that start wars cereal. have you tasted it? we did. and a week later, it went the way of the micky magics cereal. in the can.
Posted by: kat | June 15, 2002 08:12 AM
and yes, i meant to call it start wars. certain grocery items start wars in my house. like who gets the baseball cards out of the fruity pebbles. thank god they were buy 1 get 1 free this week...lol
Posted by: kat | June 15, 2002 08:14 AM
The Star Wars cereal was awful, as was the Spiderman cereal. Yea, we bought it for the packaging.
Posted by: michele | June 15, 2002 08:18 AM
Here's a view from the other perspective. Meals made from scratch require three primary ingredients: raw materials, time to properly prepare them, and someone who enjoys the chore.
When the kids were still living at home, we had real incentive to prepare "real" food. It was less expensive, and more nutritious. Measuring cups, however, are rarely used around here, so each meal became a feast of epic proportion. Our waists are testament to those days.
After the kids left, cooking for two was really no fun at all, specially when measuring cups were still nowhere to be found. As my wife and I made plans to reduce our weight, we found that more and more food was going to waste - not leftover waste, but spoiling in the refrigerator because it couldn't be used in time.
A couple of months ago, we switched to prepackaged food for dinners. The absence of preparation and the five-minute nuke time were much appreciated, as was the fact that no plates were required for serving. It also introduced the double benefit of portion control and no food waste.
While these meals don't rival the quality of a home cooked meal, they are nevertheless quite tasty (we've come a long way in that regard). And I've been able to lose significant weight (more than 20 lbs so far) in the time I've been limiting myself to these portions.
Sure, we could go back to eating "real" food, and just limiting the portion size, but why would we want to when we can each have our own "favourite" meal (each person's different from the other's) without the fuss.
Posted by: JEfromCanada | June 15, 2002 09:16 AM
Your comments about green ketchup and blue apple sauce are bang on.
That's a trend I just can't see staying around for any length of time.
Posted by: JEfromCanada | June 15, 2002 09:17 AM
I take it you found the new individually wrapped slices of peanut butter product.
Posted by: EB | June 15, 2002 09:22 AM
You are an inspiration to families everywhere. Just say NO to mindless consumerism (unless it's something you really, really want).
Posted by: jadedju | June 15, 2002 01:32 PM
I hope I made it clear enough that the pictures in the last paragraph were all taken in my home.
I was being umm....self effacing? Is that right?
Posted by: michele | June 15, 2002 01:56 PM
my kid is the pickiest of eaters. having his favorite characters on the package has some magic for my little kiddie consumer. i'm afraid if it weren't for spongebob and pokemon and [latest hit kid movie] branded food products, the kid would waste away to nothing.
Posted by: kd | June 15, 2002 03:27 PM
I've grown rather fond of the spooging *NSYNC fruit snacks, myself, but I agree with everything else. ;)
And yes, I got that those pics were from your house. :)
Posted by: Glace | June 15, 2002 03:46 PM
Frankly the coloured ketchups and margarines and applesauces make me want to yark.
Posted by: Pfish | June 15, 2002 04:16 PM
Those pringle stacks are the only way I could get away with eating only a few of those addictive chips.
What a grand idea.
And it's not like it would cost more than the bigger packages. Because to me, one package = 1 serving - regardless of the size of the package...
Posted by: JEfromCanada | June 15, 2002 05:08 PM
What a great post! As the mother of two growing boys, both of whom readily recognize most cartoon characters, much to my continual chagrin lol, I am very familiar with the "grocery store madness." "Ma, can we get that? MA! Spiderman! MA!!!!!!!! Look at Pooh!!" UGH. Fortunately, I have been blessed also with children that actually like Kix and Cheerios and Product 19, and will eat those 95% of the time, with only an occasional sugary box thrown in to keep the peace. Heheh. And as far as other things, well, I try not to bring them in the house, and so far I do pretty well. If they don't want to eat what's there...they don't get it. But.....mass consumerism and "in-your-face" advertising gets the best of everyone, I think. I do happen to have some strawberry Pop-Tarts with Spiderman Tattoos inside the box up there in the cabinet..... ;)
Posted by: Tricia | June 15, 2002 06:45 PM
JEfrom Canada has it right--cooking for two or fewer on a regular basis ends up wasting food. And for one? Get a grip--and remember that COOK is a four-letter word.
As for kids and their "favorite" sugar bombs aka cereals--can you say Attention Deficit Disorder?
Posted by: sue | June 15, 2002 09:13 PM
Having a family is certainly a factor. The packaging involved in convenience foods would get way out of control when you're cooking for 3, 4, 5 or however many. Being single though, not to mention very lazy, I love all that boil in the bag rubbish that can be thrown into the pan, forgotten about for 20 mins, and then just wolfed down. Mind you, I only eat 'cause I'd die if I didn't. That's probably why I find the idea of strange coloured foods so odd. They aren't big over here 'yet' though. God help us when they start producing genetically modified blue tomatoes or whatever.
Posted by: Benway | June 16, 2002 09:03 AM
justin timberlake spurts in your mouth when you suck on him? ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. yes, please, can i have some of that?
Posted by: donald | June 16, 2002 10:17 AM
I was going to ask you exactly whose freezer those french toast sticks were in, girl. ;)
Posted by: Nancy | June 16, 2002 04:38 PM
i'm so glad someone else remembers sugar pops. i was starting to think i imagined it. tho i think they had started calling them "sugar corn pops" by the 70s.
Posted by: redsugar | June 18, 2002 10:52 AM
Gay Male Porn - Chasey Lain - Internet Casino - Online Casino - Alley Bagget - Evidence Eliminator - Adult Movie - Drew Barrymore - Adriana Sage - Hustler Magazine - Teen Steam - Sexo Interracial - Sexo Oral - Asian Porn - Big Tit - Kara Adult Playground - Porn Video
Adult Video - Free Sex - Brittany Andrew - Kobe Tai - Fat Woman - Sexo Gay - Nikki Tyler - Jenna Jameson - Silvia Saint - Petra Verkaik - Hustler - Adult Chat Network - Amateur Porn - Anal Porn - Black Woman - Adele Stephens - Alexus Winston
wow, this Blog is really Good.
Posted by: Tawnee Stone | November 5, 2003 01:41 PM
Vivid DVD - Vivid Porn - Vivid Girls - Vivid Entertainment - Vivid Girl - Vivid Video - Sexo - Sexo Gratis - Fotos de Sexo - Sexo Duro - Huge Big Tits - Black Bros White Hoes - Traci Lord - Jill Kelly - Kendra Jade - Amber Lynn - Nude Pictures - Ass Porn - Barely Legal
Toni Freeland - Monster Cock - Online Casino - Sexo Anal - Ginger Lynn - Adult DVD - Cheap DVD - AdultChatNetwork - Online Poker - Sexo Gratis - Sex Porn - Porn Star - Sex Movie - Aria Giovanni - Tawnee Stone - Danni Ashe
Thanks for Visit my New Sites Guys.
Posted by: Sex Porn | November 5, 2003 01:41 PM
porn star dee porn star escorts classic porn star porn star free blonde porn star gauge porn star russian porn star porn star news trinity porn star porn star obsession porn star serenity porn star health japanese porn star uk porn star porn star chloe hardcore porn star porn star interviews celebrity sex videos porn star bio top porn star porn star listing celebrity sex story russian porn star bomis porn star porn star biographies free porn star gallery porn star nude porn star sites uk porn star be a porn star i want to be a porn star porn star escorts star porn porn star nude porn star dee japanese porn star porn star thumbs best porn star celebrity photo celebrity hot serenity porn star porn star chloe mature porn star celebrity photo porn star chloe classic porn star porn star finder porn celebrity porn star photo porn star charlie nude celebrity mature porn star latina porn star raylene porn star teen porn star new porn star porn star free savannah porn star porn star links porn star friday male porn star celebrity photos porn star post free celebrity xxx fake celebrity porn porn star index porn star pics porn star database porn star search free porn star gallery porn star mpegs adult porn star chinese porn star john holmes porn star free porn star galleries
Posted by: porn star escorts | November 7, 2004 12:17 AM
hardcore sex movies hardcore photos hardcore gratuit fuck blonde zemanova fucked free asian hardcore fucked girl hardcore music hardcore junkie fuck cum bum fuck models fucked pics hardcore hardcore videos brunette fucked xxx hardcore sex hardcore hardcore series hardcore thumbnails spears fuck animals fuck wives fucked fucked to death fuck face free hardcore sex movies fist fucked hardcore sex pics hardcore links teens getting fucked brianna banks fucked fuck porn fuck thumbs hardcore sex getting fucked hard daily fuck hentai hardcore final fuck x hardcore junky links skull fuck fucked movies granny fucked machine fuck hardcore sex stories fuck young hardcore free pics fuck toy fuck you fuck me getting fucked hard hardcore pussy mature hardcore big tits fuck he fucked me fucked by a machine free hardcore videos asian girls fucked free hardcore porno fuck wav ebony fucked free tit fuck hardcore group fuck you fuck me fotos hardcore free hardcore porn adult hardcore fuck clip hardcore free anime hardcore bride fucked hardcore teen hardcore action mouth fuck fucked hard adult hardcore hardcore porn hardcore interracial
Posted by: asian fucked | November 7, 2004 11:30 PM
java video chat web cam drivers live chat xxx free live chat sex web cam online erotic live chat live chat de web cam world livesex chat web cam voyeur live chat webcam direct live video chat web cam nude video game chat free adult web cam web cam server uk live chat free teen web cam videochat live web cam ny live sexchat live chat room cam live chat amatuer web cam direct sex live video chat victoria web cam live chat online live chat room online web cam live voice chat video live chat web cam online web cam de sexo cam live chat livecam chat web cam hard xxx live video chat live chat webcam live chat xxx video sex chat web cam linux live chatt free live cam chat free web cam porn easy free web cam web cam live web cam amsterdam web cam home xxx live chat live chat lines site web cam live chat rooms web cam gallery sexchat live web cam feeds web cam for free sexcam chat free live chat video chat sites web cam community gratis live chat webcam web cam free web cam girls live sex talk live videochat free web cam girls xxx live video chat nude live chat home web cam web cam ny web cam movies web cam go plus online web cam sexy video chat live chat webcam
Posted by: web cam index | November 9, 2004 07:35 PM